Sports Injuries

It isn’t only professional sports men and women that sustain injuries whilst practising the sports they love.  Anyone who leads an active life outside of work is also at risk of getting hurt, this includes ‘weekend warriors’ and amateur athletes alike. What’s more, they will often occur when you least expect them from either direct trauma or the presence of an underlying condition.

How do they happen?

Sport and exercise are great ways of keeping healthy, but often involve a level of risk. This includes too much training or inappropriate methods/technique which can lead to direct tissue trauma. Often less considered is the presence of structural or functional abnormalities (muscle imbalance/weakness) that will often lead to injury in areas such as: low back, neck, shoulders elbows, knees, ankles or feet.

Can Chiropractic help?

Yes! Chiropractic has a long and vibrant history of treating recreational and professional athletes. Chiropractors are trained to manage sports-related injuries as part of their core competencies. In fact, through a thorough history and examination, Chiropractors can help determine the cause of pain and dysfunction and recommend an appropriate management plan. Care, depending upon the injury, involves joint manipulation, soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation and individualised exercises and lifestyle advice to restore proper function and enhance the healing process.

Can sports injuries be prevented?

Again, yes! Unfortunately a lot of people only turn to a chiropractor as a result of an injury. But where injury has occurred because of structural or functional dysfunction, chiropractic care goes a long way in helping prevent sports injury. Recent research (1) is showing how chiropractic treatment can increase muscle strength, decrease fatigue and improve the brains control of the muscular system – something that will increase overall performance.

Some of the many professionals that utilise chiropractic care as part of their routine include: Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson and Tiger Woods. “From the first session with my chiropractor I had great results that were not short lived. That, followed up with regular sessions, saw improvements that I had never seen before and that reflected in the way my body held up on a day to day basis which eventually saw me achieve fourth in the 2009 Tour de France. My chiropractor will undoubtedly remain an integral part of my medical support in the forthcoming seasons.” Bradley Wiggins CBE.

 

 

So perhaps the next time you sign up for a charity run/challenge, play football in your local league or if you just want to take your weekly run to the next level, you’ll consider using chiropractic care to support your body and help prevent injury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

1. Changes in H-reflex and V-waves following spinal manipulation. Experimental Brain Research. Vol 233, 4, pp 1165-1173.