Sports Injuries
Whether
you play to win or just play for fun, chiropractic can enhance your
health and fitness program. Since chiropractic has helped athletes
from youth soccer to the Olympics-imagine what it can for you and
your family!
A child's growing bones and developing soft tissue are especially
susceptible to injury. Chiropractic carp correct structural problems
that may otherwise interfere with your child's normal growth.
Teens are no stranger to injuries during those "invincible"
years. And college-bound athletes are poised for more serious competition.
That's why spinal care is a smart move, at any age.
You may not be aware of a structural problem, but research shows
that discs and muscles in the low back area can degenerate-without
symptoms-in healthy adults from ages 19 to 74. That's just the result
of everyday spinal stress! Then as we age, our spine becomes even
more vulnerable to injury.
Nearly every sports injury leads to spinal misalignments and muscular
imbalances. If you've been injured, you need a spinal exam.
Don't be "sidelined" from your favorite activity. Discover
how you can team up with chiropractic to prevent injury and improve
your performance!
A published study of athletes with no apparent injury showed significant
improvement in athletic performance after only 12 weeks of chiropractic
care.
The data supports that spinal misalignment can occur without symptoms
and that realigning the spine "enables the body to function
and perform at a higher level."
Chiropractic
can enhance flexibility, endurance and performance by maintaining
healthy joints and reducing the risk of injury.
Your musculoskeletal system includes your skeletal bones, related
nerves and soft tissue (ligaments, muscles, tendons and cartilage).
Your spinal column consists of 24 moveable joints, which are at
the center of your entire musculoskeletal system.
Your arms, legs, shoulders, ribs, neck and head are attached to
the spine. And two-thirds of your muscles are attached to the spine.
So it doesn't matter whether you hurt your head - or your foot -
your spine is likely to be pulled out of alignment!
The goal of chiropractic in managing any type of structural injury
is to restore misaligned vertebrae to their proper position and
mobilize the injured area as soon as possible. As yon r Doctor of
Chiropractic, we are well trained to determine if and when a joint
should be adjusted.
By restoring joint movement, chiropractic adjustment .s help to
prevent the shortening of muscles and ligaments caused b y immobility.
Adjustments also help to prevent the formation of scar tissue in
and around the joint.
Sport injuries often result in soft tissue damage. This type of
injury can be more painful and more serious than a bone injury.
As an example, a muscle tear heals with scar tissue, which lacks
the flexibility and strength of the original tissue. If not properly
managed, soft tissue injuries may lead to pain, muscle weakness,
joint stiffness and eventual disability.
Research
shows that adjustments can reduce musculoskeletal pain associated
with soft tissue injuries and restore joint function. Chiropractic
care helps to break up scar tissue and promotes quick healing of
injured areas.
Sprained a ligament while jogging? Twisted your ankle rollerblading?
Strained a back muscle playing tennis? You don't have to get tackled
to throw your body's framework off balance! Minor everyday injuries
can cause major structural problems over time. That's why we don't
limit our attention to an "injured" area.
Many sports injuries occur as a result of muscular imbalances.
Symptom-free yet poorly healed injuries can create subtle imbalances,
having one area stressed while another muscle group tries to compensate.
Muscle imbalances can lead to spinal misalignments and soft tissue
irritation.
Misaligned vertebrae or inflamed soft tissue may press on spinal
nerves causing pain, tingling or numbness. Soft tissue manipulation
and chiropractic adjustments improve muscle balance and reduce nerve
interference. Proper nerve transmission helps your body to heal
itself naturally, without drugs or surgery.
Often patients ignore injuries, hoping they'll just go away. Many
injuries go unnoticed for months and even years! In time, your body
may adapt to an injured state until you no longer feel any pain.
A false sense of wellness may cause you to re-injure yourself. Spinal
exams can help detect and correct "hidden" injuries.
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