Sports Injuries

Chiropractic care can help manage these symptoms when they arise and also keep them at arm’s length helping you stay focused and in the game.

The most common sports injuries include sprains and strains, which affect the ligaments and muscles, respectively, often due to overstretching and repetitive or improper use. Tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendons, is also common, especially in sports that involve repetitive motions, such as tennis or running. These oftentimes are accompanied by joint dysfunction, which can contribute to and exacerbate these symptoms. 

Left untreated, injuries and sports can result in increased recovery times, decreased athlete confidence, and ultimately disrupted performance and play.

As a chiropractor evaluating athletes for sports injuries, I would start with a thorough medical history to understand previous injuries and current symptoms. I would then perform a physical examination, assessing posture, alignment, and range of motion to identify any discrepancies or barriers to current recovery.

Specific orthopedic and neurological tests would help pinpoint the exact nature of the injury and provide additional information on the severity. Advanced imaging techniques, such as X-rays or MRIs, might be used to get a detailed view of the affected area, but that is reserved for certain patient presentations.

Based on my findings, I would develop a personalized treatment plan to relieve pain, promote healing, and prevent future injuries.

Chiropractic Adjustments
Manipulative therapies help athletes by encouraging full pain free active range of motion, and in sports this can be the difference between low and peak performances. Chiropractic care also helps to disrupt the build up of repetitive overuse stresses which helps maintain proper muscle engagement, aids in recovery and injury prevention. This is crucial to help keep athletes in the game.

Rehabilitation Exercises
Athletes, through their training and competition, may require the need of targeted and specific exercises to either alter their muscle recovery or the biomechanics of their bodies. This oftentimes arises from the repetitive nature of sport and training. I can help manage this through targeted rehabilitation exercises and programs that are athlete and sport-specific. Exercises include rotator cuff strengthening, hip opening work or even the relief of extremity symptoms. Not only do these help navigate current injuries but also aid in injury prevention when looking into the future.

Soft Tissue Therapy
With the consistent and sometimes overwhelming amount of physical stress athletes put through their bodies, muscular, fascial, or other soft tissue symptoms can arise, which can develop into myofascial pain syndromes, further leading to injury and performance loss. Soft tissue-specific treatment techniques can help avoid this build-up and keep athletes performing at their best in the game. Therapies such as pin and stretching and instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation can profoundly aid athletes. These therapies keep potential or existing myofascial pain syndromes from interrupting range of motion, causing pain, and affecting performance. Direct soft tissue work can also help fight inflammation and muscle recovery during difficult training sessions.

I have spent many years evaluating and treating patients from all different sports arenas. From being on the sidelines at grade school tournaments to working with teams and athletes directly, I have helped many athletes from all walks of life manage pain and achieve performance goals. I continually enjoy working with athletes from all levels, pulling for past experiences from people who are just starting out to professionals in the deepest part of their training. 

I remain committed to staying updated with the latest treatment techniques for sports injuries and evaluation methods.