SPORTS INJURIES
Sports injury treatment at TriMed Spine and Joint focuses on the cause of the injury, not just the pain. Chiropractic care has received much attention in regard to its successful management of sporting injuries. The majority of sports injuries are soft tissue in nature. Many injuries also arise from improper body biomechanics and improper sporting techniques. For these reasons chiropractic doctors have become the doctors of choice, from the weekend warrior to the professional athlete.
According to an article in the June ’98 issue of The Physician and Sports Medicine, “Interest in alternative or complementary medicine ‘especially chiropractic’ is booming… active patients are running to unconventional providers to treat their aches and pains… from chiropractors and acupuncture to magnets and meditation.”
Successful sports injury treatment must focus on more than pain relief. They must address the underlying causes. These include muscular imbalances, biomechanical deficiencies, improper sporting techniques, and improper conditioning, to name a few.
It’s really quite simple. Chiropractic care uses safe and natural spinal adjustive techniques, physiotherapy applications, and soft tissue mobilization. It also uses stretching and exercise programs, diet and nutritional counseling, and extensive biomechanical training. The focus is on all the causes that have led to the symptoms of pain and tissue injury. It does not focus solely on eliminating pain.
INJURIES IN COMPETITIVE ATHLETES
Many professional and competitive athletes already know the value of regular chiropractic care. Increased flexibility, increased energy, increased speed and increased performance are all benefits of chiropractic care. So is a decrease in injuries.
In fact, it’s becoming rare to find a professional or amateur sports team that does not have a “team” chiropractor. Take for instance the bay area in Northern California. The San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants, and the San Jose Sharks have their own team chiropractor.
INJURIES IN CHILD AND TEEN ATHLETES
Sports and regular physical activities serve as a fun time for children and teens. More importantly, they improve overall health and wellness status. They also promote a healthy lifestyle that children can carry on into their adulthood years.
Exercise and Health Education Cut Kids’ Risk of Heart Disease
Experts Urge Children Need More Exercise
Results of Strength Training in Obese Prepubertal Girls
Frequently Asked Questions
Why see a chiropractor for a sports injury?
Most sports injuries are soft tissue injuries. Many of them arise from how the body is moving rather than from a single traumatic event. Chiropractic care addresses joint mechanics, muscular imbalance and movement technique alongside the pain itself. That is why it is often used together with rehabilitation. When an injury turns out to be structural, the orthopedic side of our practice handles it.
What is the difference between treating the pain and treating the cause?
Ice, rest and medication can settle symptoms without changing what produced them. That is why the same injury often returns when training resumes. Addressing the cause means looking at muscular imbalances, restricted joints, biomechanical deficiencies and sporting technique. A plan that only chases pain tends to produce a shorter result than one that also corrects mechanics.
Do I need to stop training completely while I recover?
Usually not. Complete rest is reserved for injuries where loading the tissue would set healing back. More often we modify the activity and reduce volume or intensity. We also substitute movements that keep you conditioned without aggravating the injured area. Staying active in a controlled way generally shortens recovery.
Which sports injuries do you see most often?
Sprains and strains, tendonitis and bursitis, and low back and neck strain are common. So are shoulder and knee pain and overuse injuries of the hip, ankle and elbow. Our sports medicine page covers structural injuries such as ligament tears, meniscal tears and rotator cuff tears. That page also covers the surgical options when they are needed.
When should a sports injury be evaluated rather than managed at home?
Have it looked at if the joint gave way or locked, or if it swelled quickly. The same applies if you cannot bear weight or use the limb normally. Get it checked if there is numbness or weakness. Do the same if the pain has not improved after a week or two of sensible self-care. Recurring injuries in the same spot are also worth evaluating, because they usually indicate an uncorrected mechanical cause. Call 1 (855) 4-TRIMED to be seen.