The Fall sports season is upon us, and that means an increase in sports injuries isn’t unlikely. If you’re an athlete, you understand the physical demand that sports put on the body. The running, jumping, tackling, hitting, throwing, and physical contact can really take a toll on the body, especially to the joints and muscles. Luckily, sports chiropractic care can help treat them if they’ve occurred. With special spinal manipulation or other special chiropractic treatment techniques, our expert sports chiropractors at Sea Change Wellness can have you leaving the office pain-free.
So, what are the most common sports injuries and how can a chiropractor help? First, let’s identify the injuries that athletes most commonly see.
- ACL Tear – This knee injury, a tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament, can occur when sudden stops occur or the knee is hit on the side. Depending on how severe the tear is, sometimes it requires surgery.
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome – Another knee injury (also called runner’s knee) happens when the kneecap is repetitively moved against the thigh bone, damaging that tissue beneath the kneecap. It often takes about six whole weeks to heal.
- Epicondylitis – Commonly known as tennis elbow, this is irritation or inflammation to the elbow caused by repetitive motions and continuous use.
- Plantar Fasciitis – This arch pain is caused by irritation to the thick plantar fascia band on the underside of the foot.
- Muscle Strain or Pull – Numerous physical activities can cause strain to your muscles such as the groin or hamstring. If the strain is strong enough, it can pull or tear the muscle.
How can chiropractic care treat these injuries?
If the muscle injury is new when the patient comes in, the goal is to offset inflammation, reduce pain and swelling, and reduce the amount of damage to tissues.
During the subacute (later) periods of recovery, the treatment often focuses on identifying other hidden factors that may be contributing to the symptoms. These often include postural imbalances or improper body patterns.
General pain management techniques may also be used for chronic sports pain. This may include chiropractic adjustments, postural screenings, and more.
Sea Change Chiropractic — The Sports Injury Answer
If you’ve been injured playing sports and are suffering from new or old pain as a result, that doesn’t have to last. Contact Drs. Brian Brill and Heather Champion at our St. Petersburg Chiropractic office for proper sports injury care.
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