Treating Sports Injuries
Chiropractic's approach to health is well-suited to the needs of the sports participant. Sports place an unusual amount of strain on the back and structural system. Chiropractic treats the spine, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and nerves as an integrated system and works to maintain the proper balance.
Chiropractors attend athletes at the Olympic Games and other sports events such as track and field meets, triathalons, aerobics, weight lifting, even volleyball. Chiropractic is natural care that stresses the importance of keeping the body's structural and nervous systems in harmony in order to maximize performance and minimize the risks of injury.
Many promising athletes are sidelined, or play below their potential, because of injuries that could be avoided. Drugs can hide a specific pain and allow a player to continue, but they may also mask a serious injury. Chiropractic treats the problem without sacrificing the best interests of whole-body health, so an athlete can reach his or her personal best.
A crucial part of good health is a normally functioning nervous system. Problems in the nervous system can be caused by a misaligned spine or malfunctioning tissues and organs. Manipulation of problem areas, called "subluxations", and correcting them to relieve nerve interference can restore proper functioning and return the structural systems of the body the ability to deliver its best effort.
Chiropractors will perform a comprehensive examination including orthopaedic, neurological and chiropractic assessment based on the history of the injury. If the chiropractor finds any evidence of problems beyond the scope of chiropractic care, if there is a need for x-rays or blood tests, the doctor will refer the athlete to the proper health care specialists.
The primary focus of the chiropractor treating sports injuries is on the spine and surrounding joints that are susceptible to the body contact, fast starts and stops and positioning of the athlete that place unusual strain on the structural system. The treatment by the Chiropractor is manipulation to these areas, which can be slightly displaced or failing to function normally. Adjustment will restore proper alignment and function to the joints, thus restoring normal nerve transmission and natural healing ability to the vital structures of the body.
Injuries such as ankle strains, muscle strains, tendonitis, bursitis, and joint problems to the in the wrist, shoulder, hand, hip, ankle, knee and foot can all be treated with chiropractic care. Chiropractic is not only drug-free, it is preventative and performance-enhancing.
Proper alignment allow athletes to be prepared. Many of the world's greatest athletes receive a "tune-up" from a chiropractor before competition if order to achieve their body's level of peak efficiency. After competition they return to the chiropractor to enhance the recuperative process after the stress of their particular event.
The Players Association of the NFL has officially incorporated sports chiropractors as an regular part of their care. Joe Montana, Nolan Ryan, Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Carl Lewis all use chiropractic care. Many world-class and Olympic athletes as well as professional stars retain chiropractors to provide on-going care.