Chiropractic treatment for sports injuries
Although practicing sports can be a lot of fun and is good for your health, there are some risks. It is common that people who play high-impact sports, such as soccer or rugby, , can easily injure joints.
Sports that does not require so much contact and are perceived as less dangerous, may also cause injury if prior warm-up exercises are not performed in a proper way, and, besides, of course, unexpected misfortunes can also happen.
The sports injuries that we treat the most and that obtain the best results with chiropractic care are the following;
Ankle sprain
Well known to elite athletes, regular chiropractic treatment helps strengthen the ankle and increase its stability, thanks to better alignment, we achieve good joint mobility and better flexibility. Nerves and soft tissues can often be damaged. Chiropractic preventive treatments performed regularly are the best ally for a high-level athlete, as well as for the general population, since it facilitates the blood flow, which accelerates healing and reduces the chances of injury.
Feet in inversion or eversion
When we talk about inversion of the foot we usually find the calcaneus (bone located in the heel) in varus inwards and a majority support of the external part.
If we talk about eversion, we find the calcaneus in valgus outwards and a majority support of the inner part of the foot. This also modifies the footprint and all the mechanics of the foot and gait and can create a true morphological change and deformation of the foot.
The most common symptoms: loss of mobility of the toes, muscular hypotonia of the foot and its intrinsic musculature, overexertion of the sural triceps or the tibialis posterior or anterior. This can also be associated with infections such as morphological deformation, plantar arch change, plantar fasciitis or bunions (hallux valgus).
Foot mechanics are complex and a good alignment of the bone structure of the foot, a specific correction of the bones of the foot, an adjustment, guarantees a correct position of this joint which is very important for the entire skeleton support and to avoid side effects of the hip, knee and the entire spine, among other joints.
Achilles heel
Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are the two most common causes of heel pain. Athletes and active people, in particular, develop heel pain due to Achilles tendonitis, but it is possible to develop the condition even if you are not an athlete.
Achilles tendon problems are often a result of a misalignment of the architecture of the foot or even other parts of the body. When the joints are misaligned, they tend to exert additional stress and poor distribution of force and weight on the feet and Achilles tendons. To minimize joint stress, the chiropractor adjusts the spine, pelvis, knee and foot joints.
Tendinitis
The pain and inflammation of tendonitis should be treated to prevent it to turn into a chronic disease. It is a condition that occurs when a tendon that connects the bone to the muscle is injured, overused or misused. Symptoms of tendonitis are inflammation, pain, and, sometimes, swelling. In the case of an injury where the tendon is put under stress, the soft tissue around the area may also be affected.
The most common types of tendinitis are, but are not limited to, conditions of tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow. However, other tendons in the body may also have symptoms of tendinitis. The Achilles tendon, ankle, wrist and even fingers may become inflamed as a result of the condition.
Tennis elbow
At first, it’s just an annoyance, then that elbow pain becomes more and more insistent and a little swelling also appears; finally, it’s no longer possible to do simple movements, like open a bottle of water. This is the classic course of epicondylitis, an inflammation of the lateral part of the elbow (external) more precisely, of the insertion of the tendon of the wrist extensor muscles.
This syndrome is more common among athletes but also in people who perform repetitive manual work.
Therefor it is necessary to identify and treat the true causes that are often of mechanical origin, due to a joint maladjustment. Chiropractic adjustments can correct, align and solve your ailments.
Golfer’s elbow
In Medial (internal) epicondylitis, also called golfer’s elbow, the pain is on the inside of the elbow, unlike tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis, where the pain is felt on the outside of the elbow.
In both cases it is mainly inflammation of the tendons of the forearm muscles due to excessive or inappropriate use (bad tennis or golf technique) of the elbow joints that can be treated with Chiropractic.
Wrist pain / Carpal tunnel syndrome
It is an irritation of the median nerve, which passes under the flexor retinaculum of the wrist. It is characterized by tingling, pain and decreased sensitivity in the hands and, sometimes, in the forearm associated with local muscle weakness. In addition to being a possible sports injury, it can affect those who work a lot on the computer or students after long hours writing.
Chiropractic treatment aims to find the cause, restore correct biomechanics and alignment of the carpal bones to regain the functionality of the wrist and hand, as well as the arm-shoulder-neck kinematics in order to eliminate pressure on the nerve.
Sciatica
It is a pain that spreads to the buttocks and legs. It is due to irritation of the sciatic nerve. This ailment often comes from a herniated disc, but the piriformis muscle may also be involved.
You can learn more about the problems caused by sciatica at the following link: Sciatica problems.
Neck, shoulder and back pain
Ailments in the neck, shoulder and back can be the result of a blow, an accident or the strain of a muscle when carrying too much weight or playing sports. This can lead to problems such as tendinitis or capsulitis of the shoulder.
However, a lot of pain in these parts of the body have their common origin in a bad position, deviation or misalignment due to subluxation at the cervical level.
Arm pain
The most feared condition, called cervicobrachialgia, is a shooting pain, like a stab, that often begins as a tingling, or a sensation of heat and cold. It usually comes from a disc disease, protrusion or herniated disc, a displacement or a subluxation in the cervical area. Just as in any other case, herniated disc, or subluxation, before operating, it would be a good idea to go see your Chiropractic doctor since this type of ailment responds very well to chiropractic treatment.
Step by step treatment
Chiropractic care is a well-known therapeutic approach that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a variety of injuries and/or conditions associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Chiropractic care can help to accurately realign the spine, as well as reduced pain and discomfort, improve swelling and inflammation and even increase strength, flexibility and mobility in other human body structures.
The first steps your chiropractor takes in treating pain will consist of a series of tests to create a personalized treatment program adapted to each specific case. He will look for the true cause to remove and restore joint normality.
CONTRAINDICATED TO SIT
In the first 10 to 15 minutes after your visit it is contraindicated to sit down.
During this period of time it is necessary to walk to mobilize the joints that we just release and walking also facilitate better joint lubrication and nutrition of the intervertebral discs.
IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS
During the next 24 hours following the first sessions avoid any excessive effort.
Otherwise, the effectiveness of the adjustment received will decrease.
BEFORE AND AFTER
Before and after every visit, avoid all kinds of tension.
Both physical and mental. The more relaxed you are the more benefit you will get from your treatment.
THE APPOINTMENTS
The set appointments must be respected.
They have been established to obtain the best results.
AFTER AN ADJUSTMENT
The sensations that each person may experience after an adjustment may vary without affecting the result and benefit of the treatment in the medium and long term.
After an adjustment, you may experience a feeling of relaxation, having a lot of energy, general well-being, disappearance or relief of symptoms, soreness or pain.
You may sometimes even experience discomfort since the body has to adapt to the new posture and position.
Links of interest
Articles about sport injuries
