Chiropractic care is one of the most popular options in natural health care. Arizona Pain Relief and many other natural clinics pride ourselves on providing non-invasive, drug-free pain relief care to our patients. Most people think to see a chiropractor when experiencing pain and after sports injury but we have found that chiropractic adjustments can provide benefits to those who aren’t suffering from an injury. Specifically athletes can benefit and even prevent injury by seeing a sports chiropractor.
Professional athletes and teams have provided their athletes with chiropractic care because they understand the benefits that come with it. They believe in it so much that it is common for teams to have a team of an in-house chiropractor on payroll. Some of the best athletes of all-time have relied on Chiropractic Care including Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Michael Phelps to name a few.
A licensed Chiropractor has the ability to enhance the musculoskeletal system as well as the nervous system to put the athlete in the best position to succeed. Chiropractors with specialization in sports can give athletes therapies to help maintain strength and bounce back after hard workouts or a grueling game. Chiropractic can play a vital role in preventing injuries before they occur. If injuries can’t be prevented, chiropractic also makes it much easier to manage the pain and a quicker recovery. This is why chiropractic treatments are important for athletes.
The Four Biggest Reasons Why
1. Chiropractic treatment can improve range of motion
One of the most common benefits reported by our clients are their improved range of motion. Athletes put their bodies under a lot of pressure almost every day whether it’s workouts or competitions. The intensity at which they workout and perform can create problems with spinal alignment and movement especially in some of the younger athletes who may not be working out properly.
It is far from uncommon for an athlete to report stiffness and pain coming from their joints. When people lose range of motion it typically comes from the spine being misaligned which can hinder athletic performance. When undergoing proper chiropractic care, athletes give themselves the opportunity to fix the damage caused by stress overload. Better yet, athletes should aim to get ahead of it, and see a sports chiropractor before the damage is done.
2. Receiving chiropractic treatment can reduce pain
People who are physically active, and eating healthy can also suffer from back pain, most commonly in the lower back region. Chiropractors are experts in dealing with sensitive, misaligned spines and promoting better movement. On top of getting athletes their full ability to move back, they also work to make that movement as pain-free as possible.
3. Athletes who receive chiropractic treatment take less prescription medications
While pain medications, and other drugs can provide pain relief, it comes with risk and is merely a band-aid rather than a long-term solution. Chiropractic Care aims to naturally reduce the risk or completely take away the pain without running the risk of any sort of addiction or dependence.
In fact, Opioid dependence and opioid addiction remains to be at epidemic numbers in the United States. The American College of Physicians was prompted by the US Government to update their guidelines and report lower back pain as one of the most common reasons for someone to obtain an opioid prescription. American College of Physicians now recommends Chiropractic techniques including spinal manipulations before getting on prescription medications.
4. Chiropractic treatment provides a non-invasive treatment option
Chiropractic care is all about non-invasive relief. It provides relief in different injury spots all over the body without requiring any sort of instrument into the body. The biggest perk for the athlete is that it is a pain relief solution that keeps them away from surgeries that would require them to stay off the field or court for a longer amount of time. Treatment methods such as Chiropractic adjustments, electrical muscle stimulation, acupuncture and other techniques can provide relief to athletes suffering from a sports related injury.
Benefits of Chiropractic Medicine for Athletes
Whether an athlete competes in sporting events for fun or playing on the biggest stage, the number of athletes who rely on chiropractic care grows every year. Chiropractors are miracle doctors when it comes to getting athletes back on the field or court.
Over the years sports have started to become more serious at younger ages. Players are playing in travel tournaments with big sponsors and for some this goes on year round. Kids are more commonly specializing in one individual sport in an attempt to one day take their game to the next level being college and furthermore pro. This means the body is undergoing a lot of stress almost every day.
Research has shown that athletes who specialize in a single sport tend to get injured more often than those who diversify. Some may not agree this is a good practice for young kids, but regardless it’s happening more regularly. Sports chiropractors don’t just benefit seasoned athletes, it can help our next generation as well.
There are many benefits of applying chiropractic treatments to our young athletes including:
1. Chiropractic treatments can increase the speed of recovery
Wear and tear occurs over time, athletic events and training can speed up this process. In every sport and/or workout the person participating uses the same repetitive motions. After doing the same thing for so long, you eventually feel fatigue from exhausting your body.
Chiropractors have the ability to use techniques aimed at the soft tissue such as a massage to relax the tissue and improve its ability to be moved, decrease lactic acid, and improve blood flow. Ultrasounds and/or cold lasers are utilized to identify problem areas where inflammation is present. Chiropractors can also give dietary advice as far as what the athlete is putting into their bodies for optimal performance.
2. Chiropractic treatments work to repair the injured area
Body areas are more or less at-risk depending on the sport due to more or less use of certain body parts. Golfers experience injuries in their arm, soccer players experience more injuries in their legs, etc.
As soon as an injury occurs, an athlete and their family usually want to find a treatment plan that will get them back to their sport in the shortest amount of time. Each technique used by Chiropractors can be modified by intensity and duration, it really depends on your prior physical well-being and how severe your injury is.
Modifications to the joint segments that are not mobile can promote better mechanical motion. To make improvements in muscle tone and blood flow to injured regions we use soft tissue techniques. Soft tissue techniques also decrease adhesions and/or build-up around injured areas. Ultrasounds and cold laser therapy can reduce inflammation and pain. Taping provides support to an injured/weak point which helps the blood to flow to the injured area.
Chiropractic physicians typically have years of training and studying in the anatomical and physiological field. This means, they understand movement patterns, and the best treatment options to get full movement back. It is important that the doctor has a full understanding of sports injury repair and how the body works. It is even more crucial that the doctor knows the timetable of when the athlete can safely return to the sport.
3. Chiropractic treatments can lead to optimal performance
When you are young you usually don’t think as much about taking care of your body. That is a tomorrow problem. But it is crucial that athletes care after their physical wellbeing even at a young age. Athletes should not just focus on health, preparation and recovery in season, but year round.
A chiropractor can make an entire health/nutritional plan for an athlete which includes proper diet and nutrition, sleep guidelines, and proper training strategies that should be utilized as a life-long habit. Making sure the spine and other extremities are aligned through chiropractic adjustments, body mechanic evaluation, and other chiropractic techniques can assist with muscular patterns and development that are essential in a developing youth athlete.
By keeping the athlete’s body in its healthiest form, where the athlete can train the most effectively and efficiently while minimizing the roadblocks that come with injury.
4. Chiropractic medicine plays a crucial role in supporting the athletes body
Now that athletes are more commonly specializing and at younger ages, it would be a great decision to have a team who puts the athlete in the best position to succeed and for a long time. While the teams that younger athletes participate on don’t typically have a dedicated chiropractic staff, they still have the opportunity to hand select a chiropractor they can trust.
A team train can help an athlete build muscle and stability in their ligament/tendon and a coach teaches an athlete how to develop their skills for the sport. Who is there to handle the downsides of all of this activity? Our chiropractic physician (if you have one)! A chiropractor monitors and maintains the wellness of the entire body.
We recommend that before a child begins playing a sport they should see a physician for a physical exam to ensure the child is safe to participate.
5. More one-on-one time with medical professionals
Our Chiropractic doctors typically spend more time face-to-face, one-on-one with our clients than traditional doctors. Treatment in Chiropractic Care includes a full health exam to identify the root problem and find any other underlying issues that could be worsening the injury/pain. With every visit we track the progress of your pain levels and previous conditions.
Our patient Ethan who is an OCR athlete and an ultra-runner has had many running strains and injuries over the years. He came into Arizona Pain Relief clinic in Phoenix to get some work done. To his delight he found that our Chiropractors not only provide pain relief, but additional preventative exercises to keep him competing.
Interested in Chiropractic Care?
If you’re an athlete who wants to keep your body in the best position to avoid injury or need a natural treatment for your injury then you should consider regularly seeing a chiropractic doctor. There are endless chiropractic care benefits for everyone, especially athletes. They not only help you get your physical strength and range of motion back but maintain optimal physical fitness. The best part, it is non-invasive and without the use of prescription drugs. If you are in the Phoenix Area and give our Chiropractic Care at Arizona Pain Relief in a chance, you will be shocked by the amazing results.
Looking for a sports chiropractor near you? If you are in the Phoenix Area and are interested in seeing a Chiropractor give us a call or visit your nearest location! Come to the best chiropractic care center in Arizona.
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