Common Sports Injuries and Chiropractic Treatments

Sprains and Strains

Strains and sprains are the two most common injuries among athletes. A sprain refers to damage in the ligaments, while a strain refers to damage in the muscles or tendons. An ankle sprain is a common injury when a foot has been twisted awkwardly during play. For instance, a muscle strain might arise in a muscle being overused from a repetitive motion.

Chiropractic Treatments:

• Chiropractic Adjustments: Relieve the pressure and realign your spine.
• Soft tissue massage therapy: Reduces muscle tension and aids healing.
• Rehab Exercises: Rehabilitation Flexibility and Muscle Power.

This allows the athletes to return to their sports earlier through the reduction of pain and acceleration of the healing process.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is the overuse inflammation of the tendons. The most frequently described types include tennis elbow and runner's knee. For example, a tennis player may feel pain in his elbow after many different backhand strokes.

Chiropractic Treatments:

• Cold laser therapy: reduces inflammation and promotes healing.
• Ultrasound therapy: promotes the repair of tissues and relieves pain. 
• Stretching and strengthening exercises: enhance muscle balance and, therefore, prevent other injuries.

These treatments are performed to decrease inflammation and pain so that an athlete can perform the activity at least with a basic discomfort level.

Shin splints

Shin splints are the painful result of running and other top-speed, extreme physical sports. The pain comes from pressure on the shinbone and can be very crippling. A runner may get shin splints if they increase their miles too quickly.

Chiropractic Treatments:

• Foot Orthoses: offers better support and better alignment.
• Massage: Reduces muscle tension and stimulates skin blood circulation.
• Stretching routines: Exercise the lower leg's calf and lower leg muscles.

This is because shin splints are mainly resolved when the cause is dealt with by chiropractors, thus allowing athletes to return to their training programs with minimal inactivity.

Injured knees

Examples of such knee injuries that can be sustained in sports with a jumping and rapid change of direction element are an injury to the ACL and patellar tendinitis. For example, a basketball player can rupture his ACL by quickly changing the direction he is heading in.

Chiropractic Treatments:

• Join Mobilizations: Mobilizations of the joint are directed at pain reduction and rectifying the range of movement.
• Kinesio taping: helps support and limit any swelling.
• Muscle-strengthening exercises: Target muscles surrounding the knee joint. 

This treatment helps recovery, prevents re-injury, and returns the athlete to total capacity.

Final Thoughts

Chiropractic care can offer treatment for a wide range of sports injuries. Chiropractors help in handling the root causes by offering customized therapy to hasten the process of healing and prevent further injuries. We specialize in personalized care to keep you in the game. So give if you are an athlete in Charleston feeling pain, feel free to give us a call at (843) 722-7074 so we can help you get back on the field!