Chiropractic Care For Sports Injuries

Sprained your ankle? Pulled a groin muscle? Struggling to stand up straight after colliding with a fellow player as you both go for the ball?

Sports injuries are common, and they are more than a mere nuisance. If not treated properly, a small injury can become a serious problem that lands you on the bench (or couch, with a heating pad) for months. Painful tears, sprains, and strains often start out as minor problems. You pushed too hard, or you stretched further than your body was prepared to go. Your body tries to heal itself, but some choices can complicate and interfere with the body’s delicate healing process, worsening the problem.

For example, some athletes ignore injuries. For whatever reason, they think it’s important to press on. Maybe they feel the team needs them, or they worry that if they take a break they won’t get back in the groove soon enough. They take pain killers and keep on going – running, jumping, swimming, swinging – ignoring their body’s cues to slow down. What started as a pulled muscle becomes a serious tear, and soon surgery is needed to repair the injury.

Other people stop moving altogether, and that in itself can complicate the problem. Muscles cramp or lose strength, resulting in weakness or imbalances. Perhaps you injured your shoulder while swimming, but you have not stretched or worked the muscles since the injury. Your daily activities have kept some muscles strong, but others haven’t been used at all, and you now are at risk of worse injury when you return to the sport.

This sort of problem often happens after reparative surgery if an athlete does not go to physical therapy. After an ACL repair, for example, it’s important to build up the strength in the quadriceps so the ligaments and tendons are not vulnerable to re-injury.

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Why See a Chiropractor for a Sports Injury?

Chiropractors are skilled in manual adjustment of the spine, ensuring that bones are lined up and balanced, which helps relieve tension elsewhere. This allows the body to function optimally, restoring function while resolving inflammation and aggravation. This hands-on therapy is often used to treat neck or back injuries but also relieves pain throughout the joints and muscles in the body.

In your initial appointment, your chiropractor will perform a structural exam, examining your back, extremities, tendons, ligaments, and joints. A good chiropractor will take x-rays and ask you questions about your pain and health history. He or she will propose a holistic health plan that incorporates lifestyle changes and chiropractic adjustments to prevent aggravation of the injury and promote rapid healing.

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Looking for a Sports Exercise Chiropractor in Huntersville?

Dr. Doyle has extensive experience working with athletes in the Charlotte area, and as such, he knows what athletes need when it comes to prevention and recovery from sports injuries. From stretches and strengthening moves to chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, and time on the massage table, Dr. Doyle covers all the bases required for fast, complete treatment of sports injuries. Give us a call or use our online form to get the process started. We look forward to working with you!