For some, sports are a great way to keep active and healthy. For others, an occupation and livelihood. But whether you do sports once a week or every day, many of you will have experienced a sports injury at least once.
Injuries from sports can arise at any time and, whether you are a casual player or a regular fitness freak, will usually affect your ability to train and perform. For seasoned athletes, injuries are a much more serious issue.
There are many ways to prevent injuries from happening in the first place, but even if you take all the precautions you can, what do you do when one strikes you?
Athletes and sports enthusiasts alike usually want to find a range of means to speed the recovery process along. Chiropractors are a great first point of contact in identifying the issue, treating to correct the problem and ultimately speed up the recovery process to get you back on the field faster.
Understanding Typical Sports-related Injuries
In order to stop injuries occurring, athletes should be aware of how sports injuries happen and take the steps needed to avoid it altogether. After all, the best intervention is prevention. And in the event that the injury has already occurred, knowing what caused it will help with the recovery process.
What are the most common running injuries?
1Sprains and strains
When ligaments are overstretched or torn, they cause a strain. Ligaments connect the bones, so sprains and strains in the joints are common. In most cases, ankles or wrists are sprained.In addition to swelling and bruising, you may be temporarily unable to use the affected joint.
Torn muscles or tendons also result in strains. An injury occurs when tendons are too far strained. Tendons connect muscles to bones and back and hamstring strains are the most common. Muscles may swell, spasm, or you may temporarily not be able to move them.
2 Knee injuries
Many runners suffer knee injuries. ‘Runner’s Knee’ refers to a tenderness near the kneecap that frequently occurs in runners. There is also a possibility of tendinitis and pain on the side of your knees. An injury to the knee may result in bruising to the bone or damage to cartilage and ligaments.
The knee is supported by four major ligaments, and all of them can be damaged during athletic activity. Knee injuries are often caused by a lack of a sufficient warm-up; running too hard or too often; and blows or twists.
3Swollen muscles
When muscles swell, they fill a tough membrane called fascia. As a result, nerves and blood vessels are put under pressure, and the muscle may be damaged. Compartment syndrome is the name given to this painful condition. This condition usually occurs in runners when a muscle is either injured once or the muscle is overused over time.
4Achilles tendon injuries
The Achilles tendon runs from the calf muscle to the heel. During sports activities, this tendon can be stretched or torn. They are caused by overuse and a lack of stretching in training routines. These injuries are particularly painful and often take weeks or months to recover.
5Shin splints
A very common ailment for runners, Shin splints are characterised by pain along the shin bone or tibia. As with many other injuries, you are more likely to suffer from Shin Splints if you fail to warm up or stretch properly.
In addition, overuse; engaging in activities on hard surfaces; and wearing unsupportive shoes; or those with flat feet are more likely to result in suffering from shin splints.
6Dislocations
Sports involving contact and high impact can lead to dislocations. During a dislocation, the athlete will feel intense pain, and the nerves may also be damaged. Dislocated shoulders often require rehabilitation and potentially surgery. Usually, you will have to wear a sling for several weeks after the joint is pushed back into place to allow swelling to subside. Strength and range of motion can be restored with rehabilitation
7Fractures
The bone may break as a result of a one-time injury (acute fracture) or repeated stress (stress fracture).
Most of us are aware of how and when acute fractures occur and respond with X-rays and emergency treatment. Stress fractures are usually the result of a repetitive impact in sports, particularly where the repetitive activity is on hard/against hard surfaces.
Why see a Chiro for sports injuries
Chiropractors are known as the most beneficial treatment for problems related to the neck and back. While chiropractors primarily treat these areas, a good chiropractic alignment can be beneficial to the entire body as well. This is especially relevant to athletes and those who partake in regular sports, where more force is applied to certain muscle groups.
As Chiropractic care does not rely on drugs or medications in order to relieve pain, recent studies have shown that Chiropractic care can be beneficial to athletes of all types
Here are some of the ways chiropractic care benefits athletes:
Pain relief
As an athlete, chiropractic care is particularly beneficial because it relieves muscle aches, pains, and fatigue associated with pushing yourself to your limits. Chiropractic alignment can benefit joints, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and discs with regular chiropractic treatment helping to relieve stiffness and soreness as a way to prevent injuries occurring at all.
Injury prevention
Chiropractic care tends to increase an athlete’s range of motion and flexibility. Therefore, they are less likely to get hurt while playing sports. For athletes who compete at all levels, they may also see an increase in performance.
Solves specific sports injuries
Many athletes rely on chiropractic care to focus on specific areas or injuries in the body. For those who have repetitive or recurring injuries to the same area of the body, you should consult with a sport injury specialist chiropractor. They are able to establish the root cause of the problem and offer treatment to resolve it for the longer term.
A holistic approach
When injuries happen, even to just one portion of your body, every part also gets affected, especially since other parts try to compensate for the injured area.
An injury is treated as a whole, not just in the vicinity of the injury. Spinal adjustments, for instance, may not only address back pain directly but also correct gait irregularities and assist in relieving recurring headaches.
At Ridgeway Health and Wellness, we treat athletes and sports enthusiasts alike. Give us a call or send us a message to learn more about our chiropractic services for sports-related injuries and for those who play sports.