Whether you’re an avid golfer, die-hard CrossFitter or weekend warrior, you want to remain active in your favorite sport. Chiropractic is one of the best ways to help you do that.
The Power of Preventative Care
You’ve likely heard the expression, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” We agree. “Athletes who come in every few weeks for preventative care can be at their best functional ability,” said Dr. Curtis Hollen of First State Health & Wellness-Brandywine. With chiropractic care, if the joints are moving the way they are supposed to, you can experience the following:
- Less interference
- Less pain and stiffness
- Greater mobility
- More flexibility
Don’t wait for an injury to happen. Remember that it’s much easier to fix a sports-related issue when it’s small versus waiting until it gets bigger and becomes more difficult to manage.
Examples of How We Can Help Athletes
While chiropractic can help any type of athlete, here are some specific examples:
Golfers typically experience a lot of low back stiffness and they feel like they can’t follow through with their swing. They notice they’re losing a few yards on their drive. We’ll do an evaluation of the hip and lower back mobility and then will work to help relax the muscles.
After a series of adjustments golfers will often say, “My drive is back and I’m hitting the ball farther than before. I’m able to look down and keep my eye on the ball as I swing the club.”
A chiropractic evaluation depends on what kind of sport you play. If you’re a golfer, you may be asked to go through a practice swing so you can describe what you’re feeling. This will also enable the doctor to observe any restricted motion in your hips and lower back.
If you play a sport like football or soccer it’s harder to replicate specific motions that would cause pain. To check for any range of motion issues in the back, for example, Dr. Hollen will have you lean forward as far as you comfortably can and see how far you can lean back, lean to the left and the right and then twist.
If you’re a soccer player with a sprained ankle, he would hold your ankle in his hand and very gently go through the motion. “I keep one eye on the patient’s face and also on the ankle itself. That’s because if the patient is an adult who plays sports they will toughen through the pain and won’t say when it hurts. So facial recognition is more telling,” he says.
Dr. Hollen encourages anyone who is training for an event, such as a 5K or long-distance run, to get regular adjustments. “I hear a lot of complaints about sore hips and knee pain,” he says. “Don’t suffer! Chiropractic care can help your form, prevent further damage, and hopefully improve your performance.”
Whether you are training for a race or simply tackling outdoor projects, chiropractic care is one of the best tools that will allow you to move without pain or stiffness.
Injury Evaluations
If you experience a sports-related injury we encourage you to come in right away for an evaluation and exam. “Pushing through an injury or taking medication to mask the pain can do more harm than good,” explains Dr. Hollen. “Chiropractors can evaluate your symptoms, request imaging scans such as x-rays or MRIs and refer to a specialist if needed.”
FAQ
Can chiropractic help with extremities?
Are X-rays taken on every patient?
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