Sports Injuries
Sports Injuries
Chiropractic care has received much attention in regards to its successful management of sporting injuries. Since the majority of sports injuries are soft tissue in nature and because many of injuries arise from improper body bio-mechanics and improper sporting techniques, chiropractic doctors have become the doctors of choice - from the weekend warrior to the professional athlete. It's really quite simple.
Chiropractic care - through the use of safe and natural spinal adjustive techniques, physiotherapy applications, soft tissue mobilization, stretching and exercise programs, diet and nutritional counseling, and extensive bio-mechanical training - focuses on all causes which have lead to the symptoms of pain and tissue injury and do not focus on solely eliminating pain. Successful treatments must focus not only on pain relief, but must address the underlying causes such as muscular imbalances, bio-mechanical deficiencies, improper sporting techniques, and improper conditioning, to name a few.
Minimizing the Risk of Injury
Chiropractic care is not only exceptional in the treatment of acute and chronic injuries but is equally successful in preventing future injuries when regular care is received. Why is chiropractic care so effective in sports? Simply, chiropractic focuses on the cause of the deficiency or injury and not just the symptoms. All sports experts agree that pain relief alone in the management of sports injuries is not enough. Only treatments like chiropractic which deal with all aspects of the athlete - sufficient warm-up, proper technique, correct bio-mechanics, proper conditioning, optimizing balance and coordination, optimizing reaction times, correct management of existing injuries, optimal diet and nutrition, adequate rest, positive mental attitude, etc. - will allow the athlete to excel and avoid detrimental injury. According to an article in a 1997 issue of the Backletter, "Athletes are going to breakdown if they put high physical demands on a system that has function deficits & adaptive changes. 80% of reinjuries in sport occur within one month of going back."
Top Five Deficiencies
A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness demonstrates the necessity of correct spinal bio-mechanics. Examiners followed 52 high level soccer and rugby players for 2 years to assess the relationship between injuries and body mechanics. Using photographs along with grids they were able to document the most common body mechanic deficiencies. The following lists the top 5 deficiencies:
• Scoliosis
• Excessive lumbar curve
• Excessive thoracic curve
• Sway back
• Shoulder asymmetry
At the end of the 2 years, the most common injuries were back injuries, affecting 24 of the 52 athletes. The incidence of injury was linked to the body mechanic defects associated with the site of injury. The researchers concluded that their results strongly suggest that treating bio-mechanical deviations would dramatically reduce the risk of high level athletic injuries.
In addition to correcting bio-mechanical faults, chiropractic care has been scientifically shown to stimulate and correct the functioning of joint proprioceptors. The proper firing and functioning of these joint proprioceptors are essential for eliciting subconscious spinal reflexes that alter muscle action to control posture and complex movements. This provides functional stability which is essential for the prevention of injuries in the athlete. According to Dickinson, MD, "Loss of feedback control 'from improper functioning joint proprioceptors' may be the cause of re-injury to the same joint."
Chiropractic care has received much attention in regards to its successful management of sporting injuries. Since the majority of sports injuries are soft tissue in nature and because many of injuries arise from improper body bio-mechanics and improper sporting techniques, chiropractic doctors have become the doctors of choice - from the weekend warrior to the professional athlete.
It's really quite simple. Chiropractic care - through the use of safe and natural spinal adjustive techniques, physiotherapy applications, soft tissue mobilization, stretching and exercise programs, diet and nutritional counseling, and extensive bio-mechanical training - focuses on all causes which have lead to the symptoms of pain and tissue injury and do not focus on solely eliminating pain.
Successful treatments must focus not only on pain relief, but must address the underlying causes such as muscular imbalances, bio-mechanical deficiencies, improper sporting techniques, and improper conditioning, to name a few.
Minimizing the Risk of Injury
Chiropractic care is not only exceptional in the treatment of acute and chronic injuries but is equally successful in preventing future injuries when regular care is received. Why is chiropractic care so effective in sports? Simply, chiropractic focuses on the cause of the deficiency or injury and not just the symptoms. All sports experts agree that pain relief alone in the management of sports injuries is not enough. Only treatments like chiropractic which deal with all aspects of the athlete - sufficient warm-up, proper technique, correct bio-mechanics, proper conditioning, optimizing balance and coordination, optimizing reaction times, correct management of existing injuries, optimal diet and nutrition, adequate rest, positive mental attitude, etc. - will allow the athlete to excel and avoid detrimental injury. According to an article in a 1997 issue of the Backletter, "Athletes are going to breakdown if they put high physical demands on a system that has function deficits & adaptive changes. 80% of reinjuries in sport occur within one month of going back."
Top Five Deficiencies
A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness demonstrates the necessity of correct spinal bio-mechanics. Examiners followed 52 high level soccer and rugby players for 2 years to assess the relationship between injuries and body mechanics. Using photographs along with grids they were able to document the most common body mechanic deficiencies. The following lists the top 5 deficiencies:
• Scoliosis
• Excessive lumbar curve
• Excessive thoracic curve
• Sway back
• Shoulder asymmetry
At the end of the 2 years, the most common injuries were back injuries, affecting 24 of the 52 athletes. The incidence of injury was linked to the body mechanic defects associated with the site of injury. The researchers concluded that their results strongly suggest that treating bio-mechanical deviations would dramatically reduce the risk of high level athletic injuries.
In addition to correcting bio-mechanical faults, chiropractic care has been scientifically shown to stimulate and correct the functioning of joint proprioceptors. The proper firing and functioning of these joint proprioceptors are essential for eliciting subconscious spinal reflexes that alter muscle action to control posture and complex movements. This provides functional stability which is essential for the prevention of injuries in the athlete. According to Dickinson, MD, "Loss of feedback control 'from improper functioning joint proprioceptors' may be the cause of re-injury to the same joint."
References
Dickinson, MD. Clinics in sports med 1985; 4(3):417-429:
Lachman, MA, MD. Soft tissue injuries in sport 2nd ed London, Blackwell Scientific Publications 1994:12-31
Watson. J Sports Med & Physical Fitness 1995;35(4):289-294
Wiesel MD.Backletterl997;12(5):57.Herring, MD quotation.