Chiropractor for Algonquin and Lake in the Hills
Photo of an athlete getting an examination and adjustment from a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP).

Why Should I See a Chiropractor for a Sports Injury?

When you’re injured while playing or training for a sport, what kind of doctor do you visit? A Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician is a specialized chiropractor that’s perfect for the job.

Suffering with a Sports Injury? Try a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians

Whether it’s a concussion, a ligament sprain, or a rotator cuff injury, all athletes run the risk of injury during play. If you experience a sports injury, what kind of doctor should you see to get you back to your sport as quickly as possible? Ask top-performing athletes, and you might be surprised to learn that many of them choose to go to a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician.

Many chiropractors, including Dr. Galante at Algonquin Chiropractic Center, are Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP). This means that they’ve been trained to use their understanding of bio-mechanics and chiropractic procedures to treat sports injuries and support good physical and athletic health. When you have a sports injury, a chiropractor trained in sports medicine can help you recover faster and perform more efficiently.

Let’s go deeper into the topic of chiropractic care, sports injuries, and Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians.

 

Do Professional Athletes Use Chiropractic Care from Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician?

Photo of a man grasping his knee in a knee brace from a sports injury.
Is a chiropractor the right healthcare professional to treat a sports injury?

For many years now, professional athletes have been using chiropractic care to maintain their ability to perform at the top of their game. Let’s take a look at some high-profile examples.

Joe Montana made history at Super Bowl XXIV when he received a chiropractic adjustment before the game in front of a television audience of 90 million viewers.

Joe Montana was a 3-Time Super Bowl MVP, 4-Time Super Bowl Champion, and played the quarterback position for the San Francisco 49ers:

“I only wish I had tried chiropractic a few years ago when I first started having back pain and maybe surgery would have never happened; now we know that chiropractic is not just for bad backs or necks. It’s about prevention, so your body can function at optimum health. That is why children should also be adjusted.”

He was one of 36 players for the 49ers, including Jerry Rice and Roger Craig, who received chiropractic adjustments before the game. They went on to beat the Broncos 55-10, the most one-sided victory in the history of the Super Bowl. All the players swore that without the chiropractor, they “don’t feel 100%”.

Today, 95% of NFL football teams use a chiropractor.

Players like Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys have repeatedly stated that they feel they perform better when they get regular chiropractic care.

Emmitt Smith was a 3-Time Super Bowl Champion and a Running Back for the Dallas Cowboys:

“After that season, I decided to invest in me, to keep me going.” Smith went on to say, “You can have a Ferrari body, but your wheels need balancing. I felt if I took care of my body, I could still function when I got older.” Speaking about chiropractic, Emmitt said, “Some of it may seem hokey to some people, but if you traveled where I’ve traveled, done what I’ve done and seen the results that I’ve been getting, then you would understand where I’m coming from.”

This is far from being just a football thing, though. Many teams in the NBA and MLB use a chiropractor as well. Gerald Wilkens of the New York Knicks has said that chiropractic care improved his balance, coordination, and control, helping him make shots. Other athletes who’ve made use of chiropractic include Jonathan Toews, Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Mike Madano, Andy Roddick, Steve Young, Aaron Rogers, Lance Armstrong, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wade Boggs, Ken Griffey, Jr., Michael Jordan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, Dan Marino, and the Great One, Wayne Gretzky.

Chiropractic care is not just for injuries. Some athletes, like New England Patriots quarterback and 5-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, find that it helps improve not only their health, but their performance: “Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better. When I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I’m about 3 inches taller and everything is in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”

Photo of an athlete getting an examination and adjustment from a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP).
Many professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics receive regular care from a chiropractor.

Here are a few MLB players discussing chiropractic care, too:

Barry Bonds: “When you’re out there and you’re not feeling the pain, you’re obviously going to be a better player.”

Wade Boggs: “Last year I found a chiropractor and I have been seeing him ever since. I have been pain-free and feeling terrific. I swear by it.”

Jose Canseco: “I’ve found that it’s a great stress reliever to get adjusted. It takes away a lot of the tightness in the muscles.”

And a few NBA players, as well:

Dan Schayes: “I use chiropractic as my main source of healthcare.”

John Stockton: Doug Smith, a sports reporter for the Toronto Star, noted in his column that Stockton, 40, the oldest player in the NBA at the time, believes the greatest reason he’s still able to complete is the care he receives from the team chiropractor. “It’s been great for me and for my family,” he told the Toronto Star.

Utah Jazz team: The Jazz were the oldest team in the NBA at the time and yet also the most injury-free. Why? The Jazz claims their chiropractor is the most important reason the team remains the most “injury-free” team in the league.

Chiropractors have also been a regular part of the U.S. Olympic team since 1988. William Moreau, DC, DACBSP, the managing director of sports medicine for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and chief medical officer for Team USA at the Rio 2016 Olympics, had this to say:

“Olympic and Paralympic athletes access care from a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals, including DCs who hold additional ACBSP certifications in sports chiropractic… as well as advanced techniques in soft tissue cares, joint mobility, active care and others. Chiropractic plays an important role in preventive, maintenance, or injury-specific care, and contributes to enhanced clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction levels among all athletes.

The official U.S. Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine Division recruits a crew of volunteer doctors —including orthopedists, chiropractors, nurses, sports therapists, massage therapists, and more —every two years. Doctors and therapists selected will work with Olympic teams during training and practices and ultimately at the games themselves —some caring for one Olympic team exclusively; others moving around as the need arises.

Nicole Freedman of Stanford, California, qualified for the 2000 US Olympic cycling squad at the Olympic Team trials in Jackson, MS, after being adjusted by American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA’s) Mississippi delegate Dr. Alfred Norville. Freedman wrote a letter to Dr. Norville, thanking him for his “winning adjustment.” Dr. Norville explained, “[Freedman] told me that she thought she needed an adjustment to be at her peak [performance level]. So I gave her an adjustment, and she went on to qualify for the Olympics.”

Two of the major stars of recent summer Olympic games are swimmer Michael Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt. Both athletes use chiropractic care to stay in peak condition and remain at the top of their respective sports.

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, 23 of those Gold. Usain Bolt, the World’s Fastest Man, regularly uses chiropractic to recover from injury and improve performance.

As you can see, chiropractic care is regarded as a “secret weapon” and an essential part of athletic healthcare by many of the most successful athletes around. This shows that seeing a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician leads to real, meaningful results when it comes to maintaining and improving your mobility and athletic performance.

What is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician?

Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians have spent over 100 post-grad hours refining and learning the art of treating sports injuries. They’ve developed specialized knowledge of sports injuries, bodily movement, and physical fitness. They apply advanced knowledge of how your body functions in order to provide effective treatment and athletic training. This helps you recover faster and more fully from injuries, as well as reach and maintain peak athletic performance.

Photo of an athlete getting an examination and adjustment from a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP).
A Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP) is trained to both treat and prevent injuries as well as improve performance.

So, what does it take to get certified and become a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician?

  • At least 100 hours of post-doctoral education in specialized sports medicine subjects.
  • These courses must be taught at accredited chiropractic colleges in a program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, which makes sure certification programs meet industry standards.
  • Then, the candidate must pass an exam administered by the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians.

That training equips the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician to provide specialized care for athletes and non-athletes alike. Here are some of the benefits:

  • Individualized, sports-specific treatment plans
  • Faster recovery times so you can return to play sooner
  • Access to a wider range of treatments that can be integrated with your training
  • Expert guidance and preventative strategies for high-performance athletic training
  • Sports-focused nutritional consultation

Even if you’re a non-athlete, a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician helps you receive the same treatments as professional athletes, Division 1 college athletes, and elite high-school athletes. You get the latest methods developed for athletes, a holistic whole-body approach, and corrective exercises to prevent future injuries.

How about a real-life example? A local high school baseball player came in to see Dr. Galante at the start of his senior year. His complaint? He had never been able to finish a baseball season in high school; all of his previous high school baseball seasons were cut short by injuries.

Dr. Galante evaluated him, put together an individualized treatment plan for this athlete’s specific needs and for the first time, he was able to finish a baseball season WITHOUT injury!

Examples of athletes who can benefit include:

  • Football players: Doctors of Chiropractic give 16,320 to 27,200 adjustments to National Football League players over the course of a football season.
  • Baseball players: Regular chiropractic care helps Major League Baseball players significantly improve muscle strength and muscle efficiency.
  • Basketball players: For those in the NBA, regular chiropractic treatments help boost speed, flexibility, range of motion, balance and co-ordination.
  • All athletes can benefit: Lacrosse players, hockey players, track and field athletes, dancers, gymnasts, wrestlers, cheerleaders, tennis players, soccer players, and more have all benefited from treatment at our clinic.

When you’ve suffered a sports injury, what more could you ask for than healthcare fit for a star athlete?

What Types of Sports Injuries Will a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician Treat?

There are many different types of sports-related injuries that you might sustain and which a chiropractor can effectively treat. These can be categorized as either traumatic injuries or overuse injuries, and can occur both during play and during training.

Photo of a tennis player gripping her shoulder in pain from a sports injury.
Sports chiropractors treat injuries from many different sports, for pro athletes and casual enthusiasts alike.

Here are examples of sports-related injuries which a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician will treat:

  • Ankle sprains
  • ACL sprains
  • Ligament sprains
  • Muscle cramps and strains
  • Concussions
  • Contusions with hematoma
  • Knee pain
  • Neck pain and low back pain
  • Spinal stress fractures
  • Shin splints
  • Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries, especially in throwing athletes
  • Elbow pain
  • And many more

Professional athletes can benefit, and so can everyday people like you and me! So, regardless if you’re a casual enthusiast or a high-performance athlete, come see Dr. Galante at Algonquin Chiropractic Center.

Dr. Galante is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician who will help you effectively treat and prevent sports injuries using the latest techniques.

A few of the cutting-edge treatments used at Algonquin Chiropractic Center include:

  • Super Pulsed Laser
  • Whole Body Standing Vibration Therapy
  • Cox Technic
  • Manipulation – Spinal and Extremity
  • Interferential Current
  • Russian Stimulation
  • Structural Integration
  • Orthotics, Nutrition, and much more

If you’re ready to address a recent sports injury, or to start taking measures to prevent an injury from happening, give Algonquin Chiropractic Center a call at (847) 854-2000.

Schedule a consultation with our licensed, Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician in Algonquin, IL, and take the first step to feeling better and performing better at football, tennis, wrestling, or whatever other sport you know and love.

Be well!