Chiropractors are healthcare professionals concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of musculoskeletal issues. Many place a particular focus on problems that affect the spine and nervous system. If you’re an athlete or someone with a demanding physical hobby, however, you may need help from someone with further specialization.
Sport chiropractors offer a more specific type of care, providing physical therapy for athletes and other active people. What can you expect from a sports chiropractor compared with a regular one? Learn more about the variety of benefits these professionals can offer.
What Is a Sports Chiropractor?
A sports medicine chiropractor treats musculoskeletal conditions related to physical activity and athletic performance. They receive the same training that other chiropractors do, but also gain additional expertise in more advanced techniques.
One of these is the ability to adjust extremities, like feet. They also know how to apply complex chiropractic techniques to systems that move, such as knees, shoulders, and ankles.
The biggest difference, however, is their understanding of how to enhance athletic performance while preventing injuries. They’re not just focused on alleviating symptoms but on addressing why the injury occurred in the first place.
What Services Do Sports Chiropractors Offer?
Sports chiropractors provide numerous services for athletes and those who frequently engage in high-performance athletic activities.
Diagnosing Injuries and Conditions
Sports chiropractors diagnose complex injuries, including everything from strains to joint dysfunction. They know how to assess a patient’s medical history. This helps them understand whether there are recurring problems that could point to underlying structural issues.
Treating the Root Cause of the Issue
Once a sports medicine chiropractor has identified an injury or condition, they offer targeted solutions. One of the most common techniques is manual manipulation. This involves using hand pressure to mobilize joints and soft tissues to increase range of motion and ease pain.
Sports medicine chiropractors also provide massage and myofascial release therapy to help with soft tissue injuries. A good chiropractor will be able to customize your care depending on your activity type and level.
Rehabilitating Injuries
Sports chiropractors offer customized rehabilitation programs to heal and rebuild injured areas. Your chiropractor will assess the repetitive movements you make while engaging in your preferred activity. They can then craft exercises that help strengthen the compromised areas.
Enhancing Athletic Performance
Chiropractors who work primarily with athletes also prescribe targeted exercises for those who need to perfect specific movements. This enables clients to build strength, expand their range of motion, and improve their endurance.
Preventing Future Injuries
These professionals also work with clients to discover underlying imbalances or issues that could be increasing the risk or severity of injuries. They offer education so clients have a better understanding of how their musculoskeletal system works.
Sports chiropractors can even offer tips on proper posture and positioning of body parts and joints, further promoting injury prevention.
Conditions and Injuries That Sports Chiropractors Treat
Sports chiropractors can treat a wide range of conditions and injuries sustained as a result of athletic activity. Here are a few of the most common:
Knee Injuries
Athletes in almost all sports suffer knee injuries.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears can occur if you make a sudden pivoting or twisting motion. This strains one of the bands of tissues that connect your shinbone to your thigh bone. You may feel a popping sensation in the knee when an ACL tear happens. Those who play soccer, football, or basketball are at the greatest risk.
Sports chiropractors can also rehab meniscus tears. These are tears that occur in the knee joint cartilage as a result of sudden impact or twisting.
For those who love running, runner’s knee is another concern that a sports chiropractor can address. Your professional can help you strengthen the muscles around your kneecap and explain how to prevent future injuries.
Lower Back Pain
Some sports and activities can place significant strain on the lower back. Think of golf with its twisting motions or the extreme stress of weightlifting without perfect technique.
Sports chiropractors frequently address spondylosis, wear and tear of the vertebrae experienced by athletes who hyperextend their spines repeatedly. This condition can lead to spondylolisthesis, which occurs when a vertebra becomes displaced. Everything from gymnastics to cheerleading could cause these injuries.
Disc injuries are common, too. Between the vertebrae, there are spongy discs that cushion the bones so that they don’t press against each other. Slipped or herniated discs can occur due to repetitive motions or trauma to the spine.
If you suffer from spasms in the buttocks that cause sciatica-like pain, you could have a condition called piriformis syndrome. It’s common in runners.
Calf and Hamstring Pulls
In sports that involve a lot of running and jumping, calf and hamstring injuries are common occurrences. If you perform running or kicking motions, you could strain the muscles at the back of your thighs. This may limit your range of motion and cause pain.
If you participate in sports that require rapid acceleration and explosive movements, such as tennis, you could suffer calf injuries. The most common of these are gastrocnemius and soleus strains.
Neck Pain
Cervical sprains and strains also happen frequently in sports. You can stretch or tear neck muscles as a result of impact or sudden movements, such as those common in football. Whiplash is also a concern in many sports.
It’s also possible to suffer “stingers,” nerve injuries in the neck and shoulder that cause an intense burning pain. Since they can occur because of nerve compression, a sports chiropractor can manipulate the tissues in the area to provide relief.
Another common issue that these professionals help with is brachial plexus injuries. These occur if you hurt the nerves that branch out from your cervical area. They can cause arm numbness and weakness.
Achilles Tendon Injuries
If you move your foot incorrectly during practice or perform repetitive foot motions, you can suffer an Achilles tendon injury. If it ruptures, the pain will be excruciating, and you’ll need rehabilitation to get back on the field. A sports chiropractor can facilitate the healing process and offer advice on how to prevent further injuries.
Benefits of Seeing a Sports Chiropractor
If you’ve been searching “sports medicine chiropractor near me” but aren’t sure whether to move forward, consider the following benefits.
Specialized Treatment
Sports chiropractors offer specialized treatment. They understand that you put a lot of strain on certain body parts and face challenges that non-athletes don’t. The treatments and exercises they offer will take that into consideration.
Pain Management
Working with a sports chiropractor is a great option when it comes to pain management. Although all chiropractors can provide relief from discomfort, those specializing in sports have additional training for superior results.
Injury Prevention
At the same time, sports chiropractors can help prevent injuries. They can identify and address the specific reasons for your sports injuries. By correcting the underlying cause, a sports chiropractor can help you avoid both acute and chronic injuries. Additionally, they can offer advice on how to correctly warm up and cool down specific areas.
Performance Enhancement
Chiropractic treatment from experts in sports medicine focuses not only on healing injuries but also on improving performance. With targeted care, you can improve strength, range of motion, and ease of movement. Sports chiropractors teach you how to move efficiently.
Faster Recovery
The recovery process can be faster as well. Manual manipulation, for example, can increase blood flow to a particular area, delivering oxygen and nutrients that reduce inflammation. This makes the healing process more rapid, meaning you can get back to practicing sooner.
Improved Body Mechanics
Seeking treatment from a sports chiropractor allows you to learn how to align your body for optimal performance. They can correct imbalances and encourage better body mechanics.
Holistic Approach
Sports chiropractors treat you like the multidimensional athlete you are. They understand that stress can negatively impact your performance. They may be able to offer coaching to address how various conditions might affect your body.
How Dr. Galante Can Help
Dr. Anthony Galante is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician. To obtain this qualification, he received more than 100 hours of post-doctoral education in sports medicine. He then passed the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians exam. This gave him the knowledge and experience to help athletes from all walks of life.
Because Dr. Galante has certifications in the Cox Technic for lumbar and thoracic spines, he is well-suited to helping with these issues. Above all, Dr. Galante understands the pain and frustration musculoskeletal issues can cause because he’s suffered from them himself.
Get Help From a Proven Sports Chiropractor
If you’re an athlete and have sustained injuries that keep you from performing at your best, a sports chiropractor could help you turn things around. Dr. Galante offers a variety of treatments that can help you heal, prevent future injuries, and improve your overall performance.
Stop searching “sports chiropractor near me” and start down the path to healing. Contact Algonquin Chiropractic Center today for a consultation with Dr. Galante.
