All athletes, whether professional or amateur, tend to use their bodies more than the average person. By nature, athletes push limits and stretch the boundaries of speed, range of motion, reflexes and strength.
According to research, the global sports medicine market was valued at $5.46 billion dollars in 2023, and is expected to grow at a rate of 8.2 percent over the next seven years. The increase in demand for sports medicine, is credited to the rise of sports injuries due to the growing participation in sports and fitness-related activities by the average individual. According to Johns Hopkins University, 30 million people participate in some type of sport, and over 3.5 million injuries are reported annually in the U.S. Staying in shape and avoiding injury is a high priority to all athletes. Thankfully, chiropractic care is a holistic and proactive approach to ensuring athletes stay healthy, prevent injury, safely manage pain and recover more quickly – ensuring optimal performance and minimal wear and tear.
Injury Prevention
If an athlete’s body is not functioning at its best, he/she will be at higher risk for injury. One of most significant ways that chiropractic care can be a benefit to athletes is injury prevention. Chiropractors take a pro-active approach by assessing an athlete’s joints and spine to ensure that they are no musculoskeletal issues, misalignments or imbalances that could make an athlete more prone to injury.
Injury Treatment
If an injury does occur, such as a sprained ankle or serious neck injury, chiropractic care can be an excellent alternative to traditional treatment. Treatments may include adjustments, soft tissue treatments and corrective exercises targeted for a specific injury and designed for the specific needs of the individual athlete. This allows an athlete to recover from injury in optimal time and return to normal activity as quickly as possible. Common injuries or conditions chiropractors treat include but are not limited to, all regions back pain, muscle strains, sprains, tendinopathies and neural entrapment.
Improved Performance
A chiropractor may be able to help an athlete achieve greater performance in his/her sport by identifying a potential performance deficits that may be attributed to spinal misalignment, subluxations or other imbalances. Regular chiropractic adjustments have been known to improve balance, increase flexibility, range of motion and improve reflexes, all of which can help an athlete better achieve goals in their sport.
Pain Relief
An athlete may seek out chiropractic care to address underlying pain that may or may not be attributed to their individual training or sport. Because the spine is so closely linked to our central nervous system, addressing any issues in the athlete’s musculoskeletal system is key to getting to the source of the pain, rather than simply managing pain symptoms. Treating any misalignments or imbalances found in a structural exam is the best approach in addressing chronic pain. This allows the athlete to use a more holistic approach to pain management, by harnessing the body’s natural ability to heal itself, rather than risk the potential side effects of pain medications.
Faster Recovery
Regular exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle, but sports can take a toll on our bodies. Chiropractic care not only serves as preventative care for injuries, but is restorative in nature, providing respite for athletes, helping minimize wear and tear. This can help with quality of life and faster recovery between practices.
At Legacy Chiropractic, we recognize that regular exercise and participation in sports are important to the emotional and physical health of every person. Our team is dedicated to designing a treatment plan that will promote optimal performance, minimal pain and faster recovery for athletes of all ages in our care.
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