Some of the world’s top athletes use chiropractic care to keep their bodies in top shape. Athletes often seek the help of a chiropractor when they have an injury, develop stiffness, or experience soreness. All of these limit the range of movement that an athlete can achieve, leading to a significant negative impact on their game.
The injuries and stiffness will affect how effectively the athlete can run, jump, or kick. The athlete might try to ignore the pain and push through to not let the team down, but this is not a good thing—the extended straining will predispose them to incur another injury.
Regular visits to the chiropractor are a great way to ensure your body is in excellent condition. Here are five ways that chiropractic care can reduce sports injuries
Spinal Alignment
Your spine has three primary functions. It provides structural support to your entire body, keeps your internal organs and nerves safe, and promotes flexibility. When it is functioning correctly, it is an effective organ. But when it is misaligned, it does not offer the benefits it naturally offers. Worse, it might predispose you to severe injuries.
Chiropractors specialize in restoring the alignment of the spine. They can relieve the symptoms that spinal misalignment causes. They use spinal adjustments to bring the spine back into alignment.
Range Of Motion
It is challenging to bend or flex when your spine is not correctly aligned. When you notice these difficulties, you should visit a chiropractor. The chiropractor will perform a thorough evaluation to find the cause of the complications. You will most likely undergo spinal manipulation to restore your range of motion.
Most athletes report an improvement in their range of motion after spinal manipulation. It makes it much easier for them to perform their sporting activities.
Energy Boost
Chiropractors focus on holistic treatments for the body. As much as they treat injuries, they also try to improve the body’s overall functioning. Thus, you should tell your chiropractor of any other symptoms you might be experiencing. They might also perform adjustments on your spine, rejuvenating your central nervous system. They will improve blood flow and result in an overall energy boost that will last a while.
Drug-Free Pain Relief
Some pain relief medications have severe side effects that might be undesirable for an athlete. Getting an option for treating injuries drug-free is a great advantage. For this reason, most athletes turn to chiropractic care for their injuries. Chiropractic care offers lasting pain relief from injuries through adjustments.
Quick Healing
The idea behind chiropractic adjustments is the promotion of self-healing. Aligning the musculoskeletal structure prompts the body to start self-healing. It is especially important for athletes with injuries. A well-aligned body tends to heal itself faster than usual. Regular visits to the chiropractor will ensure your body is always at its peak if you are an athlete.
Dr. Patrick O’Neill is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, a post-graduate degree with specialized training. For more on how chiropractic care can reduce sports injuries, call O’Neill Chiropractic at to reach our office in North Charleston, South Carolina.