5 Benefits Of Regular Chiropractic Care For Athletes
Most chiropractors specialise in sport-related injuries and provide personalised care plans to help athletes who have suffered spinal injuries to get back on the field. While prescription drugs handicap reaction times, carry the risk of addiction and only mask the pain of an injury, chiropractic care can relieve pain by treating the root cause of the problem. In addition to this, chiropractic care does not bench a player for months, unlike most surgical options. Chiropractors can treat a range of common sports injuries, including: strains and sprains, stress fractures, knee injuries, shin splints and tendonitis. Engaging with a chiropractor also offers athletes other benefits, including: improved athletic performance, prevention of injuries, reduced recovery times, non-invasive and drug-free treatment options and reduced pain. In this blog post we discuss these 5 benefits of regular chiropractic care for athletes.
1. Improved Athletic Performance
A misaligned spine or knee injury can cause a significant decline in an athlete’s performance due to the associated inhibition of motion or presence of pain. However, when athletes seek chiropractic care and continue to receive regular spinal adjustments, their spine continues to work flawlessly and ensures that other parts of the body are functioning properly. The spine connects to all other areas of the body and because of this, regular adjustments from a chiropractor improve the body’s overall performance which benefits athletic performance.
2. Prevention of Injuries
Even the smallest injuries and misalignments can place undue stress on the body, often leading to more-significant injuries. A professional chiropractor keeps the musculoskeletal system working properly and, as a result, the body is less prone to injury or misalignment. As well as general chiropractic practice, chiropractors can provide customised programs designed to help athletes avoid injury. For example, postural imbalances can be corrected by behavioural modification and ergonomic analysis of the athlete’s environment to prevent injuries from occurring.
3. Reduced Recovery Times
Compared to surgical treatment options, chiropractic treatment offers significantly reduced recovery times when an injury has been sustained. Rather than invasive surgeries, licensed chiropractors treat injuries by: massage and stretching, range-of-motion movement, dry needling (to increase muscle movement) and electrical muscle stimulation to release tension near the surface. Engaging with a chiropractor often improves sleep cycles too which is a fundamental component of the healing process.
4. Non-Invasive and Drug-Free Treatment Options
Drugs are not always the best option for an athlete facing a serious injury. Not only do they carry the risk of addiction, but they don’t really help patients heal faster; they simply mask the pain for a short period of time. Many studies have shown that chiropractic treatment helps athletes recover from injuries faster compared to using painkillers or employing invasive surgery. Non-invasive treatments also implicate that the athlete can get back into action immediately after therapy, as opposed to surgery which requires extensive time to recover from.
5. Reduced Pain
The spine is an crucial component of the body’s nervous system. Spinal therapy reduces pain while addressing the source of pain: the body’s alignment and nervous system flow. Chiropractic treatment options are a great way for athletes to relieve pain and return to optimal performance.
Book an Appointment With Willetton Chiro
Book an appointment with Willetton Chiropractic to ensure the best health outcomes for your athletic pursuits. Experiencing frequent, sharp pain in the back or neck is unusual. Willetton Chiropractic are passionate about helping clients to live healthier, pain-free lives. Book an appointment today to discover how chiropractic care may be able to help you.