How Chiropractic Care Helps with Sports Injuries

Whether you are a serious athlete or an enthusiastic amateur, chances are that you have already experienced an injury at some point during your chosen activity. Participating in a sport requires us to push our body beyond its day to day usage, and sometimes, even beyond its comfortable limits. While it may be able to cope with some or most of the time, the possibility of injury is always there. 

There are lots of different types of injuries that can be sustained as a result of participating in sporting activities, but the majority of them affect the musculoskeletal system, which is the network of bones, muscles, and connective tissues that enable movement. The musculoskeletal system also includes the spine, which houses the spinal cord – a key component of our central nervous system, the overriding controller of all other body systems and functions. 

Sports injuries can vary in their effects. Many people will experience very minor injuries such as sprains and strains that will likely put them out of action for a little while, but that ultimately can be recovered from pain relief and patience. Other injuries can be much more significant, causing patients to take extended breaks from their chosen sporting activity. In some instances, affected athletes may find that they are unable to take part in their sport at all, and could be left battling long-term consequences from their injury. 

Many professional and amateur athletes choose to see a chiropractor regularly, and with good reason. Here are some of the ways in which chiropractic care helps with sports injuries.

Heal More Quickly

Unsurprisingly, whether you are a serious athlete or not, you will want to try and heal from your injury as quickly as possible – particularly if you are in pain or struggling to move around normally. One of the biggest benefits of chiropractic care for sports injuries is that it can help speed up the healing process, enabling you to recover more quickly. When your chiropractor realigns your spine, it makes all of your other body systems work more effectively. Oxygenated blood is able to circulate more easily, enabling oxygen and nutrients to reach the damaged area and heal it. This process also helps to reduce inflammation, which in turn eases stiffness and associated discomfort. 

Less Reliance on Pain Medications

Nobody wants to become reliant on pain medications to be able to function day to day, yet this is exactly what can happen when an injury isn’t treated properly. Another huge benefit of chiropractic treatment is that it can naturally reduce your discomfort, and some patients see it disappear altogether. Again, this is largely down to improve blood flow, but chiropractic treatment also triggers the body to release its own pain-relieving hormones, counteracting your discomfort. Many patients who have regular chiropractic treatment find that they don’t need to take drugs whatsoever. 

Improved Mobility

Whatever your chosen sport, if you are to enjoy it in the future you will need to make sure that your body is as lithe and supple as possible. A large percentage of patients who have suffered an injury find that it has a direct impact on their mobility, making it hard for them to move around as they did before. By reducing inflammation and increasing the rate of healing, chiropractic treatments can restore your mobility, making it possible for you to get back to normal more quickly. 

Strengthen Your Body to Prevent Future Injury

Although injuries are very common, there are things that you can do to make them less likely. Your chiropractor will have extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system and will be able to identify any areas of your body that are likely to be prone to injury. In doing so, they can recommend treatments and exercises which will strengthen the weaker areas, making you less susceptible to injury. In addition to this, your chiropractor will be able to assess your warmup and cool-down techniques to ensure that they are effective, which again could minimize your risk of being injured. By balancing and strengthening your body, not only are you at less risk of suffering an injury, but you are also conditioning your body to reach optimal performance every time. 

If you would like to discover more about how chiropractic care helps with sports injuries, or to schedule your confidential appointment, please call our team in Chicago, IL today.