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Sports Injuries
When a runner injures a calf midway through a race, or a
footballer pulls a hamstring as he has kicked it thousands of
times before, it may not be the running or the kicking that caused
the injury - but an underlying problem that is finally showing
itself. Whether it is a previously undetected spine or joint
problem, or years of poor posture, the resulting injury could
potentially signal the end of a sporting career.
Sports injuries are very often no more than everyday problems that
have been exposed when an ‘occasional athlete’ over-stresses his
or her body when taking up a new activity. They may result from:
Poor
gait or posture
Fitness
Inadequate
equipment
However,
participating regularly in any sporting activity may also leave
you open to the possibility of overtraining, over-use or
repetitive strain injuries. These can have harmful, long-lasting
effects whatever your age, so it is important that you learn to
recognise the signs if you intend working hard towards your
sporting goal. They may include:
-
poor practices and performances
-
loss of weight
-
joint or muscle pain without injuries
-
nausea
-
colds or stuffy nose
-
depression, irritability, insomnia or anxiety
Remember that you will be more tired and therefore more at risk of
injury, at the end of a day’s work, or exercise session.
Chiropractic treatment for sports injuries concentrates on
adjustments to your spine, joints and muscles, so allowing them to
move correctly, and advice is given on rehabilitation and
maintenance exercises to improve strength and flexibility.
(long-term reliance on joint supports will reduce the range of
movement and weaken the muscles, such supports will only be
prescribed by your chiropractor when necessary). As chiropractic
does not involve drugs or surgery, there is no risk of the
side-effects associated with these treatments.
Your chiropractor has learnt many techniques and procedures to
deal with sports injuries. In addition to the treatment of
injuries, practitioners can carry out pre-season checks on
athletes to identify, treat and strengthen any weak areas before
injuries occur and can also conduct regular check-ups to maintain
optimum performance.
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