Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Athletes

Regardless of their sport or level, all athletes want two things: To stay injury-free and do the best they can when they perform. One of the tools athletes use to achieve this is chiropractic care. Many NFL teams have chiropractors on staff, for example, and 90% of world-class athletes visit their chiropractor regularly.

The Olympic Village has a chiropractic clinic. Equestrians and rodeo cowboys often have chiropractors treat both them and their horses. It's not just for high-impact sports either. Chiropractic care can improve your golf game, increase your chances of finishing that marathon, and improve your overall balance and flexibility.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help Athletes?

There are a number of benefits of chiropractic care for athletes:

1. It can help prevent injuries, allowing athletes to stay in training. It can do so by:
   1. Reducing tension in the spine, which can in turn result in pelvic misalignment.
   2. Reducing muscle and ligament injuries overall, especially with regular massage.
   3. Helping keep joints in alignment so as to reduce pain.
2. A chiropractor can help treat injuries ranging from tennis elbow to plantar fasciitis to IT band syndrome.
3. Chiropractic care can reduce the use of prescription drugs, which dull reaction times, may have addiction risk, and are often not allowed in competition.
4. Chiropractic care improves mood and mental state, which allows an athlete to get and stay more "in the game." It reduces stress, which can be caused by travel, competition, dealing with other athletes, etc. This in turn reduces the risk of mental health problems, overtraining, and burnout.
5. Chiropractic care has been proved to improve performance. One study showed a 6.12% performance increase, as measured by an index that covered agility, balance, kinesthetic perception, power, and reaction speed. By ensuring that an athlete's spine stays in balance and their joints are healthy, a chiropractor can make it easier for them to perform.
6. Chiropractic treatment can improve range of motion. This improves performance and overall fitness.
7. The immune system can be compromised by extensive training. Athletes often experienced a suppressed immune system when in their most intense training period, which is then often followed by exposure to other people at a meet or club event, increasing their risk of catching whatever is circulating. Chiropractic care can help counter the suppressed immune system by improving overall circulation and energy flow.
   

What Chiropractic Care is Best for Athletes?

The kind of routine care you need depends on your sport and the level at which you perform or compete. Your chiropractor will come up with a routine for you, whether you are running, playing golf, or enjoying tennis. Depending on your needs, recommendations might include:

1. Routine adjustments to keep your spine and joints aligned and help you compensate for the demands of training.
2. Massage therapy to relax your muscles and improve tone.
3. Electrical muscle stimulation to treat the unavoidable strains and sprains, relieve muscle tightness, and help make adjustments last longer.
4. Cold laser therapy to reduce inflammation and treat common sports injuries such as knee pain, tennis elbow, bursitis, and tendonitis.

All of these chiropractic treatments are non-invasive and, importantly, drug free. A chiropractor can help you get back in the game faster after an injury, but can also improve your performance and lower your risk of injury in the first place. If you are in competition, it can reduce your stress levels and anxiety.

Being an athlete can be challenging, and it can result in routine strains and sprains that can build up into the risk of a career-ending injury. Regular chiropractic care will help you avoid injury, improve performance, and extend your career. If you are an athlete, regardless of your sport or level of performance, to make an appointment for a consultation. We can put together a program of routine chiropractic care perfect for you and your sport.