To Your Health
February, 2012 (Vol. 06, Issue 02) |
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Chiropractic Care for Common Sports Injuries
By Jasper Sidhu, BSc, DC
Have you ever had a sports injury that limited you from playing your favorite sport? If so, you aren't alone. Whether you are a weekend sports enthusiast or an athlete, getting back to playing again is the most important thing.
That's why an injury can take time to heal and really frustrate us. We want to be back playing yesterday. That's why chiropractic care is so important. Getting your injury assessed and treatment will not only get you back on your feet faster, but also screen out any bad habits that can lead to further injury. Let's look at some of the most common sports injuries out there, and review what you can do to get it better.
Injury: Hamstring Strain
Treatment:
- Follow RICE principle if injury happened within last 48 hours
- RICE: (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
- Electrotherapy, Ultrasound for swelling control
- Stretching for increasing flexibility
- Chiropractic adjustments to address joint tightness
- Muscle tissue work to break up scar tissue
- Active exercise to get back to full strength and prevent further injury
Key points to remember:
Hamstring pulls and strains are most commonly due to lack of flexibility and adequate warm up before beginning your sport. Apart from treating the area of injury, your Chiropractor will examine to see if there's any muscular imbalances. Having a tight thigh and weak hamstrings will lead to recurring injuries unless you get your muscles and joint motion back to normal.
Injury: Low back strain
Treatment:
- Chiropractic adjustments to increase range of motion and decrease pain
- Low back stretching exercises
- Strengthening and core training
Key points to remember:
Majority of sports injuries to the back involve sudden twisting motions. Core strength is one of the most important goals you need to achieve if you are going to continue playing. Avoid any forward bending movements in sports, since this puts a lot of stresses to the spine and can increase risk of injury, especially if you are being hit
Injury: Tennis Elbow
Treatment:
- Ultrasound or laser to help with tissue healing
- Spinal manipulation around the elbow joint to increase joint motion
- Muscle tissue work to break up scar tissue around the area of injury
- Stretching exercises to increase range of motion
- Strengthening forearm exercises
Key points to remember:
The pain on the outside of the elbow is known either as lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. This area has one of the least amounts of blood supply to the body. That's why it may take longer to heal. It's important to get back into activity slowly. You may even need to wear a brace to limit stresses on this area in the beginning. It's best to follow the advice of your chiropractor on your timing of return to sports. Getting back too quickly with this injury can lead to reinjury and further frustration.
Injury: Runner's Knee
Treatment:
- Specific stretching of the muscles around the knee
- Strengthening of inner knee muscles to improve tracking of the knee cap
- Deep tissue massage techniques to help break up scar tissue
- Examine the feet for altered gait and improper walking form
- Address any low back joint problems that alter proper leg movement
Key points to remember:
Runner's knee is not only something runners get. Any form of sport that involves running or sprinting can lead to Runner's knee. Apart from stretching and strengthening exercises, its important to get good advice on proper footwear. Think of the feet as the foundation from which everything is built. Improper foot wear and bad form in walking can lead to increased stresses in the knee, hip and low back.
Jasper Sidhu, DC, graduated from Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1994 and opened the Downtown Injury Rehab Centre in Windsor, Ontario, incorporating vibration training into the rehabilitation part of his practice. He is vice president of clinical services for WAVE Manufacturing (www.wavexercise.com).
