Playing sports is one of the activities liked by many. Aside from being a fun activity, it offers several health benefits which contribute to an individual’s physical and mental well-being. But comes along with the benefits are the incidence of injuries. Some are minor, some are serious, and some result in lifelong problems. While definitely many of these injuries are traumatic, it has been estimated that close to half of these injuries are overuse in nature.
Sporting activities play an important part in the society today. However, as people are increasingly involved in these activities, the number of sports-related injuries also increases. Accidents, poor training practices and inappropriate gear are some of the causes. Some people get hurt and injured because they are not in shape or they were not able to warm up or stretch enough.
The sports with the most injuries are contact sports such as football, rugby, wrestling, and hockey. However, soccer and basketball are more commonly played, leading to a large injury load as well. Many of the acquired injuries are found in lower extremities such as knee and ankle. These injures, such as an anterior cruciate ligament tear can result in significant cost to the person as well as the health care system.
The most common sports injuries are: sprains and strains, knee injuries, swollen muscles, Achilles tendon injuries, pain along the shin bone, fractures, and dislocations. When a person gets hurt, he/she should stop playing. Continuing to play or exercise while injured can cause more harm. RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) method is used as an initial treatment to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed up healing.
Chiropractic care offers a balanced approach to the treatment and healing of sports injuries. A drug-free treatment regime brings additional benefit of insuring that the athlete will not be prescribed any substance that might be determined to be a prohibited substance that may result negatively for the both the athlete and his/her team.
Because chiropractics is a drug-free science, surgeries are not being used to correct ailments. Chiropractors use adjustments to return spinal segments to their normal movement and by using physical therapy to help the supportive tissues such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Many athletes have been receiving benefit from chiropractic adjustments as a part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Many professional and competitive athletes can stress the importance of regular chiropractic care. Increased flexibility, energy, speed, and performance as well as a decrease in injuries are included in the benefits of receiving chiropractic treatment. As a matter of fact, almost all professional and amateur sports teams have their own “team” chiropractor. Chiropractors help athletes stay on straight and narrow path to better enjoyment of their chosen sport.