Common Sports Injuries and How to Treat Them with Chiropractic

Whether you’re a competitive athlete or play sports as a hobby, you’ve probably experienced an injury or pain at some point. In fact, sports injuries are extremely common, and they range from minor strains and sprains to severe and even life-threatening issues like spine injuries.

While some problems may be caused by falls or collisions, many sports injuries simply stem from pushing yourself a little too far or failing to warm up properly.

Other injuries, especially around joints like the knees and elbows, can happen because of the wear and tear that comes with repeating the same motion over and over.

Pembroke Pines Sports Chiropractor

When to Seek Out a Pembroke Pines Sports Chiropractor

If you find yourself experiencing pain during or after playing sports, it’s always a good idea to consult with a medical professional.

Many sports injuries have similar symptoms, so it can be hard to tell if your condition is serious without getting an expert opinion. Plus, leaving minor injuries untreated can cause you to experience more severe problems in the future.

If you’re not sure where to start with getting help for your sports injury, we’d love to help you at Rush Chiropractic. When you visit our office in Pembroke Pines, we have a wide range of services and treatments at our disposal, so we can build a customized plan that will help you get back to playing the sport you love as soon as possible.

In the meantime, here’s an overview of some of the most common types of sports injuries and the treatments that can help heal them:

Sprains, Strains and Tears

Sprains, Strains and Tears

Sprains and strains are two of the most common types of sport-related injuries, because they happen when you overextend a muscle or ligament. These stretches or small tears can happen when you fall, or even just from twisting a joint in an unusual way.

At a more severe level, a muscle or ligament can sometimes fully tear, like with a torn ACL or ankle ligament. These tears will destabilize the joint and make it difficult or impossible to put weight on that part of the body. The pain might feel similar to a sprain or strain, but it may be accompanied by a popping sound.

Sprains, strains and tears can occur during a broad range of activities, from contact sports like soccer and football to individual activities like water skiing.

And while minor strains or sprains can often heal with the help of rest and ice, a tear will often require treatment, which could involve physical therapy and even surgery.

Regardless of the severity of your muscle or ligament injury, a chiropractor can help you get back to optimal health more quickly with treatments like massage and physical therapy.

Plus, it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between a strain or sprain and a tear, so it’s important to get a professional opinion in case your injury is more serious than it appears.

Sciatica

Sciatica

Sciatica is a type of back pain that radiates down into the leg, causing numbness, tingling or burning. This condition doesn’t only appear in athletes, but it often occurs after playing sports that require trunk rotation — like golf and tennis — or extended periods of time bending forward — like cycling and rowing.

Sciatica can be painful in its own right, but it can also indicate other conditions like a herniated disc or a pinched nerve in the back. A chiropractor can help you get to the root of the problem and alleviate discomfort with treatments including massage, spinal manipulation and physical therapy.

Shin Splints

Shin Splints

Shin splints most commonly occur in runners, but they can also affect other athletes like soccer and basketball players. This aching or soreness in the front part of your leg are typically caused by overuse, especially if you’re switching up your routine and running more frequently than usual.

Though shin splints can often be treated with rest, they can also sometimes indicate a stress fracture, or a break in the shin bone, so we recommend getting the injury checked out by a medical professional instead of only treating it at home.Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow

Like its name suggests, tennis elbow, or epicondylitis, is caused by repetitive motions in the elbow, like the ones used in tennis or golf. The pain, which typically shows up in the knob of the elbow or in the tendons on the outside of your arm, comes from irritation or small tears in the elbow tendons.

Since tennis elbow tends to worsen with increased repetition, it’s especially important to treat this condition if you want to be able to keep playing your sport. We teach our patients tactics like stretches and strengthening exercises that can help prevent future injury so that you can get back to playing without pain.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

The Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment

Many people think that chiropractors only treat back and neck injuries, but this is not the case.

Joint manipulation, which is one of the things chiropractors are most known for, can be used on joints throughout the body, including knees, shoulders and ankles.

If you’re experiencing joint pain from a sports injury, we may be able to adjust the joint and its surrounding tissues, which will help alleviate your pain, improve your mobility and help your injuries to heal.

And at Rush Chiropractic, we also offer so much more than just joint manipulation. Our services include physical therapy, massage therapy, X-rays, and exercise and nutritional advice.

Some other doctors might be able to prescribe medication that will reduce your pain, but we understand that athletes don’t just need to feel better, they need to get stronger so that they can play their sport without future injuries.

When you visit our Pembroke Pines office, we take the time to diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan that will help you heal while also making you less susceptible to future injuries. Give us a call today at 954-432-5006 to get started.

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