Sports Rehab
Sports Rehab
Sports Injuries
Leaving a game because of an injury is devastating and sometimes unavoidable. Not being able to help the team that day or for any future games is something that may be out of your control. If you are an athlete or weekend warrior, then you know how essential it may be to get the right treatment for your injury. Not getting the proper care can lead to prolonged sitting out of the sport, discomfort, mobility issues, and prevent you from achieving your sport specific goals such as winning a Championship.
While no two bodies are alike and everyone responds to injuries differently, every athlete needs a personalized Rehab program. Coming to Spine & Sport Center, you will get a 1 on 1 care like no other office provides. We like to spend our time with the patient, see what else can be contributory to your injury and how we can teach you to prevent future occurrence. We do this with our motto of Restore, Prevent, & Enhance. With Restore, we try to get you out of pain as soon as possible. With Prevent, we teach you how to self-manage yourself to prevent any future reoccurrence. Lastly, with Enhance, we try to improve your strength and power.
Why Chiropractic?
Did you know most teams in the NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA have Chiropractors? Over 90% of professional and Olympic athletes seek Chiropractic care. Chiropractors are taught to diagnose and treat various conditions of the body and are known to be Neuromusculoskeletal specialists. It is what our body is made of consisting of the Skeleton (bones), muscles, ligaments, cartilage, nerves, and other connective tissues. Together, they work together for supporting the body through movement and help with stability and mobility.
When should you seek Chiropractic care after an Injury?
Immediately! Injuries usually have 5 stages of recovery, and we will discuss them:
Phase 1: Inflammatory Stage
Where you get swelling and bruising. It is important to see us if you just hurt yourself because it is easy to start developing poor habits with your gait (walking), your workouts, or overall postural stance which can affect other joints or areas of the body. Helping analyze any compensations and reduce inflammation and pain is going to be our top priority while getting you back on track. Rushing back into the sport can lead to other devastating injuries and it’s best to see your healthcare provider for consultation before returning to sport. Light exercises, mobilization and manipulation, laser, electrotherapy, will help get you through this stage.
Phase 2: Improving Ranges of Motion and Flexibility
Specific stretches are given to the athlete that he/she may perform at home or throughout the day aside from being manually stretched by our Chiropractor or their personal Athletic Trainer. Stretches should be held up to 30 seconds per repetition.
Phase 3: Improving Strength
The goal of Phase 3 is to introduce strength training such as Isometrics. An example of an Isometric exercise may be pushing a specific body part under a specific angle into the wall and holding that resistance for 30 seconds. This phase also may include the use of elastic bands varying in resistance, free weights, cuff weights, or certain gym equipment.
Phase 4: Strength, Proprioception/Balance + Sport Specific Training
Proprioception training is incorporated to help the body know where it is in space. This helps with balance as with a sport injury, athletes tend to have their balance weakened. Improving Proprioception helps with injury prevention. Sport Specific Training is incorporated to help introduce you to the motions you were used to prior to the injury. Your doctor may break up a specific sport specific movement by body parts to introduce to the body how each body part should be moving individually. Getting through this phase with increased strength, balance, and coordination will help you get to phase 5.
Phase 5: Gradual Return to Sport
Easing back into the sport is important. Continuing various exercises and stretches that you may have performed with your doctor is important to maintain your strength and continue the healing effect. Coordinating with your Athletic trainer, he/she may introduce drills that are sport specific to get you back on the field while not rushing you back. Rushing back in the game might be dangerous and lead to further injury.