What is Sports Chiropractic?
What is Sports Chiropractic?
Chiropractic is the science based on the principle that good health comes from having a healthy and well-functioning nervous system. Those who specialize in sports chiropractic treat athletes of all levels, helping them to reach their maximum performance levels as well as treating any injuries they might sustain.
Chiropractors look at the whole body to see how it functions together. Rather than using pain medications or surgery, chiropractors make manual adjustments to a patient’s body, putting the whole body back into alignment.
Some of the most common sports injuries that can be treated with chiropractic care are sprains, pulled muscles, tendinitis and shoulder pain. Joint problems in the ankle, foot, elbow, hand, hip, knee, and wrist can also be treated successfully with chiropractic care.
A Healthy Nervous System
The nervous system is comprised of the brain, spine, and nerves. When you make a conscious decision to do something – such as swinging a baseball bat or putting a uniform on – the brain sends a signal down your spinal column to the nerves, which in turn send impulses to the appropriate muscles to perform the task.
When your spine is misaligned, there can be a malfunction in how these signals travel. Patients might experience a decrease in muscle strength or chronic pain. In addition to chiropractic adjustments, you can improve your nervous system health by eating a healthy diet and by using your fine motor skills on a regular basis, such as writing or drawing precisely on paper.
Increasing Athletic Efficiency with Chiropractic
The chiropractic premise is key to an athlete’s overall health and performance since most sports require technical precision and use of the entire body. Chiropractic adjustments prior to a big game can put an athlete at his or her peak efficiency. Likewise, adjustments after a game or competition can aid in the recuperation of the athlete’s body.
Traditional medicine and many coaches will give an injured athlete pain medications but these only mask the symptoms and ignore the underlying cause of the pain. This puts an athlete at increased risk for a more serious, debilitating injury, especially if the pain subsides and the athlete decides to continue playing or competing.
Other athletes might not be playing to the best of their ability because their spine is not aligned properly. Anyone can become misaligned just by doing everyday activities but when athletes become misaligned, one wrong move while playing their sport can cause a painful injury.
Many athletes report being able to run faster, having increased range of motion, and better balance after receiving sports chiropractic treatments. In addition to its no-drug philosophy, these are all important benefits that athletes should consider as part of their training.
The Score Clinic is a San Jose-based alternative health clinic specializing in the art of healing through physiotherapy, chiropractic, rehabilitation, massage therapy and exercise. Our dedicated staff is ready to create your individual treatment plan and to answer your questions.
