What is sports chiropractic?
Sports chiropractic is a type of chiropractic that focuses on the needs of athletes. Within sports chiropractic there is a wide range of treatment options which the chiropractors in Lakeside Joondalup are all trained in. These include rehabilitation, taping, strapping, exercise therapies, electrical therapies and manipulation or mobilisation of all joints - including limbs and extremities, not just the spine! Thus, there is a mixture of passive care (where we do specific treatments for you) and active care (where you do some exercises or stretches - rehabilitation - at home).
How does chiropractic work with sports?
It's no surprise that after sports, joints can become 'fixated' or 'stuck.' This can be due to built-up micro traumas from the activity (small injuries that you don't really notice but will inevitably add up) or, of course, single larger traumas (e.g. from contact sport). A lack of stretching or flexibility only stresses these joints further, limiting your range of motion greatly. When range of motion is limited, it makes the athlete more prone to injury - imagine an inflexible person trying to do the splits: they would be very likely to injure themselves and even tear a muscle.
And, as mentioned before, injury can lead to joint fixation. It's a vicious cycle.
That's where Lakeside Chiropractic comes in. Chiropractors are trained health professionals who regularly treat these fixated joints with 'adjustments' - high velocity, low amplitude thrusts that get your joints moving back to their original, healthy state.
Other benefits of adjustments have been documented. In a 2012 study by the National University of Health Sciences, Botelho and Andrade presented a study that demonstrated a 15% increase in grip strength for judo athletes who underwent chiropractic treatment, compared to those who did not.
Getting that extra bit of joint and muscle stretch is vital for improving overall strength. You may have heard that flexibility can lead to an increase in muscle strength and that's correct. Think of olympic gymnasts, for example. They are some of the most flexible people in the world and also among the strongest.
Then there's the prevention of injuries. A 2010 study by Hoskins and Pollard demonstrated that semi-elite Australian footballers who underwent chiropractic care consistently throughout the season were significantly less likely to incur hamstring, back or lower limb injuries and miss play weeks.
Below are a list of common sports injuries that Lakeside Chiropractic have treated:
* Localised back or neck pain - whether it be a strained muscle, ligament or 'stuck' joint.
* Disc herniations - sports injuries to the back can cause disc herniation’s or disc disruptions. These may give you sciatica symptoms, such as tingling, numbness or pain into a leg, on top of sharp pain into the back. It's not uncommon for athletes to suffer from a disc problem, especially if you are doing extreme flexion or twisting exercises that stress your back. Poor core muscles or poor lifting form can also lead to it.
* Shoulder pain or instability - including rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, subacromial bursitis, impingement syndromes
* Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
* Golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
* Wrist injuries - including carpal tunnel, inflammation of a tendon, joint fixations (your wrist has many carpal bones, each with its own specific joint!)
* Snapping hip syndrome - young athletes are more prone to snapping hip, especially in certain sports such as hockey or soccer.
* Knee injuries - including ACL tears, meniscus tears
* Achilles tendonitis - this is inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a common sports injury.
* Plantar fasciitis - athletes with poor foot arches are more prone to plantar fasciitis. Pain will be noted along the heel of the foot, especially in the mornings.
* Rehabilitation for broken / fractured bones or torn ligaments / tendons
These are just the more common types of sports injuries that Lakeside Chiropractic often treats. If you are suffering from another injury then feel free to call and ask one of our friendly chiropractors if they are familar with the symptoms. Chances are it's a yes - almost all sports injuries are musculoskeletal in nature, and chiropractors are experts in treated musculoskeletal injuries.
Professional athletes and chiropractic treatment
Many top athletes embrace chiropractic such as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan,and Arnold Schwarzenegger
And they aren't the only top athletes to utilise chiropractic. NFL teams, NBA teams and Olympic athletes are all known to use chiropractic!
There are many reasons for this, but the most important one is that these athletes simply notice the difference before and after having chiropractic care.
Lakeside Chiropractic is central to the northern suburbs of Perth located in the city of Joondalup. If you are in the surrounding suburbs such as Yanchep, Tapping, Carramar, Currambine, Wanneroo, Heathridge, Edgewater, Gnangara, Mullaloo, Padbury, Kingsley, Woodvale, Banksia Grove, or Duncraig please come and see our friendly and professional chiropractors. They can further discuss with you the benefits of chiropractic for athletes.
You can contact us on 9300 0095, or visit our website www.lakesidechiro.com.au to make an enquiry or booking.
