Basketball injury recovery: Your next chiropractic specialty?

Research indicates basketball is one of the most popular sports for kids and young teens, with 39% of six- to 14-year-olds playing. It’s also the most popular sport for those age 12 to 17.  

The number of adult players has increased as well, especially among individuals in the 25-to-34 age range, whose growth as core participants (meaning they play at least 13 times a year) has risen 18% in recent years. That makes basketball a good sport to specialize in as a chiropractic provider. 

Most common basketball injuries

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) reports the most common injuries sustained by youth playing basketball are: 

• Ankle sprains, which take the top slot and can occur from an awkward landing, sudden stops that involve a twist of the foot, stepping on top of an opponent’s foot or slipping on a wet floor 
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, most of which are a result of the knee caving inward (valgus) when planting in a position or landing, though they can also occur from contact with the knee 
• A strained or pulled hamstring, calf, adductor or quad muscle 
• Muscle contusions or bruises, generally to the thigh 

Depending on the severity of the injury, it can take athletes weeks if not months to heal. For some, it may even end their basketball career. But it doesn’t have to, as chiropractic can aid in injury recovery. 

Chiropractic’s role in basketball injury recovery

In March 2023, the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine published a case study involving a 15-year-old male patient with chronic pain from a lateral ankle sprain. There was tenderness in the ankle and limited range of motion. After four high-velocity, low-amplitude ankle manipulations combined with education about stretches he could do at home, the patient returned to his sport without any pain or functional issues. 

Another case study involved an 18-year-old female athlete with a quadriceps strain. With a 7-day treatment plan consisting of chiropractic, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), rehab exercises, and dry needling with electric stimulation, the athlete not only fully returned to competition but also set personal records. 

Research also supports the use of chiropractic for less-common basketball injuries. As an example, one study involved a 35-year-old professional basketball player with a hand injury after the ball hit his fifth digit directly, causing a central slip injury. After three weeks of chiropractic, he returned to the game. At the six-week mark, the player had fully recovered. 

How to promote a basketball chiropractic specialization

Practitioners wishing to specialize in this area of sports chiropractic can benefit from promoting their expertise on social media. Share personal stories of patients you’ve helped recover in your practice (it’s important to obtain their permission first). Also, provide tips that can help players avoid these injuries in the first place. 

If there’s a local school or athletic league that plays basketball, reach out to them. Ask if they have a doctor of chiropractic on staff. If not, explain how you can help the players, whether individually or as a team. Go to their games and begin to establish a relationship. This can help develop trust in you as a practitioner. 

It can also be beneficial to hold seminars and workshops specifically for basketball players. Go over stretches they can do or exercises they can perform to help build and strengthen some of the areas most commonly injured during this sport. Talk also about how to rehab those areas should an injury occur and when they should seek professional treatment — preferably from you — versus trying to recover on their own. 

Final thoughts on chiropractic for basketball players

An ever-increasing competitiveness in youth sports has resulted in a steady demand for doctors of chiropractic who specialize in working with athletes, helping them recover from injury and optimize their performance. If basketball is your game, focusing on a niche clientele of basketball players can prove to be an enjoyable, rewarding and profitable direction in which to take your career as a DC.