Sports Chiropractic: Making the adjustment

From Pee Wee to varsity to professional sports, athletes at every level face similar challenges; namely, they want to perform at their best and avoid injuries on the field.

And when the inevitable damage does occur, whether from accidents or overtraining, they look to get back in the game as fast as possible. In this situation, the doctor of chiropractic is often the essential solution.

It’s not surprising, then, that you’ll find chiropractors working closely with sports teams in all settings. In fact, you might already be actively helping athletes in your community right now. And chiropractors are on staff with virtually all professional sports franchises and are highly visible at the Olympic Games.

DCs are such a natural fit for athletes’ needs for a number of relevant reasons. Whereas an MD will largely look to address trauma and treat with medication, a DC is attuned to movement, mechanics, and musculoskeletal concerns. Furthermore, the list of banned substances for athletes is a long one—highlighting the importance of a non-pharmacological approach to healthcare and wellness.

Sports Chiropractic Articles

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization or IASTM is a popular treatment to help with myofascial release and to treat pain or inflammation in soft tissue.

IASTM can help ease many conditions that could plague your athletic patients such as plantar fasciits, shoulder injuries, text neck, and many more. They also help you practice longer by easing the strain on your hands but still gives your patients the benefits of fasical release.

By incorporating this type of therapy into your practice, you are greatly benefiting your patients and going beyond what just an adjustment may offer

Taping offers a safe alternative to drugs for treating chronic pain

Anyone who works with high-intensity athletes (e.g., CrossFitters) and endurance athletes (e.g., distance runners and triathletes) knows that most of them have some sort of chronic ailment. When people repeatedly push themselves to the limit, the body eventually breaks down, leading to injury and pain.

Athletes will often attempt to self-treat their injuries and pain so they can continue training. And unsurprisingly, many of these patients take either prescribed or over-the-counter (OTC) medication on a regular basis to control pain and inflammation. The use of such medications over long periods, however, does not come without risk and can have detrimental effects on health.

But if medications should not be used over extended periods, what can be done instead? One safe alternative is using kinesiology tape (k-tape) over the site of pain. In individuals with chronic low-back pain, a study found that k-tape in conjunction with usual care resulted in a better pattern of abdominal muscle recruitment compared with pre-treatment measures.

Another study found that regardless of the technique of application, k-tape was helpful in reducing pain and disability in individuals with chronic low-back pain. This effect was somewhat maintained up to eight weeks after the treatment ceased

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IASTM helps running-related soreness

Paul Fisher with Discover Chiropractic in Fremont, California shares that IASTM can also provide relief for runners suffering from sore feet due to hitting the pavement or trails on a regular basis.

He goes on to say that it this particular treatment method “could and should help with shin splints” as well.

Shin splints affect approximately 10 percent of male runners and almost 17 percent of female runners, making this an issue for a high number of people who use running to get or stay in shape.⁷

Thus, offering IASTM as a form of treatment can help patients hit their fitness goals without being sidelined by pain.

IASTM can help ease or entirely eliminate a number of different conditions and these are just a few. By incorporating this type of therapy into your practice, you are greatly benefiting your patients and going beyond what just an adjustment may offer.

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