This is part 1 of a 2 part blog series on sports chiropractic and why its popularity is booming. Sports chiropractic has been around for quite some time, but has recently exploded due to increased media attention. Professional athletes and professional teams have realized the benefits of having a sports chiropractor as part of their medical team, all 32 NFL teams have at least one on staff. These teams and athletes know how important it is for them to perform at their best optimal level.
Micheal Jordan was quoted saying “I didn’t know how much I could improve until I started seeing a chiropractor. Since I’ve been in chiropractic, I’ve improved by leaps and bounds, both mentally and physically.” Tom Brady also said “Just over the course of the season, your body takes quite a beating. Every week, it’s about how fast you can recover and whether you can be up to full speed at practice on Wednesday after a game on Sunday. [Chiropractic] just makes you feel so much better,” he adds. “When I walk out of [the clinic], I feel like I’m about three inches taller and everything’s in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”
So what are sports chiropractors doing to help these athletes recover, whether that recovery be from an injury or post-workout/game? Chiropractic has come a long way from just doing x-rays and adjusting joints. Sports chiropractors are incorporating movement screen analyses, massage, stretching, kinesiotape and rehab exercises along with adjustments. Treatment isn’t just directed to the spine either, many people think of chiropractors as only “back or neck doctors,” which is not true. Sports chiropractors treat the neuro-musculoskeletal system, which includes all muscles, joints and nerves in the body. This means that the nagging shoulder pain, hip pain or shin splints you’ve been experiencing would benefit from chiropractic care. Dr. Lindsey Mathews recently posted a great article on how mobility and recovery treatments are the missing link for many CrossFit athletes.
Many sports chiropractors have been extending their education by becoming a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP)®, which both Dr. Maxwell Mitchell and Dr. Candice Pollack are. This certification requires the doctor to attend a minimum of 100 class hours of a 120 hour postgraduate program. Following the completion of these hours, the doctor must take and successfully pass a comprehensive written examination. This specialized training in sports injuries and physical fitness gives them the ability to be experts in the examination, diagnosis and treatment of neuro-musculoskeletal structures.
Many athletes, whether it be a weekend warrior or Olympic athlete deal with those minor injuries “that will just go away on their own.” By just brushing these injuries off and not getting proper care (even though the pain may go away) can set you up for a more complex injury. This complex injury will most likely cause time off the field, out of the gym or possibly even surgery. Remember pain is a warning sign that something is wrong, a cavity develops long before tooth pain is felt. Dysfunction typically occurs well before pain, this is why it is important to have functional movement screens done.
Here at Advanced Physical Medicine we use the aforementioned sports medicine treatment techniques. Most injuries respond very well to conservative care, however; there are times when medical intervention is needed. Patients are referred to orthopedic surgeons, neurologists and other specialists depending on their injury/symptoms.
Part 2 on sports chiropractic will discuss the different treatments utilized by Chiropractic Physicians and how these treatments work.
