TREATMENT FOR SPORTS INJURIES - ADULTS & KIDS
Sports injuries occur during exercise or while participating in a sport. Children are particularly at risk for these types of injuries, but adults can get them, too.
Chiropractic care has been shown to successfully treat a number of sports injuries including shoulder injuries, elbow and hand injuries, neck and spinal injuries to name a few.
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Our approach to a sports injury is comprehensive with a complete chiropractic evaluation for neurologic and orthopedic testing as well as chiropractic joint/muscle restorations, area of soft tissue injury, and functional tests to see how your body moves in coordination with other area which can detect chronic difficult to identify disorders. Common injuries include the following:
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Patellofemoral Syndrome
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Shoulder Injury
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Tennis or Golf Elbow
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Hamstring Strain
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Sciatica
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Shin Splints
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Groin Pull
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Concussion
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ACL Tear or Strain
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Hip Flexor Strain
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Many times athletes seek treatment from one provider after another and receive different descriptions of their problems and treatments leaving them frustrated and confused.
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If you or your child experience any sports-related injury, trust us that we can ensure our injured athletes heal more fully and are returned to their peak condition more quickly.
Sports injuries occur during exercise or while participating in a sport. Children are particularly at risk for these types of injuries, but adults can get them, too.
Kid's Sports Injuries: The Numbers are Impressive
The picture of youth sports in America is changing. Youth athletes often begin their competitive sports careers as early as age seven, with some youth participating in organized sports activities as early as age four, if not sooner. With an estimated 25 million scholastic, and another 20 million organized community-based youth programs in the United States, the opportunity for injury is enormous.
What Does This Mean?
Physical activity is necessary for normal growth in children. However, when the activity level becomes too intense or too excessive in a short time period, tissue breakdown and injury can occur. These overuse injuries were frequently seen in adult recreational athletes, but are now being seen in children. The single biggest factor contributing to the dramatic increase in overuse injuries in young athletes is the focus on more intense, repetitive and specialized training at much younger ages.
Overuse injuries such as stress fractures, tendinitis, bursitis, apophysitis and osteochondral injuries of the joint surface were rarely seen when children spent more time engaging in free play. The following risk factors predispose young athletes to overuse injuries:
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Sport specialization at a young age
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Imbalance of strength or joint range of motion
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Anatomic malalignment
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Improper footwear
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Pre-existing condition
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Growth cartilage less resistant to repetitive microtrauma
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Intense, repetitive training during periods of growth
What Should Be Done?
Early recognition and treatment of injuries is critical in returning athletes to their sport safely and quickly. Any injury that involves obvious swelling, deformity, and/or loss of normal function (i.e. movement or strength) should be seen by a physician immediately. All other injuries that appear to be minor should resolve themselves within a few days. However, if it does not heal on it's own, and your child is not back to full participation without pain, it is best to have him/her evaluated by a physician. Nagging injuries that go untreated can turn into chronic problems that require a much longer time away from the sport to allow the injury to heal properly.
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If your child does get injured while playing sports, the best treatment plan is R.I.C.E:
Rest
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Do not use the injured area until seen for further evaluation by a physician
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If walking with a limp, have the athlete use crutches
Ice
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Apply ice to the injured area to help decrease pain and swelling
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Use ice 15 - 20 minutes at a time
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Crushed/cubed ice or frozen peas/corn works best, avoid using chemical cold packs
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Always ice for the first 48 - 72 hours after injury
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Never sleep with ice on the injured area
Compression
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Elastic wrap/compression sock should be used to reduce swelling
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Apply wrap beginning below the injured area and wrapping upward
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Always leave toes/fingers exposed
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Watch for numbness, discoloration or temperature changes (loosen wrap if needed)
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Do not sleep with wrap on the injured area
Elevation
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Use gravity to control swelling
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Prop injured area higher than the heart
Chiropractic care has been shown to successfully treat a number of sports injuries including shoulder injuries, elbow and hand injuries, neck and spinal injuries to name a few.
Our approach to a sports injury is comprehensive with a complete chiropractic evaluation for neurologic and orthopedic testing as well as chiropractic joint/muscle restorations, area of soft tissue injury, and functional tests to see how your body moves in coordination with other area which can detect chronic difficult to identify disorders. Common injuries include the following:
​
-
Patellofemoral Syndrome
-
Shoulder Injury
-
Tennis or Golf Elbow
-
Hamstring Strain
-
Sciatica
-
Shin Splints
-
Groin Pull
-
Concussion
-
ACL Tear or Strain
-
Hip Flexor Strain
​
Many times athletes seek treatment from one provider after another and receive different descriptions of their problems and treatments leaving them frustrated and confused.
​
If you or your child experience any sports-related injury, trust us that we can ensure our injured athletes heal more fully and are returned to their peak condition more quickly.