Why You Need a Sports Chiropractor…

If you have ever trained for an athletic event or worked hard to get back into shape, you have probably experienced the dreaded “injury cycle.” The cycle of many exercise-related injuries frequently follows a similar pattern. After finally admitting to yourself that the pain was more than just soreness, you go to your medical doctor. There, your doctor either prescribes pain medication, instructs you to rest until you lose all the fitness you just worked so hard to gain, or gives you the option of rehabilitation with a physical therapist. Many medical doctors choose hospital-based physical therapy (PT) as their first choice for referrals. However, many serious and recreational athletes alike rely on a sports chiropractor for their injury treatments.

What is a “Sports Chiropractor”?

Sports chiropractors study and train in many of the same areas as physical therapist. This includes coordination drills and strengthening exercises, as well as improving joint function throughout the body. You may be thinking, “Timeout. I thought chiropractors only treated back and neck pain.” Just like the medical profession, many areas of specialty exist in chiropractic. Those who specialize as a sports chiropractor study the traditional education on spinal joint manipulation or adjustments, as well as spend hundreds of hours in additional education learning about exercise-related injuries, extremities (arms and legs), soft tissue treatments, and functional rehabilitation techniques.

Over the past few decades, the sports chiropractor’s approach has evolved and expanded. This evolution created a new gold standard of care in treatment for patients with exercise-related injuries. Chiropractors now represent a large portion of the United States Olympic committee’s medical staff. For example, the Director of Sports Medicine Clinics at the US Olympic Team headquarters in Colorado Springs is a chiropractor and Palmer College of Chiropractic alumni. Read more about Dr. Bill Moreau’s role at the USOC here!

What to Expect with our Brookfield Sports Chiropractor

If you choose to visit one of our sports chiropractors, expect a comprehensive evaluation and exam before treatment begins. There are several areas of interest for our sports chiropractor.

1. An orthopedic and neurologic exam assists in diagnosing the injury and determining if a referral to an orthopedic or neurologic specialist is necessary.
2. Gait analysis of how you move when you walk or run.
3. An evaluation of the foot because it is the foundation of the kinetic chain.
4. Functional movement screens.
5. Joint palpation assessing the movement quality of your spine and other joints.

Once finished with the evaluation, your specific needs and goals are discussed. Then the sports chiropractor creates an individualized treatment plan for your road to recovery. These factors assist your sports chiropractor in selecting the techniques most effective for getting you back to your activities.

Five types of treatment used by sports chiropractors:

1. Joint Mobilization/Manipulation restores proper motion and function to joints that are restricted, or not moving properly.

2. Graston Technique restores proper function to soft tissue by breaking up adhesions or scar tissue using small, hand-held stainless steel instruments. Additionally, it assists in relaxing tight muscles by decreasing nerve stimulation to over-active muscle groups.

3. Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) restores proper muscle balance and joint function. Many professional and Olympic teams have begun to utilize this technique for injury rehabilitation and prevention, in addition to enhancing performance in some cases.

4. Myofascial Release/Active Release Technique combines massage and stretching. The sports chiropractor applies deep tension while they move a muscle through a range of motion from a shortened to an elongated position. Myofascial release is used primarily for adhesions deep in the muscle.

5. McKenzie Method (MDT) is a specialized technique for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of muscle and joint pain using repeated movements and postural changes.

You can schedule online or call us at 262-373-9168. We are happy to answer any questions you may have!