sports injury Archives - Family Tree Chiropractic OKC

Sep 30 2023

The 3 most Common Sports Injuries and How to reduce their Risk

Over 200 million Americans participating in a sport at any given time, so there are bound to be sports injuries. Every year, up to 5% of the American population incurs a sports injury and has to rest at home while the injury heals. Chiropractors know that this number can be reduced significantly. Here is a closer look at the 3 most common sports injuries and how the risk of attainment can be reduced.

1 – Traumatic Injuries

Traumatic sports injuries are probably the most common types of injuries in sports. They are frequently seen in a variety of contact sports such as rugby, football and ice hockey. Possibly the most common of traumatic sports injuries, the main reason why people see chiropractors, are sprains.

When muscles are stretched beyond their limits, they cause pain. Stretched too far and they can tear. Chiropractors work with people to not only help treat these injuries but reduce their frequency. Using a variety of techniques, they help improve the joints, ensuring they can withstand more stress and perform better as well.

2 – Repetitive Stress Injuries

In many sports such as cricket, table tennis, football, running and weightlifting, players repeat a number of movements and stress the same area of their body. As such, these people are prone to a number of injuries classified as repetitive stress/motion sports injuries. In part, considering the nature of these sports, these injuries are inevitable. However, their frequency can be reduced.

Chiropractors work with athletes of such sports and help them reduce their risk of injury. How? Chiropractors simply use a number of techniques to help strengthen their joints. As a result, a stronger joint is less prone to injury.

3 – Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue sports injuries are regarded as a separate type of injury as they usually occur when a severe sprain has been incurred, usually coupled with a contusion. Such an injury involves localized swelling and the production of a lot of heat. However, chiropractors know that if left untreated for too long, it takes quite a while to heal.

As such, chiropractors work to reduce the swelling as fast as possible, allowing them to properly manipulate the affected area and help reduce pain and enable faster recovery.

In many cases, sports injuries are inevitable. However, according to many medical experts, including chiropractors, their frequency can be significantly reduced.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Shane Williams scores try at Ravenhill.jpg

Sep 30 2023

Shoulder Sport Injuries and Chiropractic Care

Athletes and sports enthusiasts suffer from different sports injuries, the most common one being shoulder injuries, contracted during the strenuous activities and efforts required during various sports. Chiropractors provide effective treatment methods to rid the patients of the pain and suffering of a shoulder injury.

How Are Shoulder Sports Injuries Contracted?

Shoulder sport injuries are contracted by professional athletes and individuals who pursue a certain sport as a hobby. The strenuous and exhausting practice procedures, along with the constant exertion on the body, result in acute muscular pains in the arm and shoulder regions, for the sports professionals. In extreme cases, the pain spreads throughout the entire arm, causing sore and stiff shoulder muscles and tingling pain up to the fingers.

The sports which require extensive physical effort like basketball, baseball, football, etc., require the players to engage in different repetitive movements, which sometimes cause shoulder sport injuries.

Symptoms of Shoulder Injuries

Shoulder injuries which are very common among sports athletes and professionals present certain symptoms and signs which help in the diagnosis of the form of injury. A patient with a shoulder pain which persists for a couple of days has a high risk of suffering from a shoulder injury which needs to be treated promptly.

Recurring episodes of shoulder pain is also a sign of a shoulder injury, while inability to carry objects highlights the extent of damage suffered by the shoulder of an individual. In extreme cases, the shoulder injury causes a deformity in the joint and damages the muscles of the shoulder, which leaves the individual in extreme pain.

Shoulder injuries also include bruises and swellings around joints or the arm region of the body, which results in stiff muscles that are difficult to move. In some cases, the patient suffers from a fever and swelling with an infection, if there is acute damage to the muscles and joints of the shoulder region. Some individuals also face difficulty in moving their injured shoulder and experience pain in the area throughout the day.

Treatment Options

Shoulder injuries require prompt and efficient medical treatment, carefully administered, to ensure that there are no further damages to the injured area. Rest and anti-inflammatory medicines are prescribed by doctors to bring down the swelling in the shoulder. Various painkillers are prescribed which only serve to alleviate the pain for a short period of time. Chiropractors provide effective treatment for the shoulder sports injuries contracted by different individuals.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Mikko with dislocated should… by Aleksi Aaltonen

Sep 30 2023

How to Find the Right Chiropractor for your Sports Injuries

Chiropractors are part of America’s third largest primary healthcare profession. With hundreds in each state, it is evident that finding the right one is a rather difficult task. Fortunately, it is not impossible either. Here are 5 factors you should look for on your search for the right chiropractor.

1 – Reputation

The most important factor to analyze when searching through a list of recommended chiropractors is their reputation. Even with years of experience, some chiropractors do not prove as beneficial as others. When it comes to sports injuries, ensure that you choose only a highly reputable chiropractor, evident by a number of positive online reviews.

2 – Experience

A chiropractor may come highly recommended and they may have a reputation as being a great chiropractor. However, if you have visited multiple chiropractors before, with little positive result, it may be a good idea to choose a more experienced chiropractor. With more experience, your chiropractor will know about a deal of problems and hence can help you better than others.

3 – Locality

Of course, locality is an important factor when choosing from your list of chiropractors. With the busy schedule most people have, the last thing anyone needs is to travel for an hour to reach the chiropractor. As such, unless they are one of the best chiropractors in the state, area or country, always select a chiropractor that is close by.

4 – Availability

Considering the nature of their work, chiropractors can be unavailable at many times. If you need to have your sports injuries examined on a weekly basis, it would be unwise to select a chiropractor that is available only once a week. Why? Because with the load they have, setting up an appointment will be difficult.

5 – Services

Last but not least, when selecting from a large list of recommended chiropractors, ensure that you select one that offers a number of services. While you may require a chiropractor for sports injuries, it is wise to have one for other problems too such as back and neck pain.

By analyzing the 5 factors above, selecting the right chiropractor will no longer be a difficult task. However, ensure that you spend ample time on each factor, ensuring that the chiropractor you choose has the right blend of the above 5 factors. Never pick a chiropractor who excels in just one factor.

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