Can an athlete benefit from chiropractic care?
Absolutely! We take care of a lot of runners, triathletes, cross fit athletes, tennis players, gymnasts & weekend warriors in the office and over the years, I have seen those athletes, who are getting adjusted on a regular basis, do really well. By that I mean they don’t get injured (or not that much), they perform as well as they can, they stay healthy, and if they do have an injury, they recover relatively fast from it. Adjustments are all about structure and function … if the structure of your body is moving well and not restricted, then you can function well …. and that’s great for an athlete or even for anyone. Chiropractic adjustments focus on the spine (and pelvis, and often the feet, shoulders, wrists and more) … when things are working well and moving well, the end result can be very good (check out our video below).
When I first started distance running, so about 25-30 years ago, I could not run more than three days in a row because my knees hurt. I’d have to take that 4th day off/rest because of knee pain. I tried glucosamine but it only helped a little. Zoom ahead to now. I no longer have that same knee pain, I can run four, five days in a row because that knee pain is gone, and to me, it really shouldn’t make sense. I run anywhere from 800-1200 miles or so a year, so that’s 25,000 to 35,000 miles of running on my knees and hips and body over the past 25-35 years. You would think my knees would not be able to handle that, but they have. And I totally now know it’s because I’m getting my pelvis (& spine) adjusted, and removing that restriction that is in my hips, therefore my knees are not taking the stress. That is the only explanation I have. The biggest difference is regular chiropractic care. And I’m not getting my knees adjusted, I’m getting my hips/pelvis/spine adjusted.
If the hips/pelvis have good range of motion and are doing what they are supposed to do, and are lined up properly, then there is not abnormal stress on the knees. However if that part of the body is stuck and all locked up, then the lower body needs to find movement somewhere, so the knees end up taking that added pressure, the knees get out of alignment (but it’s because of the hips) and people end up with knee problems. I see it all the time. And it’s not a one time fix. It’s not a fix for 6 months. It’s taking care of it on a regular, ongoing basis. A car must be maintained (or replaced), the body is the same way.
When the body is free of nerve interference, and when there is normal (or optimal) movement in the spine & pelvis, then there is less chance of injury. Stretching, massage, rest, nutrition and listening to your body all are very important as well. Yes this is just “my story” and I really hope it helps to inspire someone. Chiropractic care can be so effective, and there are different styles of adjustments & different techniques. One chiropractor can be totally different from another one. Find a chiropractor that works for you.
Better health, better function & better performance in most cases. Who doesn’t want to benefit from that? Our latest You Tube video gives a brief summary of the benefits of chiropractic care for an athlete, so CLICK here to watch it. It’s just 2.5 minutes long, so check it out and let us know your thoughts, and if we can help you out.
