Athletes or weekend warriors hate to be sidelined from an injury or physical limitation. This is where chiropractic medicine and physical therapy for athletes can strengthen the body for improved performance and injury prevention. Sports chiropractors and physical therapists are trained and certified professionals that have extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system, maintaining and rehabilitating the body. This includes:

• Exercise science
• Physiological factors
• Nutrition
• Sports psychology

Treatment techniques include:

• Massage
• Electrotherapy
• Muscle strengthening
• Water therapy
• Core stability training

Sports medicine professionals include medical doctors, sports chiropractors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and massage therapists. They are trained in:

• Assessment and diagnosis
• Treatment
• Rehabilitation
• Management
• Referral
• Health coaching
• Injury prevention

Chiropractic physical therapists restore function and mobility, manage or alleviate pain, and return individuals to their lifestyle and athletes to their sport. They understand training demands and advise on injury prevention, relieving pain, and optimizing performance.

Performance Treatment

Chiropractors and physical therapists provide:

• Pre and post-surgery consultation
• Pre and post-surgery treatment
• Pre and post-surgery exercise programs and rehabilitation therapy
• Instrument-guided soft tissue mobilization
• Myofascial release
• Joint mobilization
• Muscle strengthening
• Strength Training Workouts
• Stretching regimen
• Trigger point release
• Plyometrics
• Sport-Specific Training

Benefits

Body Analysis

• A chiropractic physical therapist will go through a series of examination routines to test and assess the body’s functionality and mobility, looking for areas of pain and weakness.

Personalized Treatment Plan

The analysis data helps to develop a customized treatment plan that looks at:

• Weaknesses
• Painful areas
• Physical and positional demands of their specific sport.

Alleviate Pain

• This is done through:
• Therapeutic exercises
• Manual techniques
• Instrument-assisted manipulations with:
• Percussive massagers
• Ultrasound
• Taping
• Electrical stimulation
• To relieve pain, restore muscle, and joint function.

Improve mobility

• Stretching and strengthening exercises restore mobility.

Avoid Surgery and/or Expedite Recovery After Surgery

• Effective physical therapy can eliminate the need for surgery, hasten recovery, and reduce healthcare costs.
• Expedite rehabilitation and recovery post-surgery.

Prevention Techniques

Chiropractic physical therapy provides tools and exercises to maintain:

• Strength
• Balance
• Fitness
• To prevent new injuries or injury recurrence.

A customized chiropractic physical therapy program can help individuals return to a high level of performance from a team of professional chiropractors physical therapists. Individuals learn activities and lifestyle changes that will help prevent further injury and improve health and wellbeing.

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Body Composition

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Skipping Rest Days

Not listening to the body and taking time to recover can have serious consequences. When the body is not allowed to rest, recovery inflammation is not given the time to heal. This can lead to injuries, a weakened immune system, and the potential for muscle mass loss. During periods of intense stress, like an intense workout, the body’s immune system does not fully function. This means the body is compromised when fighting germs and viruses and constantly taking medications. This is why prioritizing rest is necessary. Another side effect of skipping rest days is burnout. Burnout is the feeling that anything is better than working out. It typically happens when individuals forget or choose not to take time off and rest for life outside of fitness.

References

Cullen, Michael-Flynn L et al. “Passive Recovery Strategies after Exercise: A Narrative Literature Review of the Current Evidence.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 20,7 (2021): 351-358. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000859

Levy, Emily, and Thomas Chu. “Intermittent Fasting and Its Effects on Athletic Performance: A Review.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 18,7 (2019): 266-269. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000614

Reinke, Simon et al. “The influence of recovery and training phases on body composition, peripheral vascular function and immune system of professional soccer players.” PloS one vol. 4,3 (2009): e4910. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004910

Resnik, Linda, and Janet K Freburger. “Health Services Research: Physical Therapy Has Arrived!.” Physical therapy vol. 95,12 (2015): 1605-7. doi:10.2522/ptj.2015.95.12.1605

Suchomel, Timothy J et al. “The Importance of Muscular Strength: Training Considerations.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 48,4 (2018): 765-785. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-0862-z