4 Reasons Why Athletes Should Consider Regular Chiropractic Adjustments
Achieving peak performance is essential for athletes in competitive sports. But did you know that if the musculoskeletal system isn’t properly aligned, the body cannot reach its optimal performance? Many of the common injuries sustained in sports tend to knock the spine out of its designated orientation. This can create compression on the nerves between the vertebra of the spine, causing pain, decreased mobility, and decreased cognitive function. Receiving regular chiropractic adjustments not only helps to prevent sports-related injury but, it also works to improve athletic performance. Here’s how:
1. Physical performance is improved
Athletes need the maximum speed, strength, and flexibility to be as efficient as possible when competing. Reduced range of motion, diminished organ function, and pain are only some of the symptoms that may surface from misalignment of the spine and may contribute to reduced performance. Regular alignments of the spine create the space needed between the vertebrae to allow sufficient blood flow to the brain. According to Dr. Roger Sperry, a Noble Prize recipient for research of the brain, 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by movement of the spine. Greater stimulation and nutrition to the brain ultimately leads to quicker reaction time and optimized performance. One study showed that eye-hand coordination improved by 30% after receiving regular chiropractic adjustments for 12 weeks.
2. Prevents injuries
Chiropractic alignment can help to reduce the risk of injury by aligning the body and increasing mobility. Misalignment of the spine can cause asymmetry, which can create unnecessary stress on the body and lead to injury. Adjustment of the spine can reduce this risk of injury by aligning the body and preventing one area of the body from having to work as hard to compensate for the misalignment. Chiropractic manipulation can also improve mobility by providing the spine with the space it needs between each vertebra to flex and bend to its full extent.
3. Recovery time is minimized
Subluxation, or the realignment of the vertebrae that have moved from their designated places, reduces pressure on any nerves that may be compressed between them. Chiropractic manipulation will create the space the spine needs between each vertebra to bend without pain and to provide the area with the sufficient blood flow for quicker healing.
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4. Drug free treatment
In competitive sports, just the split of a second can mean the difference between a win or lose. Although prescription medication may work to treat pain, drugs can often have dumbing effects on reaction time. In more severe cases of injury, surgical intervention may be considered. However, surgery will often leave an athlete sitting out for a few months. A chiropractic physician can help an athlete heal more quickly and relieve pain without the use of drugs or invasive procedures.
Although the spine is the main focus of a sports chiropractor, chiropractors can also help to treat other common sports injuries such as:
- Shoulder pain
- Sciatica
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Shoulder sprains or strains
- Wrist sprains or strains
- Knee sprains or strains
- Ankle sprains or strains
Regular chiropractic care can present many benefits to elite athletes. If you or someone you know is a competitive athlete and are interested in receiving chiropractic care to enhance performance or speed up recovery, contact us at Icon Medical Centers. Our chiropractors are skilled and experienced in treating professional athletes to restore their performance to the fullest potential.