Venus Williams, Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps — besides being outstanding athletes, they have one other thing in common. They swear by the chiropractic care they receive to stay in peak playing condition. In fact, many teams also have sports chiropractors to take care of their athletes (think the Australian Swim team, for instance). So yes, chiropractic care definitely has takers within the athletic community, but the question is, how exactly does it help improve sports performance? Let us break down the benefits for you.
Treatment and relief for spinal injury and lower back pain
Athletes are especially at risk for lower back pain, but they tend to avoid treatment for fear that it would interfere with their routines. Assessments done on active military personnel have proven that chiropractic treatment for lower back pain leads to stronger trunk muscles, altered sensory and motor signalling, and reduced pain sensitivity. These, in turn, improve strength, balance, and endurance. Athletes, who go through similar physical stress, stand to benefit from similar chiropractic care too.
Minimized chances of injury
Most athletes grapple with muscle imbalances due to injuries, ageing, poor posture, improper training, and muscle tightness. This issue exists across different sports, from football to athletics, and could be connected to a greater occurrence of injuries. Chiropractic care programmes can address this, helping athletes reduce the chance of injuries in the long term.
Better posture and performance
As sports writer and researcher Andrew Hamilton points out, poor posture can not only lead to injuries but it can also affect athletic endurance. A chiropractor can address this issue by offering adjustments that strengthen the bone and muscle groups that help you maintain good posture and help you become more mindful of how you sit, stand, and walk. Since proper posture helps athletes move more efficiently and use their bodies’ inherent power more effectively, sports chiropractic care is often focused on improving posture to boost performance.
Recovery, rest, and relaxation
Chiropractic treatment can relax tight muscles, heal scar tissue, and reduce inflammation, all of which help athletes improve their recovery time after a strenuous game, race, or workout session. Your chiropractor can use various methods, including spinal, pelvic, and extremity adjustments as well as massage, electrotherapeutics, and soft tissue therapy to speed up healing.
Research also indicates that patients undergoing chiropractic adjustments to the neck and spine experience biochemical changes that enable better responses to pain and stress. For athletes, these have twin benefits. Reduced pain improves focus, and reduced stress helps them stay relaxed before crucial games.
Whether looking to address an injury or trying to find ways to improve athletic performance, you can benefit immensely by sitting down with a chiropractor and discussing your fitness levels and sports activity. Your chiropractor can then develop a multi-modal chiropractic plan to help you function at your peak at the sport of your choice.