What Are Sports Injuries?
As an athlete, injuries are just part of the game. The numerous demands of participating in a sport such as running, jumping and tackling can put your body through much more than you think. These activities can result in painful tears, sprains and strains. While mild, temporary soreness after a sport is nothing to worry about, persistent aches and pains are a sign of over-stressed muscles and joints. It’s important not to push your body to the limit while in pain because this increases your risk of further injury. The more commonly injured areas of the body are the ankles, knees, shoulders, elbows and spine. Below are some of the most common sport injuries treated with Chiropractic Care.
Sprains & Strains
Sprains and strains occur when a ligament tears or is overstretched. They are most common in the wrists, ankles or knees. These are the most common sport injuries because they occur fairly easily and can happen while playing almost any sport. Swelling, inflammation and bruising are likely to appear in the area of the sprain or strain.
Stress Fractures are common among athletes, because they occur when stress is repeatedly placed on a bone. Fractures, or broken bones, are a one-time injury that can occur while an athlete is playing the sport. Most of the time, stress fracture occurs in the legs or feet from sports that use repetitive impact, such as running or jumping.
Shin Splints are a type of overuse injury similar to a stress fracture. They are caused by microfractures on the front surface of the shin bone. Runners and/or athletes running on hard surfaces commonly experience this painful feeling in their shins during and/or after playing. Failing to warm up or stretch, improper running techniques, poor running shoes, overuse and “flat feet” can all contribute to shin splints.
Another overuse injury, tendinosis, occurs when tendons become inflamed from repetitive use. Tennis elbow (tendons affected on the outside of the elbow), golfers elbow (tendons affected on the inside of the elbow), and rotator cuff tendinitis (when the rotator cuff becomes inflamed) are all common forms of athletic tendinosis that can result in much pain, cause dysfunction, and affect your performance drastically.
Chiropractic Care for Sports Injuries
If you are an athlete or are training to become one, or you are someone who enjoys engaging in physical activity, Chiropractic Care from Active Life Chiropractic will enable you to reach peak performance – without breaking yourself. In many instances, sports injuries can set athletes and individuals back on their physical fitness. Dr. Sam Henley can help athletes in Columbia, MO by relieving their pain, helping them heal faster after an injury, and improving overall performance. Contact Active Life Chiropractic today if you have suffered from a sports injury or would like to improve your performance.
Request a Free Sport Injury Consultation
Dr. Sam and Active Life Chiropractic have serviced Columbia and the Mid-Missouri area for years. Contact us today at (573) 999-7805 or fill out our online form for a free consultation!