Chiropractors and Sports

At Caez Chiropractic we have the capabilities to examine, diagnose and treat most sports related injuries. High school, collegiate and professional athletes are seeking chiropractic care for their injuries and performance care to enhance their agility, strength and speed. Most sports injuries cause sprains, strains or tearing of ligaments and muscles which support the joints (shoulder elbow, hand, wrist, hip, knee ankle, foot). When the joint cannot be supported, it will become dysfunctional causing pain and loss of motion. Chiropractic sports care includes the evaluation of the joint and the associated injured soft tissues. Most tissue tears and joint sprains can be helped with sports chiropractic. Injuries that include fractures and/or severe joint instability will be referred for orthopedic evaluation.

What is the difference between chiropractic sports care and medical sports care?

This often depends on the medical doctor’s or chiropractic doctor‘s professional education. Most medical doctors are general practitioners and are considered specialists in internal (disease, organs, blood) medicine. Chiropractors are considered specialists in neuro-musculoskeletal (nerves, muscles, joints) conditions. Not all chiropractors treat sports injuries. Our office has advanced education in the specific treatment of sports related injuries and has successfully treated multiple athletes from various levels of competition.

Sports care given by a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) will involve direct hands on application to the injured area. This may include joint manipulation, specific muscle and tendon manipulation and massage. Many sports related injuries will also require physiotherapeutic modalities which may include ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation, infrared light therapy, ice/ heat, and/ or contrast stimulation. Manipulation or adjustments to the injured joints will not only align the bones of the joints, but will also help align the torn fibers that hold the joint together. Exercise rehabilitation will also be utilized to strengthen and stabilize the injured area. This combination of treatment decreases inflammation and pain and treats the injury directly without side-effects and allows for quicker healing time. Overall the chiropractic approach to sports injury care helps prevent chronic problems and allows for more stable, pain free joints and healthier soft tissues.