Athletes are prone to injuries. From runners to basketball players, soft tissue damage is prevalent and a direct result of repeated injury and wear and tear.
Chiropractors are aware that damage done to the body through repeated injuries can cause permanent damage and serious injuries if left untreated. However, research now shows that there is a way to reduce these risks and injury through chiropractic healing.
For starters, certain tools can be used by Chiropractors to reduce inflammation and soft tissue damage. These include Soft Tissue Mobilization or STM, which breaks up scar tissue and thereby reduces the risk of repeated injury.
Most damage caused by sports injuries effect the ligaments and tendons directly, and this puts athletes at greater risk for repeated injuries.
However, with this treatment scar tissue is broken up right from the start and prevents hard spots that make it impossible for the body to move as it did before while jump starting the healing process. This is a common problem with sports athletes.
Scar tissue forms around injuries as the body’s defense mechanism. Unfortunately, this limits mobility and strength. Another strategy utilized in athletic injuries is Instrument Assisted Cross Fiber Massage or IACFM.
This is a method that Chiropractors use to break up scar tissue more easily, and also helps ligaments heal properly if they are afflicted by damage. According to estimates, nearly 50 percent of all injuries athletics experience effect the ligaments.
IACFM cuts down on the length of time it takes to heal an injury and also reduces the chance of repeated injuries.
Instruments also help target the areas that need adjustments. DCs who work specifically with athletes will do better when they use instrument specific adjustments.
This technique allows Chiropractors to target the area as accurately as possible. Anyone who experiences severe pain or has zero mobility will benefit from this technique.
Of course, no treatment is beneficial unless the DC has the experience necessary to effectively deliver treatment.
However, using certain treatments in a combination with advanced targeting instruments DCs have a better chance of reversing damage and increasing mobility in their patients.
Are you an athlete or have you experienced athletic injuries during physical activity or exercise? If so, Vital Health Chiropractic can help! Visit us today in our Moon Township office or click here to contact us online.