Sports Injuries – Chiropractors are Often a Good Source of Treatment
Growing numbers
of persons are becoming more athletic and exercise-minded. With the increased
awareness of the preventative effect of regular exercise and the participation
in sports against a wide variety of health problems such as heart disease, this
increased participation will continue. An age-old side effect of sports and
exercise, however, are exercise-related injuries. Most doctors see more
exercise-related injuries than ever before.
The increase in
injuries associated with sport and exercise, however, should be kept in
perspective. Most injuries are treatable, many are preventable and the benefits
of exercise almost always outweigh the negative side of injury. While the
preventative effects of regular exercise on the cardiovascular system are well
known, similar positive effects on the joints and muscles have been documented.
A study at Stanford University found that runners have significantly
less disability associated with joint disorders than did non-runners.
The nature of treatment of sport and
exercise-related injury is changing. One of the most significant changes in
recent years is the emergence of chiropractors as important providers of care
to the injured athletes and exercisers. A recent issue of the medical journal
"Clinics in Sports Medicine" attributes the increased interest in
chiropractic treatment for athletes to the high incidence of spinal injuries
in sports and exercise, and the success reported by many athletes with this
type of treatment.
The goal should
be for all persons to participate in sports or exercise on a regular basis.
However, a side effect of this goal may be injuries, and commonly, they will be
to the spine. Chiropractic treatment is often very effective to the injured athlete,
returning many to their previous participation level.