Spring in Augusta is a great time to get active and enjoy your favorite sport. Whether you run in your neighborhood, play basketball with a few friends or play on a school team, sports can lead to injuries. Walker Chiropractic urges you to be careful so that you avoid the common spring sports injuries below. If you do get injured, contact us today for an all-natural approach to pain relief and overall wellness.
Common Spring Sports Injuries
Sprains and strains: These are the most common injuries, no matter which activity or sport in which you engage. These injuries occur when ligaments (sprains) or muscles and tendons (strains) stretch or tear. Symptoms usually include swelling, bruising and loss of mobility/stability. The severity of the symptoms match the severity of the injury.
Herniated discs: Discs are the small cushions that separate each vertebra in your spine. When a tear in the disc allows the jelly-like material to leak, it leads to a bulging or herniated disc. A common condition in older golfers and athletes in contact sports, herniated discs are marked by pain and a reduced range of motion.
Tendonitis: Tendons attach your muscles to bones. Lots of use can lead to pain and inflammation, known as tendonitis. Tendonitis can occur in many places around your body, but it commonly happens in the elbow (tennis elbow/baseball elbow), legs (shin splints), and feet (Achilles’ tendonitis).
Stress Fractures: Small breaks in weight-bearing bones from repetitive impacts (running or jumping) are known as stress fractures. If you are increasing your activity level suddenly or are starting a new workout, stress fractures can happen. They usually cause pain and tenderness but resolve with rest.
You Can Prevent Sports Injuries
It’s always important to prepare your body for activity. Here are some things you can do to prevent spring sports injuries:
- Warm up before each game/match/workout for 5-10 minutes with stretching and cardio
- Maintain supportive shoes and other equipment
- Start training and conditioning several weeks before the sports season begins
- Rest between each game/match/workout to prevent overuse
How Chiropractic Care Can Treat Sports Injuries
Chiropractic treatment can reduce or eliminate pain from injuries by re-aligning your spine and the bones in shoulder, knee, wrist and other joints. This returns your body to its proper form and takes excess strain off your muscles, reducing pain and inflammation.
Chiropractic treatment also is preventative. By getting regular alignments, your body can function at its best level. Chiropractic can improve range of motion, balance and agility, which means fewer injuries.
