Dr. Paul M. Lewandowski is a trusted Boonton Township chiropractor who enjoys working with athletes. He finds that many of his physically active patients don’t come in after an injury has occurred. But chiropractic care is effective for treating as well as preventing sports injury. In fact when he travels with US Water Polo many of the team visit him before the competition for PREHABILITATION or the treatment to be sure the mechanics of their bodies are all coordinated and moving freely.
Common Sports Injuries Treated by a Chiropractor
A sports injury can happen acutely, due to incidents such as slips, falls, or collisions. Sport injuries can also occur gradually over time, especially in response to repetitive movement, over-training, poor technique, and ill-fitting or improper equipment.
The following injuries are a few of the most common ones we see:
- Muscle Strains & Ligament Sprains – these soft tissue injuries occur when microscopic tears (of varying degrees of severity) develop in muscle or ligament fibers. They often occur due to tissue stretching during contraction.
- Runner’s Knee – anterior knee pain caused by breakdown of the cartilage underneath the knee cap.
- Tendonitis – inflammation and pain in tendons (e.g., biceps, Achilles, quadriceps, and patellar tendons), which connect muscle to bone.
- Shin Splints – microscopic tears and inflammation in the tissue on the front of the shins.
- Plantar Fasciitis – inflammation and damage to the thick plantar fascia, which is the tissue running along the bottom of your foot.
How Chiropractic Care Benefits Athletes
Chiropractic care offers several benefits to athletes. For one thing, it’s completely natural and requires no drugs or invasive procedures, so athletes do not have to worry about harmful side effects or prolonged downtime. Many times they are the first line of defense or treatment of an injury to avoid any pitfalls from the use of medication which may impact the drug testing which is often performed at the end of the tournament.
Chiropractors can also offer individualized plans of care for injured athletes using treatments which address underlying causes of injury in addition to relieving the symptoms. This includes services such as:
- Spinal Adjustments – restore normal bio-mechanics to the spine
- Extremity Adjustments – restores normal functional mechanics to the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, ankles or feet
- Graston technique – a tool-assisted technique to break up tissue tension and improve blood flow
- Kinesiotaping – accelerate healing by increasing circulation and providing tactile feedback
- Active Release Technique – a combination of movement plus massage to break up tissue adhesions and restore range of motion
- Corrective Exercises – restore strength, endurance, and flexibility of key muscles, the use of sport specific rehab had been well documented
Lastly, chiropractors are highly skilled in evaluating human movement. At Lewandowski Chiropractic we can identify areas of mobility limitations and improper movement mechanics which, if left uncorrected, can cause dysfunction and hold an athlete back from their physical potential. We have videotaped athletic motion to correct postural imbalances and mechanical instabilities which often and eventually lead to injury.
Are You an Athlete? Connect with Our Chiropractor in Boonton Township NJ for Drug-Free Healing
Whether off-season or in-season, chiropractic care could be the thing you need to help you get to the next level of the game! Contact Lewandowski Chiropractic at (973) 402-1331 in Boonton Township NJ today to schedule an appointment with our experienced chiropractor.