The treatment and prevention of sports injuries
By Simon Leung.
The Rio Olympics have arrived! Have you been as glued to your TV as we have?
Professional sportspeople put their bodies through an extreme amount of exertion, it's no wonder the pressure and risk of injury is so high. So what can we do to support our bodies when training for sporting events?
Many top athletes such as Usain Bolt, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Bradley Wiggins to name a few receive chiropractic care to make sure their bodies are balanced and free from structural stress. By removing stresses from the spine and joints athletes will have a better functioning body and nervous system reducing the chances of injury and helping performance.
Usain Bolt having a Chiropractic Adjustment
Chiropractic was first offered to all athletes as part of the official medical provision at the 2012 London Olympics. Now for the 2016 Rio Olympics they have adopted a similar model. Many other countries bring their own with American bringing over 100 chiropractors to treat their athletes. They will be working within an interdisciplinary team so that we get to experience these amazing athletes put on a show on how far they can push the human body. Hopefully we will get see many world records get broken.
“From the first session with my Chiropractor I had great results that were not short lived. That, followed up with regular sessions, I saw improvements that I had never seen before and that reflected in the way my body held up on a day to day basis which eventually saw me achieve 4th place in the 2009 Tour de France under his supervision. My Chiropractor will undoubtedly remain an integral part of my medical support in the forthcoming seasons and lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.” - Bradley Wiggins CBE
Unfortunately many people only turn to chiropractic after a result of an injury. But chiropractic care helps with the function of the body, and if utilised during training it can also help prevent injuries and aid in recovery. Research shows that Chiropractic treatment can increase strength, decrease fatigue and improve the brain’s ability to drive muscles - all things that will increase an athletes performance and just maybe give them the edge that they need to win first place!
Chiropractic care utilises spinal adjustments; re-aligning the spine to its optimal position, soft tissue work that can involve a variety of massage styles, K-taping; using Kinesio tape to support and stabilise muscles and joints, and take-home exercises. All of which are accessible and beneficial to everyone, not just pro-athletes!
So perhaps the next time you sign up for a charity run, play football in your local league, or if you just want to take your weekly jog to the next level, you'll consider using Chiropractic care to support your body and help prevent injury.
The 2016 Olympics are taking place in Rio until the 21st of August. For more information visit: https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016