Sports Injuries

Playing and participating in sport is very important to keep fit and healthy. Not only does it keep the body healthy, but also keeps your mind sharp and happy due to the release of endorphins. Due to the competitive nature of most sports, most people find they push themselves to their limits and this is when Sports Injuries can occur.

Why do most Sports Injuries occur?

Poor Technique
The reason why most sports professionals can push themselves so hard and not get injured is that their technique is so spot on. In contrast, the reason why amateurs become injured so easily is they try to replicate the same shots, times and moves as the professionals but without the precise technique available. Training at a slow pace and spending the time to perfect a technique before doing it at speed will help to cut down the chances of injuring yourself. Practice makes perfect and some professional coaching can go a long way.

Over Use
Sport and exercise are both very good for your health, however just as too many burgers and chips are bad for your body, so is too much exercise. You need to give your body a chance to rest and repair around your training – the rest days are as important to your body as your training days. Allowing at least two days per week where your body can rest should be a bare minimum, with three being the optimum.

Weak Muscles
If you don’t train regularly then you need to be extra careful when taking part in any sport. This is because your muscles won’t have the inherent strength needed to reach those long shots or push that extra bit. The best training regime should be to strengthen and tone all areas of your body – this will allow for optimum performance and health benefits.

Spinal Misalignments
Misalignments in your spine can mean your nervous system cannot communicate effectively and efficiently to all areas of your body. They can also limit your range of motion, reduce the strength in your muscles, affect your weight distribution, affect your co-ordination and affect your overall performance. Some of the most successful sports professionals use Chiropractors to help correct these misalignments thus increasing and maintaining their performance. See our Sports page for more details.

Not Warming Up Properly
An efficient warm up before participating in any kind of sport is a must. This reduces the chances of straining any muscles, spraining any ligaments and from damaging any joints. Most warm-ups should take between 5 to 10 minutes and should work your whole body, not just the muscles or areas of your body needed for your sport.

Inadequate Equipment
A bad workman always blames his tools, however in sport inadequate equipment can cause injuries. This can include wrong sized equipment, incorrect sportswear, lack of protective clothing or accessories. You should always make sure you are wearing well fitting and supportive shoes and adequate protective gear (if needed) and that all equipment is the correct size for you.

Previous Injuries
Sites of previous injuries seem to always be prone to re-injury. The best way to avoid these injuries from reoccurring is good rehabilitation post-injury, with exercises and stretches to help get the joint, muscles or ligaments back to a good working form. Chiropractic adjustments can encourage efficient joint motion, increase flexibility, reduce muscle tightness and improve joint alignment – thus increasing biomechanical efficiency.

Trauma
Falls, bumps and slips are one of the most common reasons for injury during sport – accidents do happen and usually, there is nothing you can do to avoid them. Good rehabilitation will allow your body to heal quickly, efficiently and get you back to your sport as soon as possible. Maintaining a good diet with plenty of protein and water will give your body everything it needs to heal effectively.

How To Avoid These Injuries

• A good fitness regime to strengthen your core muscles and improve your overall fitness level.
• An efficient warm-up and stretching routine to prepare your muscles before hitting any balls. This will lower the chance of straining your muscles.
• Get some lessons! Even if you are an experienced player, it can be easy to fall into bad habits. A tennis coach will pick up any flaws in your technique and recommend ways in which you can improve your game.
• Chiropractic care to maintain your spinal health.

Many sports injuries respond very well to Chiropractic adjustments which aim to encourage efficient joint motion, increase flexibility, reduce muscle tightness and improve alignment.

Our passion is working with athletes at all levels, maintaining and improving their performance through all stages of training.

Golf – Swing accuracy, power and repeatability
Skiing – Strength, endurance and flexibility
Snowboarding – Balance, strength and endurance
Football - Stamina, precision and power
Horse Riding - Poise, strength and stamina
Running – Strength, endurance and focus
Swimming – Flexibility, power and endurance
Rugby – Power, strength and agility
Cycling – Endurance, power and strength
Tennis – Stamina, power and accuracy
Triathlon – Endurance, strength and power