Can Chiropractic Improve Your Game?
The demands athletes place on their bodies require them to work like finely tuned, well-oiled machines. Especially for professional athletes, there’s little time for injuries in their intense training and competition schedules, which is why virtually every American professional sports team has a sports chiropractor on staff to care for its athletes.
Sports, whether at the amateur or professional level, require a combination of strength, balance, coordination and flexibility to succeed. To reach the height of achievement in any sport requires split-second reflexes, peak structural strength and stability and a will and determination to keep going when the going gets tough. It requires a body that is functioning at its highest capacity.
As a sports chiropractor in Brookfield, Dr. Grant focuses his attention on the function of the spine and the vital nerve tissue (the spinal cord) that is encased in it. When it is in proper alignment, the spine protects the spinal cord from damage, while its 26 separate moving parts (the vertebrae) provide a perfect combination of stability and flexibility to allow for a full range of functional movements.
The Effect Of Spinal Dysfunction On Athletic Performance
When even a single vertebra is misaligned, the effects are not only painful, but can also result in diminished function of the nervous system, which is required to coordinate the rest of the musculoskeletal system. When the messages being transmitted by the nervous system are even slightly affected, the results can be quite dramatic.
For example, if the dysfunction is in an area that affects the function of the shoulder, the milliseconds difference in muscle-firing patterns can mean the difference, for a baseball pitchis, between a well-placed, high-speed strike and an off-target ball in the dirt. If a golfer develops dysfunction within the joints of the lower back, the difference in core stability can mean a loss of several yards off the tee, leaving a much more difficult approach shot to the green. And if the misalignment affects the pelvis or legs of a world-class sprinter, this slight difference can be all it takes to turn a gold medal into a 5th-place finish.
What The Evidence Says
One recent study, appearing in The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, reported that athletes who received chiropractic care exhibited up to a 16% increase in athletic ability after 12 weeks of treatments. Areas tested included skills such as kinesthetic perception, power, reaction time, agility and balance. Improvements were significantly greater than those who did not receive chiropractic treatments during the same period.
Looking For A Sports Chiropractor In Brookfield?
Ready to take your athletic ability to the next level? At Ascent Chiropractic, we utilize a low-force, non-invasive, conservative approach to sports chiropractic for our patients in Brookfield, Wauwatosa, New Berlin & surrounding areas. To make an appointment at Ascent Chiropractic, call 262-345-4166 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduling app.
Sources:
Lauro A, Mouch B. Chiropractic effects on athletic ability – The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation (1991); 6:84-87.
Jarosz B. The Effect on a Racewalker’s Sports Performance with Chiropractic Treatment : A Case Report – Chiro J Aust (2010); 40:117-19.
Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial – BMC Musculoskelet Disord (2010); 11:64.
Miners A. Chiropractic treatment and the enhancement of sport performance: a narrative literature review. J Can Chiropr Assoc. Dec 2010; 54(4):210–221.
