Sports Injuries: Scottsdale Chiropractor Answers 6 Frequently Asked Questions

If you have recently sustained a sports injury, you may be wondering how chiropractic care can help your body safely heal.

Below, our Scottsdale chiropractor answers six of your most frequently asked questions.

1.    What causes sports injuries?

Overuse, a sudden stop or twist, improper equipment, and poor technique are four common causes for sports injuries. For example, neck pain, including spasms, may be caused by repetitive motion injuries, a spinal misalignment or a pulled muscle. Visiting a chiropractor is important for determining the underlying cause for a sports injury.

2.    What should I do if I suffer a sports injury?

If you have suffered a sports injury, stop working out and seek immediate care. Relying on medication to “cover up” pain and continuing to work out will only strain the injured muscles, ligaments or tendons further. Worse, if a spinal misalignment is the cause, medication and rest are not sufficient for repairing this damage. Schedule an appointment as soon as possible with a chiropractor, who can diagnose the extent of injuries and create a custom treatment plan.

3.    Is a chiropractor qualified to treat sports injuries?

Yes, a chiropractor is a qualified injury doctor and licensed healthcare professional who has completed a four-year Doctor of Chiropractic program. This program includes supervised medical training in musculoskeletal injury diagnosis, including sports injuries. Our Scottsdale chiropractor Dr. Daniel Secrest DC has substantial experience following a multi-disciplinary approach to sports injury rehabilitation and pain management.

4.    How are sports injuries diagnosed?

Sports injuries are diagnosed using physical examinations and advanced diagnostic imaging, including X-rays for structural conditions and/or MRI.. Our goal with sports injury diagnosis is to identify the underlying cause for back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, and knee pain. Once this problem is identified, Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC will create a comprehensive treatment program to help patients safely heal.

5.    How are sports injuries treated?

Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC follows a multi-disciplinary approach to sports injury rehabilitation and pain management. Depending on the injury, the doctor may integrate chiropractic adjustments (including manual and instrumental spinal manipulation) with physiotherapy and corrective exercises. Nutritional counseling can help speed recovery and improve athletic performance following and injury. Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC is also proficient in the Graston Technique, a sports-therapy modality that is beneficial for treating post-operative scar tissue, rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis, excessive knots and other sports-related extreme injuries. This includes injuries such as a pulled hamstring, frozen shoulder, ankle and foot inflammation, and knee pain.

6.    How do I reduce the risk for a sports injury?

Everything from overuse to lack of proper equipment may trigger a sports injury. To reduce the risk, Dr. Daniel Secrest, DC recommends that patients practice proper warm-up and cool down techniques and vary the type of exercise performed each day. Cross training is also important. For example, unilateral sports like tennis work the muscles on one side of the body without doing so equally on the other; this can lead to muscle weakness. Cross training helps strength the muscles equally as well as improving coordination and flexibility.

Have you recently suffered a sports injury? Visit us to see how we can help you heal.