SPORTS INJURIES

 

For most of my career, I have treated sports injuries.  Many of the concepts in this book have grown from the experience gained in treating these conditions.  Over the years, I have developed treatment protocols that have benefited many athletes, some of whom thought their careers were over.  There have been many “weekend warriors” who thought they were going to have to slow down. Prior to coming to me some of these patients received poor treatment. They didn't know there is a treatment.

 

I have literally treated hundreds of patients for sports injuries who came to see me for back or neck pain.  They mention an arm or leg injury in passing, just hoping I can do something.  It's unfortunate that so many people don't realize there is help for these injuries.

What comprises a sports injury office?

 

SPORTS INJURY OFFICE

 

What is a sports injury office?  There is no industry standard as to who can claim that their office is a sports injury office.  Simply put, a sports injury office treats the extremities.  In other words, the arms (including the shoulder) and the legs (including the hips).  Furthermore, they have experience in treating these injuries.  Let me state it another way.  Any good chiropractor can fix your neck or back whether you hurt it on the athletic field or not.  But many don't work on the extremities or they don't specialize in treatment protocols for these extremity injuries.

 

In our office we combine:

 

• Chiropractic manipulation

• Physical therapy

• Heat

• Ice

• Muscle stimulation

• Stretching,

• Exercise

• and more

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• Massage therapy

• Supports (including taping)

• Braces

• And lifestyle modifications

• Individualized advice,

• Home exercise,

• Ergonomic training

• Etc.) . . . . . to treat the types of injuries that occur with athletic activity. (Many of these treatments are discussed throughout this book.)

 

 

HOW TREATING SPORTS INJURIES DIFFERS FROM OTHER INJURIES

 

How do sports injuries differ from other injuries?  There really isn't a difference.  A tendonitis is a tendonitis; a strained muscle is a strained muscle.  The difference for treating sports injuries is one of emphasis and experience.

Does the doctor correctly diagnose (put the correct emphasis on) the condition, and does he or she have the experience to know how to treat it.

 

If the doctor has a good regimen for tendonitis, muscle spasm, etc., he will be good at treating sports injuries.  Many just don't treat these areas or don't have good protocols.

 

As I stated on this website's "About" page, it was frustration with poor treatment and the fact that so many people do not know where to go for help that led me to write this book.

 

Let me give you a brief example of knee injury.  One of the most common sports injuries we treat is knee pain.  Most knee injuries are not the full blown "buckling" of the knee (that might require surgery), but a much simpler knee sprains/strain.  These injuries are comprised of muscle spasm, tendonitis, and swelling. (See the knee chapter for a much more thorough explanation.)  We restore normal function to the knee by treating the muscles of the thigh (which attach to the tendons of the knee) as well as treating the tendons of the knee.  Most people with knee pain don't know that their thigh muscles are involved, but they are.  In fact, thigh muscle spasms are usually the primary problem.  Knee tendonitis is a secondary problem.

It is the experienced doctor who knows to treat the thigh for knee pain. The experienced doctor will have good protocols from treating the thigh muscle spasm and knee tendonitis.  Sports medicine doctors should know the ‘ins and outs” of treating extremity injuries.