Treating Sports Injuries With Your Santa Rosa Chiropractor
Santa Rosa, CA, is the perfect place to enjoy an active lifestyle but, unfortunately, all the fun in the sun can lead to a sports injury. Our Santa Rosa chiropractor provides sports injury treatment for a number of injuries ranging from back pain or plantar fasciitis to runner’s knee and tennis elbow.
You do not have to play a sport to suffer a sports injury – nearly any physical activity can lead to a sprain, strain or more serious condition. A sports injury can occur as the result of an accident, improper gear, or poor training practices.
Common Sports Injuries Treated By Your Santa Rosa Chiropractor
The most common sports injuries are:
- Injuries to the Achilles’ tendon
- Dislocations
- Broken bones
- Knee injuries
- Pain along the shinbone
- Sprains, strains
- Swollen muscles
Sports injuries may be acute or chronic. Acute injuries occur suddenly and can cause sudden, severe pain and inability to bear weight or use your arm. A sprain, strain, or fracture is an example of an acute sports injury. Chronic injuries develop slowly over time to cause pain when you move or a dull ache when you are resting. Tennis elbow and runner’s knee are both chronic conditions. Some chronic conditions are overuse injuries, caused by doing the same repetitive motion for a long time. Both acute and chronic injuries can cause swelling.
Sports Injury Treatment
Never try to “work through” a sports injury, as this may worsen damage to your muscles, joints, or connective tissue.
Sports injury treatment depends largely on the type of injury. Treatment often starts with rest, ice, compression and elevation, an approach also known as RICE. Your Santa Rosa chiropractor may suggest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain and swelling. Acetaminophen can reduce pain but it does not treat inflammation.
Immobilization may be necessary for some sports injuries. Keeping the affected area immobile prevents further damage. Your chiropractor may suggest the use of slings, splints, casts or leg immobilizers.
Rehabilitation is a key part of sports injury treatment. Gentle exercise helps stimulate circulation, speed healing and optimize the recovery process. Rehabilitation involves exercises that help injured tissue get back to normal. The first step is to move the injured area gently through range of motion exercises. Next, your chiropractor will help you stretch affected muscles to reduce your risk of injuring the area again. Finally, your health care professional will help you strengthen your muscles.
Your chiropractor can also help you prevent sports injuries. Your Santa Rosa chiropractor can teach you proper body mechanics, such as stretching before you exercise and landing with your knees bent. We can also help you use proper form to help you reduce your risk of overuse injuries.
Schedule Your Appointment With Dr. Kyle in Santa Rosa Today!
If you need sports injury treatment, make an appointment with Dr. Kyle Chiropractic Center. Our chiropractor in Santa Rosa provides treatment for a variety of sports injuries. Make your appointment today by calling 707-510-0200.