Chiropractic care is one of many non-invasive and drug-free alternative forms of natural health care. It is often touted as a safe and effective tool to get relief from neurological and musculoskeletal problems. In addition to chiropractic addressing musculoskeletal issues, it can also greatly benefit athletes by optimizing their athletic performance and reducing the chances of future injuries.

Global sports leagues including National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have acknowledged these benefits for years. They have employed their own official sports chiropractor. At the 2016 Olympics Games, many athletes were referred to professional chiropractic professionals for issues related to the neck, shoulder, back, and lower extremities. Many studies have concluded that chiropractors not only helped them achieve their fitness goals by increasing their strength and flexibility, but also help them rehabilitate faster to get back into play after an injury.

It's now common to see athletes from around the world are utilizing chiropractic treatment, both before and after they practice and perform. If you are an athlete, here are just a few ways chiropractic care can address your issues and enhance your performance.

Even the strongest athletes are prone to suffer back pain, especially in the lower back. A chiropractor is a specialist who knows the design and how to exactly work with a delicate spine.

Chiropractic adjustments promote proper alignment and movement of the spine and help athletes live with less pain overall. Interestingly, it stimulates the body's natural mechanisms to reduce pain and inflammation without the use of painkillers by easing pressure on your nerves and manipulating the soft tissue to release your trigger points.

According to a recent study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (1), spinal manipulation by professional chiropractors was associated with significant improvements in pain, without major adverse side effects of pharmaceuticals.

Improved range of motion is one of the prominent benefits of regular chiropractic treatments.

Athletes put a lot of stress on their body skeleton every time they practice. Physically intense activities during these practice sessions or games can create problems with the alignment of the spine, muscles, and joints. They may also cause strain or tears in the muscles and ligaments - resulting in stiffness and pain.

All these problems can severely limit the range of motion, thereby inhibiting the overall performance of an athlete. Getting the proper chiropractic care can help undo the damage (such as tears and strains) and prevent future injuries, all while improving the range of motion that’s pain-free.

Chiropractic care has been proven to help shorten healing or recovery time for a variety of ailments by reducing pain, improving function, and increasing motion. For instance, head and neck injuries can result in headaches that arise from a patient’s neck (cervicogenic headaches). By realigning the athlete’s neck, a chiropractic professional can provide relief from such debilitating headaches and return the althlete to activity when they might otherwise be sidelined.

Amongst the athletes with shoulder injuries, chiropractors often do shoulder manipulation to reduce pain and improve outcomes. Chiropractic adjustments can even shorten the recovery time of many complicated injuries such as ankle and knee sprains.

References
1. Journal of the American Medical Association | Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy With Clinical Benefit and Harm for Acute Low Back Pain