Sports Chiropractic Care for Weightlifters
Weightlifting is no longer just for the guys who want to get huge muscles. Studies have shown that strength training is the most effective way to build lean body mass and to burn fat all day long. Men and women of every age lift weights these days, either using machines or free weights and while serious injuries are rare among weight lifters, there are a few injuries that can become serious among weight lifters - but the good news is that it is also pretty easy to avoid injury as as weight lifter.
Sports Chiropractic Injury Treatment, Prevention, & Care for Weightlifters
Top Benefits of Sports Chiropractic Treatments
Sports Chiropractic Treatments at Advanced Spine & Sports Care offers a wide array of benefits for anyone, whether they are active or not, but athletes are some of those who need it the most and can highly benefit from sports chiropractic treatment in Chicago. Not only can it prevent injuries, but it can actually improve the way that they perform. Athletes require their bodies to be in the best possible condition to be successful and protect themselves during their athletic activities. Chiropractic treatment and preventative care for weightlifters can help them achieve better performance, heal faster following an injury, and be one of the most critical ways to prevent weightlifting injuries. Here are some of the main benefits of chiropractic care for weightlifters in Chicago.
Prevent Injuries for Amateur & Professional Weightlifters in Chicago
Weightlifting is an extremely demanding sport as it exposes athletes to a wide array of different types of injuries across the body. Unlike many other athletes, weightlifters are at high risk of muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries each time they pick up those weights. If even your joints are misaligned, you have a high risk of getting injured. Chiropractic adjustments will ensure that your body has the proper mechanical balance, reducing the risk of an injury.
Improve Performance for Weightlifting Competitions & to Achieve Personal Goals
There is no doubt that weightlifting puts huge amounts of stress on the body, especially the joints and the spine. The stress over time will increase the possibility of misalignment, which will severely impact performance. When the spine and or other joints are misaligned, your body is going to distribute the weight unevenly. So, instead of your body properly balancing the weight, one side of your body will always be bearing more weight. Adjustments from an expertly trained chiropractor will restore the balance in your back that is so crucial for weightlifters. With our care, you will be able to perform better, which will lead to better results.
A Completely Natural Way to Heal Weightlifting Injuries
It is essential for athletes to always be in their best shape when performing, but it shouldn’t be done on a cocktail of different pain killers to reduce pain from hours of stressful activities. Our techniques are completely natural, and they will leave your body feeling better than ever. Not only will we alleviate any pain or stress you may have throughout your body, but we will also provide you with some things you can do at home to ensure you stay in tip-top shape.
Weightlifting Injury Chiropractic Care & Treatment in Chicago
Weightlifters are exposed to their fair share of injuries. Along with adjustments, one of our certified sports chiropractors will apply a variety of treatment options to ensure you heal and stay healthy. Depending on the type of injury you have endured, there are a variety of different types of treatments that can be applied. Our sports chiropractic team will work to identify the type of injury you have and then develop a personalized treatment plan.
Most Common Weightlifting Injuries
Unless you are prone to dropping heavy weights on various parts of your body, pretty much the only injuries weight lifters need to worry about fall into two categories: muscle and ligament tears and joint problems. Let’s look at each of these separately.
Muscle and ligament tears
Strains and sprains are almost always caused by carelessness: either you’re lifting beyond your capability or you are using improper form. So the best way to avoid these types of injuries is to make sure you know what you are doing. Raise the level of weight you are using slowly and only progress onto the next level once you’re really ready. Also, become a student of form – the correct way and your way. What’s the best way to know if your form is on point? Ask a professional. Trainers are tested regularly on their knowledge of proper lifting form so pay the money to check in with a trainer at least once a month and have them focus on your form.
Joint problems
Joint problems usually occur when a specific joint is used over and over again in the same way. Over time, the cartilage that buffers the boney parts of the joint from one another may wear away and when that happens, bone rubs on bone and causes pain, inflammation, and, in some cases, may even impede movement. The best way to avoid joint deterioration is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, stay hydrated, and change up your workout routine. For example, if you always use the same machine for your shoulder workout, your shoulder joint is more likely to have trouble than if you were to use different shoulder machines each time you did your shoulder workout. Remember that our joint naturally deteriorate as we age, as well, so these problems are unfortunately more likely to happen the older you are.
Back Injuries: Bulging Disks & Slipped Disks
There is one other category of injury we should also discuss when we talk about weight lifting injuries: back injuries. Back injuries may fall into the the “muscle and ligament tears” category above, but back injuries are also frequently the result of bulging or herniated discs (also sometimes called “slipped discs”). Discs are the squishy padding between the vertebrae in your spine. Not unlike the cartilage in your joints, the discs keep the vertebrae from grinding against one another as your spine bends and twists. If the disc starts to bulge past beyond its natural borders, it can press on nerves in the spine and cause pain, numbness, and tingly, in even remote parts of the body.
Bulging, herniated, or slipped discs can form slowly over time, especially if you have poor posture. They can also happen suddenly as a result of lifting too much or using improper lifting technique. The best protection against an injured disc in your spine is using proper lifting technique and keeping your spine healthy and flexible. How do you keep your spine healthy and flexible? We’re so glad you asked!
Keeping Your Spine Flexible
Best practices to keep your spine healthy and flexible:
- Practice good posture, both in the gym and everywhere else.
- Make gentle flexing and stretching a part of your daily routine, at least a few times a day.
- Work on your core strength. When the muscles that support your spine are strong, they can help take the pressure off the spine. Yoga is a great way to do this!
- Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated.
- See your chiropractor regularly.
Contact Advanced Spine & Sports Care in Chicago to Discover Exactly How Sports Chiropractic Care Treat Weightlifting Injuries
The best injury is the injury that never happens, right? So we’d love to see you before you get injured during a workout. We will help you align your spine and discuss proper posture with you, give you tips on building your core strength, and show you gentle flexing and strengthening moves you can do throughout your day. Chiropractors work with the understanding that the parts of the body are connected: what happens to one part can affect another part. For that reason, we can also talk to you about gentle stretching and strengthening exercises for other areas of your body, such as your ankles and hips.
Unfortunately, injuries happen to even the best prepared athletes and if you get injured, we are here to help you on your road to recovery. Whether your injury is to your foot, your shoulder, or your back, we can help you recover faster and more fully - that is, be less likely to re-injure the same area again. We use stim machines, heat and cold therapy, massage, and chiropractic techniques to ensure that the rest of your body stays in optimal working condition while we heal your injury. Furthermore, we help you make sure that your injured area doesn’t become overly tight or weak from lack of movement or use while it is healing. If you’re a weightlifter, give us a call today to schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified chiropractors who can talk to you about preventing and treating injuries from weightlifting.