Relief & Recovery. Naturally!

Whiplash

Whiplash is a severe sprain of the neck muscles. Whiplash is most commonly diagnosed after an automobile accident, but it can occur with any kind of trauma, such as during sports and exercise. The typical whiplash is when the head is thrust backwards and then forwards. Lateral whiplash can also occur, where the head is thrust from one side to the other.

The damage that was done to the muscle during whiplash can heal on its own, however, it can be extremely painful and debilitating. When whiplash occurs, the cervical spine (neck) is also affected. It is very likely that the spine will become misaligned and injured with whiplash. While muscles can heal, the spine cannot re-align itself on its own. It is important to get checked by a chiropractor after experiencing whiplash.

Once the spine is in proper alignment, the muscles will be able to heal faster.

For more information about whiplash and chiropractic, please contact us at 978-664-1500. We are located at 350 Park St. in North Reading, MA. Communities we serve Chiropractic Care to include Andover, Wilmington, Tewksbury, Woburn, Reading, and Lynnfield.

Swimming has a reputation as a low-impact sport, ideal for the elderly and others with mobility issues. However, it is not without risks, especially for elite swimmers. Like all athletes, it is not uncommon for swimmers to over-train: professionals can swim for hours each day, and the constant repetition of the same movements can put stress on the joints, causing injuries which can lead to time away from the sport.

Common Injuries

The risk of specific injuries depends partially on which stroke is used most often – breaststrokers will tend towards different issues than backstrokers, for example. The most common swimming injuries occur in the shoulders, knees, hips, and back, shoulder being the most prevalent. However, swimmers who use the dolphin kick often tend towards lower back problems, while breaststroke can cause knee and hip problems.

Treatment and Prevention

Whether you are recovering from an injury or trying to prevent a new injury from developing, the following tips are key for safe training:

• Be conscientious about using good stroke technique, even if you are fatigued. The majority of injuries are caused by improper form.
• Communicate with your coach or trainer about pain, fatigue, and technique.
• If a specific stroke is causing injury, use it as little as possible until the problem resolves.
• Cross-train, especially if you are injured.
• Take time away from the sport if needed.
• Seek chiropractic treatment sooner rather than later.

While some discomfort during training is normal, if pain is persistent, it needs to be attended to. Although athletes tend to be reluctant to seek treatment, the fact is that the sooner an issue is treated, the less severe it becomes – meaning that time away is minimized.

Even swimmers who have not yet developed an injury can benefit from chiropractic treatment; a chiropractor can assess which body parts are put under the most strain, evaluate posture, and make recommendations regarding balance, posture, movement, diet, and strength. Furthermore, your chiropractor can help catch injuries as soon as they occur, and place you on a chiropractic treatment regimen immediately.

-Thank you to southeastchiro.com for this article

http://www.southeastchiro.com/blog/bid/259705/Swimming-Injury-and-Chiropractic-Treatment

Major causes of improper spinal alignment include running in the same direction on the same course every day; running often slanted surfaces, such as a beach; and not replacing shoes every few hundred miles.

Fix these training errors that cause misalignment with a few simple tweaks:

• Vary your running surface—pavement, track, asphalt, grass, dirt, wood chips—a few times a week, and you’ll naturally run on different courses.
• Run as close to the water as possible when on the beach, as the sand tends to be more flat there.
• Buy two of the same type of running shoes, and switch between the pairs

There’s a lot that contributes to improper spine or pelvic alignment, and sometimes it has nothing to do with running. It has to do with a day job, where you sit in one particular position all day and then go for a run. The muscles are in a state of tightness on one side and are lengthened on the other, and then you go for a run and your pelvis shifts.

Switch positions and seats, if possible, every 30 minutes during the day. Varied posture remains the best posture, according to Duke, so cross your left leg, then a half-hour later, cross your right leg; sit on top of your ankle, sit straight, and even slouch.

Try sitting on a stability ball—it challenges your abdominal muscles and allows you to rock your pelvis, which lubricates your joints. Switch between a chair and stability ball, stand, and take short walk breaks if you work in an office.

Whether you run in the morning soon after rising, or in the afternoon/evening after sitting all day at work, a proper warm-up also helps prevent injury.

Following these tips helps to prevent future misalignments of the spine but it will not correct the misalignments that already exist. In order to restore even balance to the spine and pelvis, chiropractic adjustments are necessary.

-Thank you to active.com for this article

http://www.active.com/running/articles/how-sports-chiropractors-prevent-injury-in-runners