For all those weekend warriors looking to improve their golf or tennis games or shave some seconds off their run times, chiropractors suggest getting regular treatments. Repetitive motion and stress-related injuries usually respond well to spinal adjustments, massage therapy, and rehabilitative exercises. Chiropractic treatments help the body heal itself naturally and completely without surgery or painkillers.
It’s not just contact sports that can result in wear and tear to the musculoskeletal system and nerves. For example, tennis players can develop tendonitis in their elbows, exacerbated by poor technique, muscle weakness, or bad posture. Or inflammation can pinch nerves causing discomfort, which can be eased by treatments. Similarly, golfers can experience sore elbows and spinal misalignments can affect their swings. Massage therapies and physical rehabilitation can aid damaged tissues repair themselves.
Many sports and activities put the ankles and knees at risk, especially if running or jumping is involved. If the body is not properly aligned injuries such as sprained ankles or tendonitis are more likely to occur on the weaker side. Knee discomfort can be caused by foot problems, damage to the ligaments, or joint wear from incorrect posture.
Tiger Woods and other professional golfers use chiropractic manipulations and services to improve performance. Golfing, specifically the swing, can result in significant strain on the spine. A good swing requires proper posture, balance, and the physical agility and ability to quickly rotate the spine. More than half of golfers will suffer pain caused by poor posture or the loss of proper curves in the spine. Through alignment of the vertebrae the spine will move bette making it easier to have the proper technique for driving the gold ball.
A recent study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found that the combination of chiropractic care and stretching improved a golfer’s swing when compared to stretching alone.
One group of test subjects was given a regimen of just stretching while the second group received both stretching and spinal adjustments. After four weeks, the group directed to only do stretching exhibited no improvement in swing performance. However the golf swing of the group given a program of stretching and spinal adjustment did improve, resulting in a greater driving distance.
So chiropractic care can not only improve your overall health, it can improve your golf game. While similar studies have not been done in connection with other sports, it seems intuitive that having more flexibility and skeletal balance would improve your physical ability, regardless the endeavor.
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