Chiropractic Massage Treatment & It's Role In Sports

“If you are heavily involved in sports, then from time to time you'll most likely have suffered from an injury of some description” says Tim from one of the leading Bristol chiropractic massage clinics.

There are many treatment methods that can help you recover from your injury and one of those approaches includes chiropractic and physiotherapy treatment. The following article aims to provide you further information as to how this particular treatment can help you on your journey to recovery.

The Chiropractic Bench

When you go to visit a chiropractor, they will ask you to lie down on a special chiropractic bench. This allows the therapist to loosen tight muscles and adjust the spine. Using their expertise and knowledge they will zone in on the area that needs the treatment. They will then use certain techniques to apply pressure, massage the areas as needed, as well as carry out any spinal re-alignments.

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The special chiropractic bench allows the user to apply traction and some of these benches have special rollers which move up and down the spine. These rollers lightly push in and around each disc which helps to adjust the spinal column. These benches can also help to stretch the lower body from the hips down to the feet, as well as the arms and shoulders.

Neuromuscular Therapy & Trigger Point Myotherapy

If needed, your chiropractor will treat you with neuromuscular therapy or trigger point Myotherapy. This particular type of chiropractic massage therapy is very manual and is used to treat back pain caused by soft tissue injury. A chiropractor will use their fingers, knuckles or elbow to apply pressure on painful muscle spasms.

They will decide as to how much pressure is applied depending on what is needed and what is within the comfort level of the patient. This helps to relax the muscles and releases lactic acid. It also helps to encourage more blood and oxygen into the muscle.

Neuromuscular therapy is a useful treatment for Ischemia, Trigger Points, Nerve Compression, Postural Distortion and Biomechanical Dysfunction.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is extremely beneficial and a therapist will apply pressure across the grain of the muscles. Typically, deep tissue massage will be carried out either before or after the main treatment. It helps to eradicate problems in the muscles such as congestion, tension and muscle spasms. Stress on joints, ligaments, cartilage and discs are also reduced.

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If this particular type of massage is carried out before the main treatments, the purpose of it is that it helps to make the joints more supple so the following adjustments are easier. If it is carried out after the spinal adjustment, it helps the adjustment and relaxes the patient.

You may very well find the pressure that is applied during deep tissue massage can be somewhat uncomfortable and you may feel a little bit sore for a few days afterwards before the relief of any painful symptoms.

Soft Tissue Massage

Soft tissue massage can help muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia or connective tissues. Problems in these areas can add to the back pain and chiropractic adjustments often last longer when soft tissue areas are treated as well.

Soft tissue massage decreases swelling and inflammation and helps to encourage nutrients to enter into the tissues as waste products are removed. It will also help improve your general circulation.

This type of massage is typically used alongside other treatment techniques.

Why Use A Chiropractic & Physiotherapy Approach?

One of the great advantages to choosing physiotherapy or chiropractic care over other conventional medical approaches is the fact that no drugs are required. Instead it is a completely natural approach to helping you overcome your injuries. No drugs are required. And this is a great advantage because we know that many drugs or medication come along with its own side-effects and often simply mask the problem rather than treating the root cause of the problem itself.

This is why if you have undertaken any medicinal treatment plan, the physiotherapist or chiropractor will take this into consideration and may well ask you to stop taking the prescribed medication during the course of any treatment plan.

Where once chiropractic treatment was shunned by the mainstream medical establishment, it is now accepted as a viable and effective method to helping you overcome a wide range of physical problems.

This particular approach emphasises the importance of good spinal health and any chiropractic approach focuses predominantly on manipulating the spine and making any required adjustments as needed. The understanding is that the human body is capable of repairing itself, it simply needs some guidance.

The main focus is on the health and recovery of the entire musculoskeletal system which includes the skeleton and muscles. Ensuring there is the correct balance here will help towards a speedy recovery.

A chiropractic intervention will restore, prevent and manage sports injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system. It is an incredibly effective approach to helping a sports-person overcome their injuries as well as learn more about their physical self and take steps to help prevent future injuries from occurring.

It's about re-balancing your system and part of this treatment process is to utilise certain exercises that will help to strengthen your musculoskeletal system as well as your joints and muscles and keep them in a healthy condition.

Sometimes it's difficult to develop new habits of exercise, but understanding the importance of these exercises is paramount because it will help to motivate you to be consistent in carrying out these exercise, which over a period of time, will help to strengthen your body physically.

The mind and body are closely connected. A healthy body will help to improve your mental health. So if you've never considered seeking out the services of a chiropractor or physiotherapist, then maybe this article has gone some way towards helping you make the right decision.

About Me

My name is Ethan Carter and it was my first sprained ankle that set me on the path to learning more about a chiropractic approach to helping the body recover in a very natural way.

I would describe myself as someone who has an analytical mind, and loves nothing more than to keep learning more and more on any subject I put my mind to.

I've found over time the best approach towards a speedy recovery is to ensure time is spent educating and supporting clients towards taking the necessary steps in their journey towards making a full recovery.