Chiropractor For Athletes in Portland, ME
At Chiropractic & Sports Health, we treat a lot of athletes. Our definition of an athlete can be anyone from the serious Olympic athlete to the weekend 5K runner. An athlete is anyone looking to train their body for a higher purpose, and it’s essential to keep yourself in good shape to prevent injury. In the athletic community, chiropractic care has focused more on keeping athletes healthy and in the game. In recent years, more professional sports teams have chiropractors on staff to help manage and prevent sports injuries to their athletes. If the professionals count on our care to keep their athletes healthy, why shouldn’t you?
How We Treat Athletes in Portland, ME
Comprehensive Consultation and Examination
The first step in your care is to determine what type of injury you have and the functional issues that caused it in the first place. Most sports have typical injuries, so it’s important to know what you’re suffering from to design the proper treatment. Many sports injuries can be persistent without proper treatment and prevent you from participating. When you come in for care, you will first meet with one of our doctors. We will obtain a complete history and perform a thorough examination. We will guide you through a series of tests to diagnose the problem and then recommend appropriate treatment.
Myofascial Therapy
Athletic injuries are often related to overuse. From runners to basketball players, there are many repetitive movements that will stress the body and specific body parts. These injuries are often found within the muscles simply because they have been stressed beyond their tolerance. As a result, you may experience pain and stiffness, restricting your normal range of motion. At Chiropractic & Sports Health, we use a variety of muscle therapies designed to release these muscle restrictions and help you regain your proper mobility.
Exercise Therapy
A large part of our care for athletic injuries involves rehabilitation exercises. As most athletic injuries are due to overuse, we find, in most cases, there are functional deficits that ultimately trigger the problem. These deficits include areas of weakness, instability, or stiffness that don’t allow the body to hold up to the demands of the sport. This is when the injury occurs, and not addressing these underlying deficits can lead to recurrent episodes of the same injury. Our exercise programs are customized to target these specific areas to make you stronger, improve your flexibility, and restore your balance. It’s not just about fixing your problem today but preventing it from happening again.
Athletes We Help at Chiropractic & Sports Health in Portland, ME
Our office treats athletes of every type, from the dedicated Crossfitter to numerous team sports. While the list is long, here are a few highlighted examples of athletes we treat regularly.
Runners
Runners vary widely from the competitive marathon runner to those looking for weekend cardio. While running has excellent health benefits, the repetitive pounding on the ground often leads to repetitive stress injuries. Common running injuries include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, runner’s knee, and IT band syndrome. At our office, we are well-equipped to handle all of these conditions and many others. Our therapies for running-related injuries include joint manipulation of restricted areas, therapeutic exercise, and myofascial therapies. We also offer digital foot scanning to analyze how you put pressure on your feet to recommend better footwear.
Racquet Sports
There are a variety of types of paddle sports, such as tennis and racquetball, not to mention squash, which is rapidly rising in popularity. These sports are fun, social, and great exercise, but sometimes these activities can trigger problems. Common injuries during racquet sports include lateral epicondylitis (Tennis elbow), rotator cuff injuries, and ankle sprains. Our treatment combo of various therapies will help you to reduce your pain, get you back to the court, and prevent re-injury in the future.
Weight Lifters
Weight lifting for health is essential. Weight lifting doesn’t mean you must compete in heavy lifting like Olympic lifters or CrossFit athletes. It’s also applicable to that person who goes to the gym a few times a week for a resistance training circuit. Weight training helps to build or maintain muscle mass, prevent osteoporosis, and keeps you functioning at a higher level. While weight training is helpful, repeated lifting of weights can cause injury, especially if done improperly. Common injuries include rotator cuff, lumbar disc, and knee injuries.
When we treat these types of athletes, we not only focus on supportive care to reduce pain but also help develop better lifting habits to improve your weight training ergonomics. This will both help with your recovery and prevent you from suffering recurrent injuries while at the gym.
Check Out Our Locations Near You
Portland
15 Sewall Street
Portland, ME 04102
Phone:
207-347-2205
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chiropractic care good for an athlete?
Yes! Not only is it good for an athlete, but it’s also so helpful that many professional athletes utilize chiropractic care on a consistent basis. You’ll see them regularly with pro golfers, on the sidelines of NFL games, and as part of the Olympic medical teams. Chiropractic care is both effective for injury recovery and preventive care, helping you function at your most optimal level.
How often should an athlete see a chiropractor?
The answer to this varies based on the type of athlete and the severity of the injury. When an athlete suffers a more intense injury that has limited their ability to play, treatment is more frequent, perhaps multiple times per week. Conversely, if an athlete is not injured and is focused on prevention and performance, they can be seen far less frequently. Many athletes on our preventative plans will be seen once a month, but it always depends on you and your needs.
Can kids in sports see a chiropractor?
Absolutely! We see many young athletes in our community who are involved in a variety of sports. Unfortunately, kids can be injured in sports just like adults can. With the increase in the intensity of youth sports and year-round training, plenty of young athletes are getting injured. The key is addressing it quickly and receiving the correct therapies to get back in the game.
How is a sports chiropractor different from a regular chiropractor?
Sports chiropractic will likely offer more involved care, focusing more on therapeutic exercise. At our office, we will customize our treatment plans based on the athlete and help them develop a workout routine that will support their recovery and get them back in the game.