Did you know Professional Football Players See Chiropractors?
Coaches have often advised their players to walk it off or play through the pain, and for generations, many athletes recited the same mantra ad nauseam. The slogan no pain, no gain and others like it have done an amazing job of creating a beautiful fantasy-like reality that drafts titan and demigods capable of enduring bonds of physical punishment with little to no consequence. Come take a look behind the curtain and see what it really takes to achieve true Olympian-like fitness and prowess. And I promise it is not breaking your body and ignoring the pieces that fall off. It’s Chiropractic care, and football players see chiropractors like racecar drivers see pit crews.
The only way your body is going to go the distance is if you take care of it. Maintenance care and recovery care are as important to athletic success as drills and daily practice sessions, maybe even more so. Many athletes, especially those attempting to go the distance, understand this. If you’ve ever played any type of sport, competitively or just for fun, then you may be slightly aware of the amount of strain you place on your body when you compete. And your body is usually really good at absorbing a lot of it, however, it does take its toll, and eventually, the bill comes due.
Ever watch a football game and seen a player get pummeled to bits? Ouch! Then you see that same player back on the field at the very next game. Got any idea how they got there? I’ll give you a hint, it wasn’t ignoring the pain until it went away. It was their chiropractor, that’s how they got back in the next game. Chiropractic care. It’s all about maintenance care and built-in recovery. That’s the only way to keep your body in the best possible position to perform at aggressively high levels. It is not an instant bounce back, it is an intensive process, and athletes that understand this have long careers.
All 32 teams in the NFL currently have a chiropractor on staff, and that chiropractor administers an average of 30-50 treatment sessions a week. Each player receives an average of three chiropractic treatment sessions a week. That is the only way to have their body in the right physical shape to keep with the demands of their chosen profession.
NFL players reported seeing chiropractors for a variety of reasons, but the most common complaints were low back pain, stingers and burners (when the nerves of the neck and shoulders are stretched or compressed after an impact), and headaches. The purpose of chiropractic care is to reset and realign the body so it can function at its optimal level without pain or complications. This is also why a large majority of retired football players see chiropractors regularly for preventative care. Even if you do not participate in a high-impact sport, the daily strains on your body are enough to shift it out of its proper alignment and send you looking for a chiropractor.
What is Chiropractic Care
If you are unsure about why professional athletes are working with chiropractors even when they are not injured, then hopefully this section can clear it up for you. Many people have a pretty rigid definition of chiropractic care and what it is that chiropractors are actually able to treat, however, it can be summed up fairly quickly. Chiropractic care primarily focuses on treating areas in and around the spine to heal the body by allowing the nerves to function and communicate without hindrance or interference. Chiropractors can help improve problems with the musculoskeletal system, and working with the qualified chiropractors at RxWellness can help heal your injuries, but working with one regularly can act as preventative care. Professional athletes are typically very quick at working with chiropractors the moment they sustain an injury on the field because immediately beginning treatment is the most efficient way to heal the injured area. Regular adjustments and maintenance care keep the muscles of the body in the correct alignment so they are less likely to sustain injury.
Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy
At RxWellness Spine & Heath, we use chiropractic care as a way to keep athletes in the best possible shape to compete, but sometimes problems can arise that are soft tissue related. Whenever this occurs, massage therapy is a great way to ease symptoms of pain and discomfort. Our massage therapist will administer a variety of techniques under the direction of the doctor to help improve your symptoms of pain. Soft tissue manipulation can help improve circulation and promote muscle relaxation. Sometimes if the muscles are too tight, they may even pull the spine and shift it out of its proper alignment. Working with our massage therapists can help relax those muscles so your body is able to hold those adjustments much more effectively.
Chiropractic Care and Cupping
In addition to massage therapy, at RxWellness Spine & Health, we provide cupping sessions when necessary. Cupping is a form of therapy that utilizes suction to help improve circulation and blood flow in the areas directly under the treatment section. These sessions can also help reduce inflammation and speed up the overall healing process. Many Olympians, including Michael Phelps, have utilized cupping treatment and enjoyed the recovery benefits of cupping sessions. When you consult with the chiropractors at RxWellness Spine & Health, they will be able to provide you with more information on if cupping is the right treatment approach for you.
Chiropractors that Use Active Release Technique or ART
At RxWellness Spine & Health, some of our chiropractors utilize active release techniques or ART to treat injuries and pain on a deeper level. ART works by breaking up dense scar tissue or adhesions that form when muscles or connective tissues are injured. Some signs that ART may be right for you are if you have intense stiffness, reduced flexibility, increased pain while exercising, or inflamed joints. ART may be able to help improve the pain and discomfort. At your first visit, you will be able to consult with the chiropractor and they will be able to explain if ART would be right for you.
Chiropractors that Use The Graston Technique
Any athlete that vigorously competes will inevitably sustain some type of injury, and while chiropractic care is a great form of preventable care, injuries and accidents are not completely avoidable. In those instances, The Graston Technique utilizes tools that help patients quickly recover from injuries. The Graston Technique is a patented form of manual therapy that uses stainless steel tools to treat adhesions in the muscles, tight knots, and scar tissue. Graston has also been shown to be very effective at treating conditions that were once thought to be untreatable. Unlike massage therapy, The Graston Technique may not be right for every patient, so during your consultation with the doctor, they will talk to you about your medical history and decide if this is something that could be useful for you.
The chiropractors that Use Dry Needling
Dry needling is an amazing healing tool when combined with chiropractic care. Dry needling is very effective at targeting trigger points and releasing tension. The technique is done by using tiny filiform needles to manipulate the body into promoting its own recovery. The needles are inserted into high tension areas where they can increase blood flow and nerve response, which can improve inflamed nerves and promote healing.
RxWellness Spine & Health
At RxWellness Spine & Health, our chiropractors are qualified to provide care for both professional and aspiring athletes. Our goal is to help you keep your body in its proper alignment, so you are physically able to achieve the big goals you have for yourself. When you work with our chiropractors, they will listen to your concerns and your future goals and then create a treatment plan customized to your body’s needs. This is the best way for athletes to see major improvement.
Sometimes, as an athlete, you could be attempting to learn a new technique or improve an old one, but you continue to hit a wall. Sometimes your execution of the technique is perfect, but the muscles may be unable to stretch that additional inch or you may be afraid to push past it because of intense pain or possible injury. Football players see chiropractors because chiropractors help improve range of motion and flexibility so they can push past those limitations and get them on a wellness path to success.
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Football Players See Chiropractors because they know it is the only way to perform at their optimal level while putting their bodies through such an intense level of stress. The only way any player hoping to be drafted into the NFL can go the distance is by making sure they take care of their body and allow it time to recover after sustaining any level of impact. The best way to do that is by working with a chiropractic professional who can administer care and provide valuable advice on how to treat your body. At RxWellness Spine & Health, our chiropractors specialize in working with athletes to keep their body in shape, and we can help you or any athletes go the distance, no matter if your fitness goals are big or small.