It’s safe to say that the goal of the average person is to stay active. Whether that is going on regular runs, throwing a ball around with the kids or playing tennis with friends, people choose many different ways to stay active.
Unfortunately, with activity often comes injury—not necessarily severe injury but the kind that will cause you some basic discomfort and might make you have to sit out of next week’s golf outing.
Here are the top 5 most common injuries that chiropractors treat and how to prevent them. Luckily, if each of these injuries are taken care of the right way, you should be able to heal quickly and get back into action in no time.
1. Neck Injury
Neck pain can be, well, a pain in the neck. There are various reasons one can suffer from neck pain: whiplash, cervical headaches, or the simple action of sitting at a desk and working at a computer all day.
Chiropractors help in this area by using different movement-based exercises and stretches to keep your muscle and ligaments stretched and comfortable around the neck.
Some ways you can prevent neck pain include daily light stretching of the neck, practicing good posture when at your work desk, and sleeping with a supportive pillow.
2. Back Injury
We’ve all heard the sayings “stand up straight” and “lift with your knees.” This is because your back is the foundation for your body’s movement and when things go wrong, it can be detrimental to one’s daily life.
A chiropractor will usually identify what specific problems you have with your back and then work with you to handle those problems. Of course, they’ll teach you how to help yourself get and stay strong by most likely suggesting daily stretches and exercises to assist with the healing while you’re on the road to recovery.
Some easy ways you can help protect your back include better posture practices, lifting heavy items with your knees, and utilizing supportive items, such as proper shoes and cushioned chairs.
3. Sprained Ankle
Commonly referred to as twisting or rolling your ankle, sprained ankles are one of the most common injuries people can have. You can get a sprained ankle by doing just about anything, actually, it doesn’t have to be something heroic or athletic.
The best way to heal a sprained ankle is to get it checked out by the doctor, rest it, ice it, and follow any of your doctor’s orders to enhance proper healing. A chiropractor can help by giving you light exercises to do to help the healing take place faster.
You can attempt to prevent a sprained ankle by wearing correct shoes for the activity you are doing, watching where you walk and being mindful of how you move.
4. Muscle Strain
Pulling a muscle is exactly what it sounds like: when your muscle is pulled (stretched) too much. This causes discomfort or, in severe situations, rips in your muscle fibers.
The easiest way to heal from a pulled muscle is to first get it checked out by a doctor to make sure it is not more serious.
In order to prevent this from happening, the number one thing you can do is stretch regularly. This allows your muscles and ligaments to stay flexible and move more easily, even when you do move suddenly.
5. Tennis Elbow
Despite the name, anyone can get tennis elbow. Tennis Elbow happens when one does the same repetitive motion, causing the weakening of tendons that join your forearm muscles to your bones.
Some examples of repetitive activities that can cause tennis elbow include:
- Painting
- Carpentry
- Plumbing
- Kitchen work
- Playing a musical instrument
- Getting hit in the elbow
If taken care of correctly, Tennis Elbow can heal properly. You might have to wear a brace if the activity that caused your Tennis Elbow is something that you do for a living (or is just a hobby you really enjoy and won’t give up). Consistent chiropractic care can help keep your tendons stretched out and help you find exercises to keep your tendons strong.
The Experts Are Here to Help You Heal
Here at South Orange Chiropractic Center, our goal is to help you:
- Eliminate your pain.
- Help you move better.
- Help you feel stronger.
We want to do this all without pain medication, focusing on natural pain relief that will help you reclaim your productivity and vitality.
If you’re struggling with one of the common injuries below or just want to better your body’s health, reach out to the professionals at South Orange Chiropractic Center to schedule an appointment today.
