Chiropractor in San Clemente

Because of its underlying health philosophy, chiropractic is a medical system that is particularly well-suited to sports and the health needs of athletes of all kinds. A natural (drug-free and non-surgical) system, chiropractic is based on the importance of maintaining optimal functioning of all the systems of the body.

Since the focus of Chiropractic care is the structure of the body as a whole (not just the injured part), chiropractors are able to identify (and correct) structural imbalances that may impede optimal athletic performance. The detection and correction of such structural imbalances can help to prevent sports injuries as well.

In the U. S., Chiropractic sports medicine specialists, who are licensed in all fifty states, typically earn a degree, Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Sports Physicians (DABCSP), upon completion of a three year, post-doctoral program. Sports chiropractors have been officially included on the medical staff of world class and Olympic sports teams since the 1970s (the first appointment of a Doctor of Chiropractic to a U.S. Olympic team was in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games held in Montreal).

While conventional medicine focuses on the treatment of the symptoms caused by individual sports injuries (damaged tendons and ligaments, bone fractures, dislocations, sprains etc), the chiropractic approach is to stimulate the body’s natural capacity to heal itself, which will not only overcome symptoms, but enhance performance. The distinctive value of chiropractic sports care can be summarized as follows:

* Almost all sports place abnormal strain on the back and structural systems. This often means that athletes are not able to perform at optimal efficiency because their structural systems are imbalanced. Chiropractic sports specialists are specialized in maintaining proper structural alignment of neuro-musculoskeletal systems to optimize performance.

* Athletes who have been ‘treated’ for old injuries by surgery or medication and no longer experience the symptoms of their injuries are very often mislead. Believing they are cured, they resume the practice of their sport, often putting their health at risk. This is because, even when its symptoms are ‘treated’ or covered up, a sports injury can still affect an athlete’s body – and his / her performance. Since the neuro-musculoskeletal misalignments caused by the injury have not been corrected, they often continue to suffer the same amount of spinal stress Chiropractic care, which focuses on correcting (adjusting) vertebral misalignments or ‘subluxations’, effectively enhances recovery from sports injuries and speeds up the process of recuperation.

* Many sports injuries that do not respond to conventional medical treatment can be helped by chiropractic sports medicine. If the athlete’s spine is properly aligned and in its optimal structural position, nerves are protected against irritation and damage, ensuring optimal communication between the central nervous system and other parts of the body. Minor spinal misalignments can affect nerves and impact legs, shoulders, head, feet etc. Restoring and optimizing the function of the spine and nerves (a unique chiropractic procedure) increases the body’s potential to heal itself.

* Sports training very often leads to spinal misalignments and, because the spine is the center of the body, this can weaken other parts of the athlete’s body, increasing the chances of injury – injuries that chiropractic care can help avoid. This is why the role of chiropractic sports medicine in preventive care is so important.

Coaches, athletes, and medical doctors have recently realized the importance of chiropractic care for athlete health. Doctors of Chiropractic know that the key to health and recovery is NOT simply the removal of injury symptoms, but the enhancement of the body’s structural function to stimulate its self-healing power so that athletes can withstand avoidable injuries, enjoy optimal performance, decrease the risk of injury and recuperate faster when they do get injured.