As the weather warms up, you may find yourself spending more time outside with family and friends. With this, you may also find yourself participating in more sports and activities than you had in the winter. However, with this time outside comes the risk of summer injuries.
We want to explore the many summer injuries people experience and how our team at Elite Chiropractic can help you get through the discomfort and back into enjoying the beautiful summer weather with the people you love most.
1. Tennis Elbow
As summer begins, many people find themselves dealing with irritating summer injuries such as tennis elbow. Tennis elbow is a painful condition that occurs after repeated motions at the elbow joint put a strain on the tendons. This condition is commonly seen in individuals who play swinging sports, such as tennis, golf, cricket, badminton, or squash, or participate in throwing sports, such as javelin or discus. It is also commonly seen in people between 30 and 50.
If you believe you’re dealing with tennis elbow, you’ll want to cease all activity and properly ice the area to soothe inflammation. A chiropractor can adjust your elbow and may be able to perform muscle work, including the Active Release Technique (ART), to care for the injury. They may also recommend a brace.
2. Runner’s Knee
As the weather warms up, you may find yourself running more. As you enjoy the beautiful weather and the bloom of fresh leaves on the trees, you may find that you’re experiencing a dull pain around the front of your knee caused by one of the most common summer injuries, runner’s knee. Runner’s knee is caused by several different things, including weakened or tight muscles, and is the most common injury among runners.
The first step in treating runner’s knee is understanding the cause. Because it has several causes, you want to ensure you receive the appropriate treatment. If the cause is weak muscles (the most common cause of the ailment), your chiropractor will create a plan to follow at home to help you build muscle and relieve pain. If the cause is tight muscles, your chiropractor may suggest a variety of stretches that will begin to lengthen the muscle. If followed appropriately, both treatments should prevent the ailment from returning.
3. Whiplash
Many people think of whiplash as an injury that you receive from a car accident. However, it is also one of the most common summer injuries. As you or your family member begins to play more contact sports this summer, such as football or soccer, they may experience whiplash. This occurs when the head is forcefully thrown backward and then forward again. It can cause damage to the bones, muscles, disks, ligaments, and nerves.
If you have whiplash, a chiropractor may treat the injury with techniques, including spinal corrections, decompression, laser treatments, vibration plate therapy, or spinal traction therapy. Through this treatment, chiropractors can locate misaligned joints and decrease pain and inflammation.
4. Sciatica
The last of our common summer injuries is sciatica. In addition to playing sports, partaking in long travel days that include a lot of sitting, bending over to work in the garden, or irregular sleep patterns can result in this all-too-common back pain. Sciatica is a pain that starts in your lower back and spreads toward your hips. It is often only experienced on one side of the body. The pain can include numbness, muscle weakness, tingling, and difficulty moving your leg or foot.
Treatment for sciatica depends on the severity and cause. Generally, chiropractic treatment is enough to ensure the back pain subsides. Your chiropractor will perform a physical examination and ask questions to understand how and when the pain began. Sciatica treatment can include spinal manipulation, decompression therapy, massage, exercise, and stretching. As you work through the treatments, the discomfort and pressure will slowly begin to subside. Your chiropractor may also teach you proper lifting techniques and proper posture to prevent this discomfort from coming back.
Treating Your Summer Injuries At Elite Chiropractic
If you are dealing with one of these common summer injuries, our team of experts at Elite Chiropractic can help you work through the discomfort and get back into day-to-day life with your loved ones. Elite Chiropractic provides professional chiropractic services and can help prevent future injuries. For individuals who participate in regular summer sports, scheduling regular appointments with a chiropractor is recommended in order to avoid potential injuries. If you would like to schedule an appointment or consultation with our team, contact us today.
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