Sports Injuries
Growing numbers of persons are becoming more athletic and exercise-minded.
With the increased awareness of the preventative effect of regular
exercise and the participation in sports against a wide variety
of health problems such as heart disease, this increased participation
will continue. An age-old side effect of sports and exercise, however,
are exercise-related injuries. Most doctors see more exercise-related
injuries than ever before.
The increase in injuries associated with sport and exercise, however,
should be kept in perspective. Most injuries are treatable, many
are preventable, and the benefits of exercise almost always outweigh
the negative side of injury. While the preventative effects of
regular exercise on the cardiovascular system are well-known, similar
positive effects on the joints and muscles have been documented.
In a study at Stanford University School of Medicine, runners were
found to have significantly less disability associated with joint
disorders than did non-runners.
The nature of treatment of sport-and exercise-related injury
is changing. One of the most significant changes in recent years
is
the emergence of chiropractors as important providers of care to
the injured athletes and exercisers. A recent issue of the medical
journal Clinics in Sports Medicine attributes the increased
interest in chiropractic treatment for athletes to the high incidence
of spinal injuries in sports and exercise and the success reported
by many athletes with this type of treatment.
The goal should be for all persons to participate in sports or
exercise on a regular basis. However, a side effect of this goal
will be injuries, and commonly, they will be to the spine. Chiropractic
treatment is often very effective to the injured athlete, returning
many to their previous participation level.
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