Athletes of all skill levels may suffer from back pain or stiffness at one point in their life. Typically, the spine is overlooked during a pre-game warm-up. A good spinal warm up can help improve shoulder range of motion and decrease stiffness overall in the spine. Off court spine mobility drills, in addition to a proper core strength and conditioning program, will help athletes improve back movement and reduce the chance of injury and pain. Back pain affects nearly every person at some point in their lives. Prevention of back pain is key, especially in terms of extending the playing lifespan of athletes.
Below is a video that has some good spinal mobility exercises that and help improve mobility and decrease the the likelyhood of typical back stiffness (what does stiffness mean? Click here) and back pain that athletes suffer from. It was produced with the great people at Coachbase
Remember, daily preventative exercises , and hands on treatment OR reduced performance and/or back pain, YOUR CHOICE (My lawyer buddy always phrases things like that haha).
Pull up pain tends to exist at the elbows, shoulders and wrists. The pull up exercise is a great way to develop back, shoulder and arm strength. Pull ups can be done at home or in the park on a bar or with suspension equipment (Gymnastic rings, “TRX” equipment). Those who utilize a horizontal bar tend to complain more of pain as it can be slightly more strenuous due to your joints in a fixed position rather than suspension equipment, a free motion exercise.
Pull up pain tends to occur due to 2 main reasons:
Incorrect form causing compensation at the various joints.
Dysfunctional articulation AKA Problematic Joint
2 common mistakes that cause pull up pain (Refer to Picture Below)
Not setting the shoulders
Not keeping your elbows back.
Keeping the scapulae (shoulder blade) back and down (Depressed and retracted) is the first step before initiating your first pull up to prevent pull up pain.
Keeping the scapulae (shoulder blade) back and down (Depressed and retracted) is the first step before initiating your first pull up. By “setting” your shoulder-scapulae-thoracic complex, will allow you keep your back muscles tight. It will also allow to reduce the strain on your biceps muscle and use the back muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and trapezius. Without proper setting, compensation can cause shoulder impingement syndromes, overuse in the biceps tendon or elbow sprain/strains.
Keep your elbows forward rather than keeping them back to prevent pull up pain.
The second common mistake is to keep your elbows forward rather than keeping them back. The elbows need to be driven back otherwise the area of stress over the elbows will be large. This can lead to medial elbow pain or “Golfer’s elbow”.
After these cues, what happens if you or your client cannot keep their shoulders down and back or keep the elbows back?
The person may not have the ability to perform this movement because they have poor mobility (flexibility, control and strength) in certain articulations (joints-elbow, shoulder, thoracic spine). Many trainers or healthcare practitioners will try to downgrade the pull up exercise to try to make it “easier” to perform. Unfortunately, if your joints are not moving like joints, no matter how basic or “easy” you make the exercise (using bands for help, standing on chair/ball etc. ) you will not be able to perform the exercise. Although regression/downgrading (making it “easier”) of the pull up is important but the person needs to have prerequisite mobility.
Do you or your client have the prerequisite joint mobility to start? Can you or your client move your joints independently and with control?
Restriction of mobility can be because of a tissue (muscle and/or joint) problem or an issue with control (stability, nervous system control).
The source of why the poor movement is happening should be diagnosed and treated by a trained health professional, such as Chiropractor. Health professionals trained in Functional Range Release and Conditioning will be better equipped to assess your overall joint health.
That’s right folks, cracking knuckles is just gas bubbles in your joints being popped. Generally, the sound a cracking joint makes is harmless. If that sound is accompanied by pain, locking and/or reduced movement, it is time to see a specialist such as a Chiropractor. We can determine what is normal joint findings and what is not.
I have patients who participate in the sport of Crossfit. Crossfit is “the SPORT of fitness”. Crossfit participants and athletes are incredibly committed, driven and hardworking individuals. Their goals are to improve time, weight and volume lifted. Crossfit athletes push themselves physically everytime. People must realize that Crossfit is a sport, just like basketball or football.
Is Crossfit Safe?
There is risk involved in any activity or SPORT. Crossfit is not exempt from this rule. Crossfit takes safety seriously and many gyms/boxes have mandatory “on-ramp” classes before participating in full workouts. Crossfit participants should be supervised by certified/qualified coaches. Anyone considering participating in Crossfit or any athletic sports should understand that there are prerequisites and risks with all movements.
What are the typical Crossfit injuries seen in a Chiropractic office?
Crossfit athletes can push themselves so much that it can lead to overuse muscle and tendon injuries, as well as spinal and extremity joint dyfunctions. Dysfunctions may or may not cause pain but over time may result in a pain and or more serious problems. I always tell and teach patients to listen to their body and not to push too hard if they are experiencing any discomfort.
In my experience, Crossfit participants typically have restricted range of motion and recurrent stiffness in the shoulders and hips. However the most serious complaints I have received in my Chiropractic office is lower back pain.
What about Crossfit makes lower back injuries so common?
Lifting exercises such as the squat and deadlift are done with high volume and weight. If these exercises are done with proper posture and technique they are great for functional core and leg strength. A proper moving spine and hips are required to perform these exercises. If an individual does not have the proper range of motion or ability prior to attempting the squat and deadlift they can become injured. For those with the ability, as athlete becomes tired, their form can be affected and eventually these exercises can cause injury.
Overhead exercises (snatch, thrusters, presses etc. ) are also performed. If a participant doesn’t have the prerequisite movement at the shoulders and mid back, compensations problems in the lower back will result. Take a look at the video below:
Do you look like this when you perform overhead activities? Time to see a Chiropractor that can determine why and how to fix it. Manual therapy and functional movement correction that Chiropractors provide are very effective at not only prevention but recovery as well.
How can Crossfit gyms/boxes and Chiropractors work together?
A Crossfit athlete’s goal is to maximize their body’s full athletic potential. Crossfit athletes are required to maintain their bodies by participating in proper training, nutrition and sleep. A Chiropractor’s goal is to optimize the patients’ body through manual treatment and advice on training, diet and treatment. Crossfit gyms can also help general chiropractic patients become more physically active in their own lives.
Our philosophies and goals go hand-in-hand. Regular treatment from a Chiropractor will allow for the maintenance and overall performance of the body. Regular Crossfit and physical activity can help people become healthier.
Chiropractors can also assess those thinking about joining Crossfit to determine if they have the prerequisite abilities.
What do the Crossfit athletes have to say?
If you don’t believe me, listen to Rich Froning Jr. Rich is the 4 x reigning and defending “Fittest Man on Earth”. He has won the Reebok Crossfit Games continuously since 2011 to 2014. He is an advocate for Chiropractic care and believes Crossfitters can benefit from seeing a Chiropractor. Rich mentions muscle stim as something he utilizes aswell. At the office, we also provide EMS stim as treatment modality for recovery as well.
Do you have questions on how Chiropractic can help you? Contact me.
The secret to joint health is to first move well, then move often. In order to maintain joint health you need to move your joints: actively and passively. Mobility training should be done on its own and not only as a warm up before activity.
Body Assessment
Before attempting mobility training, you should have a joint assessment by a health professional like a Chiropractor to determine your level of ability. Your Chiropractor can determine what your knees, hips, shoulders, spine etc. are capable of and if they are functioning correctly.
