Multiple world boxing champion and UFC Women’s title challenger Holly Holm will fight the #1 Female Fighter in the World Ronda Rousey with the help of Chiropractic.
Chiropractic can benefit athletes by helping their muscles, joints and nervous system function at its best. Chiropractors help athletes decrease pain and improve recovery time from the strains of ongoing training.
Chiropractors can assess your physical health and determine the best way to optimize your body through hands on therapy, exercise and physical therapy modalities. Chiropractors utilize a natural approach to your health and do not prescribe medications or perform surgery. A chiropractor will utilize safe, simple and effective techniques that the athlete is comfortable with. Lastly, a chiropractor will work with you and your team of coaches to help integrate their care into your training as to not interfere. Learn more about Chiropractors and Athletic Performance here.
Are you and athlete training for competition?
Are you looking to get an edge on your competition? Does your body or mind feel fatigued after training or activity?
Ask your doctor or health professional to see a Chiropractor or ask me a question directly regarding Chiropractic Care and you
I was both a volunteer and injury consultant this past weekend for the mini Copa de Hong Kong Jiu Jitsu Tournament. I had a couple athletes ask, “what is the most common condition I see from combat athletes?”. In the past, I saw many lower back pain patients but most frequently it has been all neck injuries. I believe this is because athletes now train their core, abdominal and back strength much more frequently. As well, strength and conditioning for the lower back is a staple in many general body programs. Neck strength, conditioning and mobility is generally forgotten and currently this leads me to see more neck pain patients.
“Neck strength, conditioning and mobility is generally forgotten and currently this leads me to see more neck pain patients.”
Neck pain from both combat (jiu-jitsu, boxing, wrestling, muay thai, mma, football, basketball) and non-combat sports (basketball, football, tennis, golf, badminton) are quite common. Neck pain from combat sports can be particularly difficult to treat. This is due to the fact that sports typically involve techniques that strain the neck during training. Common injuries tend to occur in hyperflexion, rotation, traction and compression. The most common form of neck pain I see is from flexion based injuries from getting your neck snapped down, being pulled in a thai plum, being stacked while playing guard or being choked and head locked.
Neck pain is usually felt in the highest portion of the spine, the cervical spine area. The cervical spine area, has 7 vetebrae. When the area becomes moved beyond the normal functional range of motion both passive (bone, disc, ligament, capsule) and active tissues (muscle, joint, tendon) can become injured. The neck and upper back area has both superficial to deep areas of soft tissue that covers vertebrae (see below). Neck injuries may also cause pain into the mid back or shoulders and many times is mistaken for problems in those areas.
I have neck pain from a jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing and/or muay thai, what can I do?
Having your neck pain evaluated by a Chiropractor will help determine the extent of the injury and what your prognosis (the forcast of your condition) will be. If you have already recovered from a previous neck pain or injury, prevention of the next one should be what you are thinking about. Having your neck and body assesed is the best way to know how your body is moving and how painful or dysfunctional issues have affected the function of your joints.
In my clinic, if a person reports pain then I perform an SFMA, neurological, orthopaedic and palpatory assessments. Your Chiropractor should locate the dysfunctional issues and tissues (tissue Extensibility, Joint mobility, chemical pain, motor control issues, or vestibular issues). A skilled practitioner should be able to palpate using a layering technique like Functional Palpation before performing any Functional Release or Active Release techniques. Many Chiropractors possess the skill to palpate specific structures and are experts to do so. The type of treatment administered will be based on what will provide the quickest neck pain relief and return to function.
I have recovered from a neck pain and injury, what is a safe and effective exercise I can peform to help strengthen my neck?
Many athletes will typically stretch to get rid of pain and improve passive range of motion. Is that enough to prevent injury? Just stretching in order to allow your body to get into a range of motion is not enough.Aquiring strength and control in ALL RANGES (short and long ranges of motion) will help prevent injuries. This means having active ability in these ranges of motion.
Below is a video from my colleague and mentor, Dr. Andreo Spina. Featured on Jits TV, our functional range conditioning exercise will help prevent neck pain injury. This exercise is also beneficial for those who just want general conditioning for there neck.
There are other great conditioning and neck strengthening execises that a qualified personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach can give you to help prevent neck pain. Just be sure you have all the prerequesites for doing the exercises by seeing you Chiropractor. They can determine if your neck is prepared for more difficult movements.
Do you practice brazillian jiu jitsu (BJJ), muay thai, boxing, wrestling, or judo and get neck pain? See a Chiropractor for an evaluation and improve your joint health and mobility.
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.
#Flashback Friday. The last two Fridays we met to speak with a corporation in regards to their occupational health and ergonomics. We also had 1 on 1 sessions with each participant and looked at and adjusted their workstation to decrease overuse injuries and improve their posture and performance. You can learn how to sit better by clicking here.
Joint stiffness is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in my practice. Many patients complain that most stiffness occurs within the neck, back, hips, knees and shoulders. Both athletes and the general public report joint stiffness impacting their lives daily. Feeling stiff is your body’s way to tell you your joints are not functioning optimally.
Something that is under emphasized is the idea of long term joint health. As a Chiropractor, I always emphasize on the importance of preventing stiffness and maintaining articular health throughout life.
Will joint stiffness, regardless of reported pain, impact the way we live?
Thakral et al. 2014 (“A stiff price to pay: does joint stiffness predict disability in an older population?”) studied whether or not reported stiffness to predict disability in an older population (>70 years old). 400 of the adults participated reported morning stiffness, with half of them reporting one area of stiffness and half with multiple areas.
The study showed that 64% of people with multisite stiffness were at greater risk for developing new or worsening mobility AND declined in physical performance.
Mobility Program
Integrating joint mobility programs to adults at an early age to address any stiffness will help prevent further progression of joint stiffness and improve mobility throughout life.
Before attempting a mobility program, you should first find out if your joints are moving the proper way. Some individuals cannot move themselves on their own or do not know how to. Health professionals such as Chiropractors are specialists at diagnosing and treating the joints of the entire body, not just the spine. Perhaps your body requires more than exercises to maintain your health such as needling, manipulation, mobilization, or taping etc.
Chiropractors are able to assess the integrity of your joints and articulations of the body (spine, knees, ankles, shoulders etc.) and will provide advice on how to decrease joint stiffness, improve mobility and physical performance.
Do you do daily mobility exercises to prevent stiffness? What exercises do you do? Are you truly changing the structures of your body?
