Chiropractic management of athletes focuses on the alignment of the musculoskeletal system. Correct biomechanics is critically important to achieve optimal performance. Chiropractic is increasingly used by professional athletes to gain that desired advantage. When working with athletes we are generally working on either a preventative program or supporting the healing and repair of an injury.
Prevention is about reducing the likelihood of an injury in the first place. An athlete that has their biomechanics working correctly will be able to perform optimally with the least amount of effort. When an area of your body is not working correctly it takes a lot more energy to generate movement. Poor alignment will also result in compensatory movement patterns and increased stress and joints.
One of the simplest ways to determine if an athlete has undue stress on their body is to perform a postural assessment. Any athlete can do this at home. Using an iPhone, take an image of yourself standing relaxed from the font and then a side view.
Optimal alignment will allow gravity to be absorbed correctly with minimal stress and strain. Just like a wheel alignment in a car can detect alignment issues and prevent unnecessary damage, your posture can tell us similar things about your body’s biomechanics
In the image you took from the front view you should check that your eyes, ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are in alignment horizontally. Shoulder and neck issue will typically be illustrated by one shoulder being higher or your eye levels off. Lower back and pelvis complaints will usually show an imbalance in the pelvis, presenting as a tilt in the font view picture.
From the side view image, run an imaginary line through your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. These points should all sit on this line. Athletes presenting with hip and lower back issue will often have their pelvis forward of this line. The overuse of technology in children will often place the ear and shoulder forwards of this line as well.
If your finding a sporting injury frustrating to recover from, feel free to send us some questions. We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and expertise, so you achieve the outcome you want. If your injury is something our spine health experts can’t support, we will refer you. Our team regularly work with the best local physiotherapist and exercise physiologist.
David Diehm
Chiropractor
