The majority of Olympic athletes, NBA players, and other athletes at the top of their games seek the help of a chiropractor for injuries. It’s a good match. Chiropractors specialize in treating the musculoskeletal system. This includes the skeleton, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and other connective tissues in a human body. Chiropractors can work with patients to improve range of motion and mobility and reduce pain, and chiropractic care has shown to improve balance, coordination, and reaction time.

Depending on what type of sport an athlete plays, the injuries will likely differ. However, these are some common sports-related injuries, all accompanied by pain:

• Neck Injuries. Damage to the spine around the neck causes inflammation. It is painful and limits the range of motion. A common consequence of neck injuries is headaches and TMJ.
• Pinched Nerves. A spinal injury resulting from sports activity leads to painful pinched nerves. Chiropractic professionals have experience adjusting the spine to relieve pressure from a pinched nerve. Many people, including athletes, suffer from sciatica, which involves pinched nerves. Adjustments relieve the pain, allow the body to function better, and improve the general health and well-being of the patient.
• Sprains and Strains. These are common during athletic competition. Sprains occur in the joints, especially the wrists and ankles, when a ligament is stretched too far or torn. Carpel tunnel is another example of a sprain resulting from over use. Painful swelling, bruising, or the temporary inability to move the joint usually occur. Strains are when the muscles or tendons are torn. The most common strains are in the back or
  hamstrings. Strains also result in swelling or spasms, as well as the inability to move the injured muscle.
• Knee Injuries. Knee injuries are often the result of insufficient warm-up before competition, a twisting of the knee, or running to excess without proper stretching. More severe injures to the knee are bruising to the bone or damage to cartilage and ligaments.
• Dislocations. When the bones in a joint become separated, a painful dislocation occurs. Nerve damage can be a part of a dislocation, too.
• Stress fractures: Also called fatigue fractures, stress fractures happen when an unusual amount of stress is placed on a bone. Runners, for example, who increase their training distances before a race may experience stress fractures in their legs.
• Tendonitis: An injury caused by overuse of a joint is tendinosis, otherwise known as tendinitis. The tendon around the joint becomes inflamed due to increased and
  sustained use.

The treatment plan for each patient will, of course, differ based on the specific injury. All treatment begins with an exam of the arms, legs, back, tendons, ligaments, and joints. An initial plan is then instituted to relieve pain and lay the foundation to prevent future injuries.

In general, the most common treatments used by chiropractors for sports injuries are spinal mobilization and chiropractic adjustments:

• Spinal mobilization is a gentle approach used using tools and stretches. The goal is to release pressure and the resultant pain in joints. Chiropractors may also use ice, heat, or electrical stimulation.
• Chiropractic adjustment is a manual technique where the doctor will place you in different positions and perform a manual impulse to a joint. This impulse releases pressure in the joint and aligns muscles and joints properly.

Chiropractic services for athletes are considered so essential to performance and recovery that all NFL teams, as well as most PGA golfers and MLB and NHL teams, have chiropractors on staff. These doctors and therapists keep athletes healthy and do their best to prevent injuries during games and practice.

The top benefits of chiropractic care for athletes are:

1. Reduced pain & quick injury recovery
2. Prevention of injuries
3. Increased strength & flexibility
4. Improved sleep
5. No risk of addiction or chemical damage to the body

There is a wide range of costs for chiropractic care in the US, so make sure to check with any chiropractic practice before undergoing treatment.

Without insurance, you will pay between $100 and $150 for a chiropractic visit that includes a full exam and adjustments. This is the average, however, and it is possible to pay as little as $60 in some places or as high as $200 in others.