As a chiropractor, I provide chiropractic care to sportsmen ranging from amateurs to professionals. Most of them come in with some form of injuries that produced discomforts. One challenge I face is having the individual to stop temporarily while receiving treatment and allow the body to heal.
While it is important to have structured training and guidance, it is paramount to listen to the body. Listen to the body? Yes!
Our body has a very unique way to “talk” to us. Exercises almost always make us feel great due to the release of endorphin. But exercising the wrong way or with a set of spine that is not quite healthy or “calibrated” is going to cause some damage to joints. This can subsequently lead to discomforts and pains, can affect one’s performance in sports.
Calibration
The F1 race was probably to talk of the town last month. Before every race, each car must be calibrated for precision so that it can maneuver each turn without losing valuable time. Imagine if the calibration is off, or the car is driven by an amateur, what’s going happen to the car? Not only will the team not win the race, the car is likely to be damaged!
Joints in our body are attached to our spine. When the spine is “calibrated” (through chiropractic adjustments), the joints will function well. Injuries can be prevented and every ounce of energy is converted to efficient output. “Calibration” can make a winner, and the lack of, a loser. And an injured one too for the latter.
Many sportsmen come to our office when they start to feel pain for a while. It means that he or she has been competing uncalibrated and the parts are starting to show signs of wear and tear. But it is not too late! Chiropractic is an excellent choice to “calibrate” the spine so that the wear and tear can be repaired and minimized forward going.
Rest and recovery
For many of these sportsmen who have invested tons of time and effort in the sport, it is an uphill task to ask them to rest, let alone stop for a brief period, so that their body can heal. Many do not recognize that their years of mileage clocked have taken a toll on their joints and spine and it needs some time to undo and repair the damage. At the more, rest is important for recuperation.
Having a coach who recognizes and respects the body is as important as the treatment. A coach who is more interested in results can do more harm than good for the athlete. A good coach, on the contrary, will recognize that the body needs to take a break and recuperate before it can continue to clock mileage. One good coach I have been working with is Coach Rameshon (Head coach of Flexfitness), who is the current national holder for Marathon and also coach of Singapore’s top marathoner Ashley Liew . We have been able to work closely to help our clients overcome injuries and also achieve new breakthroughs in their running journey.
Ingredients for success
Celebrity sportsmen around the world, including Singapore’s very own top Marathoner, Ashley Liew, who is currently training to be a chiropractor, know and agree that coaches and chiropractors are important ingredients for success. Ashley said,”Runners assume that training injuries and illnesses are part and parcel of grueling marathon training routine. I disagree. Since receiving chiropractic care in 2010, I have not have a single over-training injury and only fell ill once (rebounded within days without medication). Chiropractic not only maximizes my health potential but also my athletic performance.”
A coach can bring the best out of an athlete while a chiropractor plays the role of a spine “mechanic” to analyze the spine, check for signs of wear and tear requiring treatment and make sure that the athlete is well “calibrated”.
If you are a sportsperson and find that you struggle with some recurring discomfort, or you have reached a plateau in your sport despite all other measures, you may wish to consider seeking chiropractic care.