Singapore is one of the most active cities in Asia. Parkrun on Saturday mornings, Hyrox competitions filling out months in advance, cycling pelotons on the Pan Island Expressway before dawn, and tens of thousands of runners turning up at the Marina Bay waterfront every December for the marathon. Sport here is not a niche pursuit — it is part of how a significant number of people structure their lives.
At Family Health Chiropractic, Founder and Clinic Director Dr Kelvin Ng and Senior Associate Chiropractor Dr Ashley Liew have been working with competitive and recreational athletes since 2009. Dr Kelvin has cared for national athletes across multiple sports. Dr Ashley is a former national marathon representative who now sees runners, cyclists, Hyrox competitors, golfers, and racket sport players — including pickleball and padel — in clinical practice.
This page brings together our guides to the sports injuries we see most often. It is updated as new sports topics are added — bookmark it if you are an active person in Singapore.
Marathon Running and Distance Running
Distance running is the sport we see represented most in our practice. The volume and repetition of running — 180 steps per minute over 42.2 kilometres — means that small mechanical inefficiencies compound into significant injury over time. The most common running injuries we manage are IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, piriformis syndrome, and shin splints.
With the BYD Singapore International Marathon on 6 December each year, we see a predictable spike in running-related presentations from October onwards. The final six weeks of marathon preparation are typically the highest-risk window — cumulative fatigue is at its peak, and the psychological reluctance to cut volume means minor irritations become injuries.
Our guides for runners:
- Running Injuries Singapore: A Chiropractor’s Marathon Training Guide — the full overview of common injuries, causes and how chiropractic care fits into a training plan
- IT Band Syndrome Singapore: Can a Chiropractor Help Runners? — a deep dive into lateral knee pain and what drives it mechanically
- Singapore Marathon 2026: Your 6-Week Injury Prevention Guide — what to do in the final weeks before race day on 6 December
Cycling
Road cycling in Singapore has grown substantially, with regular group rides on the Pan Island Expressway, Kranji and Lim Chu Kang routes, and increasing participation in local and regional gran fondos and criteriums. Cycling places sustained and asymmetric load on the lumbar spine, neck, hips and knees — particularly under the aerodynamic position held on road and triathlon bikes.
The most common cycling injuries we see are lower back pain from prolonged spinal flexion, neck and upper back tension from head-up riding position, knee pain from saddle height and cleat alignment issues, and hip flexor tightness from the constrained position of pedalling. Many of these respond well to chiropractic assessment of the lumbar spine, sacroiliac joints and hip, combined with a review of the rider’s position on the bike.
Our guide for cyclists: Cycling Injuries Singapore — A Chiropractor’s Guide to Common Cycling Pain
Hyrox and Functional Fitness
Hyrox has grown faster than almost any other fitness format in Singapore over the past three years. The combination of running and functional stations — ski erg, sled push, burpee broad jumps, wall balls — creates a demanding mixed-modal load that challenges the spine, shoulders, hips and knees simultaneously. Hyrox athletes tend to be highly motivated and train frequently, which increases cumulative injury risk.
The most common presentations we see from Hyrox training are lower back pain from heavy sled and sandbag work, shoulder and thoracic spine complaints from ski erg and rowing, and knee and hip pain from the volume of running combined with weighted stations. The multi-planar nature of Hyrox also means that existing spinal restrictions — which a distance runner might tolerate — become symptomatic under the lateral and rotational demands of the sport.
Our guide for Hyrox athletes: Hyrox Injuries Singapore: What a Chiropractor Wants You to Know
Golf
Golf is deceptive. It looks low-impact from the outside, but the rotational forces generated through the lumbar spine and thoracic spine in a full golf swing are considerable — and they repeat across 18 holes, practice sessions and driving range visits. Lower back pain is the most common complaint among recreational golfers in Singapore, followed by neck and shoulder discomfort from the swing plane and address position.
Thoracic rotation is particularly important for golf — restricted upper back mobility means the lumbar spine and shoulder must compensate to achieve the clubhead speed the player needs, which overloads both. Restoring thoracic rotation through ArthroStim adjusting often produces an immediate improvement in swing comfort and consistency.
Our guide for golfers: Getting Back into the Swing of Things on the Golf Course with Chiropractic
The Corporate Athlete
Many of Singapore’s most active sports participants are also full-time professionals — training before dawn, competing on weekends, and spending the hours in between at a desk or in meetings. The combination of desk posture and athletic load is its own specific challenge: the hip flexors and thoracic spine that tighten from prolonged sitting are the same structures that need to move freely for running, cycling or lifting.
We have written specifically about this group — the executive who trains like an athlete and needs their spine to hold up through both.
Our guide: The Corporate Athlete: How Singapore Executives Are Training Their Bodies Like Champions
Pickleball
Pickleball has grown faster than almost any other racket sport in Singapore over the past two years. Courts at community clubs and private facilities are booked out days in advance, and a growing number of competitive players are training multiple times a week. The sport demands quick lateral movements, low-to-high swing mechanics, and sustained overhead reach — a combination that loads the shoulder, elbow, lower back and knees in patterns that differ significantly from tennis or badminton.
The most common pickleball injuries we see are shoulder impingement from the dinking and overhead smash, lateral elbow pain from the backhand drive, lower back pain from the bent-knee ready position held throughout a game, and knee complaints from the frequent lateral cuts and stops on hard courts.
Our guide for pickleball players: Pickleball Injuries in Singapore: A Chiropractor’s Guide to Getting Back on the Court
Padel
Padel is one of the fastest-growing racket sports globally, and Singapore is no exception — courts have opened across the island and competitive play is increasing rapidly. Padel’s enclosed glass-wall court and shorter, solid racket create a distinctive pattern of movement: explosive direction changes, overhead smashes, and the unique “off-the-wall” retrieval shots that require full spinal rotation at pace.
Shoulder and thoracic spine complaints are common from the overhead and bandeja shots. The rapid lateral and rotational demands of padel also load the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints, particularly in players who come to the sport without a background in racket sports. Knee and ankle injuries from court movement round out the most frequent presentations we see.
Our guide for padel players: Padel Injuries Singapore: A Chiropractor’s Guide to Prevention & Recovery
How We Approach Sports Injuries at Family Health Chiropractic
Across all sports, our approach centres on the same question: where is the mechanical restriction that is forcing adjacent structures to compensate under load? A runner’s IT band problem, a cyclist’s lower back pain, and a golfer’s shoulder discomfort often trace back to a restriction in the lumbar spine, sacroiliac joint, or hip that can be identified and addressed on assessment.
We use the ArthroStim instrument — a low-force, high-frequency adjusting tool — exclusively. There is no cracking, no high-velocity thrust, and no manipulation. This makes it well-suited to athletes who need to train around their care, and to those who are wary of more forceful manual techniques.
Assessment for athletes typically covers the full kinetic chain relevant to their sport: lumbar spine, sacroiliac joints, hips, knees and ankles for runners and cyclists; thoracic spine, shoulders and hips for golfers and Hyrox athletes. We work around training schedules and taper periods, and aim to identify and address restrictions before they become injuries rather than after.
Book a Sports Assessment
No referral needed. Initial consultations include a full postural and movement assessment alongside any specific complaint you bring in. We are at 111 Somerset Road, #08-03 TripleOne Somerset — a short walk from Somerset MRT (EW13).
Frequently Asked Questions
What sports injuries can a chiropractor help with?
Chiropractors can help with a wide range of sports injuries driven by joint restriction and movement compensation — including IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee, lower back pain in cyclists and golfers, shoulder and thoracic complaints in overhead athletes, and hip and knee pain in Hyrox and functional fitness athletes. The common thread is that the injury reflects a mechanical imbalance in how load is distributed through the body during sport.
Do I need a referral to see a chiropractor in Singapore for a sports injury?
No referral is needed. You can book directly with Family Health Chiropractic. Initial consultations for athletes are typically 45 minutes and include a full postural and movement assessment alongside your specific complaint.
Are Dr Kelvin Ng and Dr Ashley Liew experienced with athletes?
Yes. Dr Kelvin Ng (Founder and Clinic Director) has been caring for competitive and recreational athletes since 2009, including national athletes across multiple sports. Dr Ashley Liew (Senior Associate Chiropractor) competed as a national marathon representative for Singapore and now sees runners, cyclists, Hyrox competitors and golfers in clinical practice.
Is chiropractic care safe to continue alongside training?
Yes. The ArthroStim instrument we use delivers precise, low-force adjusting — there is no cracking or high-velocity thrust, and no recovery time is required after a session. Most athletes train the same day as their appointment. We also work around taper periods and competition schedules to ensure care fits your training plan rather than disrupting it.
Should I see a chiropractor before I get injured, or only when something hurts?
Ideally before. Most sports injuries develop gradually from mechanical restrictions that accumulate over months of training before they become symptomatic. A pre-season or mid-training-block assessment identifies these restrictions early — when they are easy to address — rather than at the point where they have become a problem that forces you to reduce training or miss an event.
Where is Family Health Chiropractic, and is parking available?
We are at 111 Somerset Road, #08-03 TripleOne Somerset, Singapore 238164 — a short walk from Somerset MRT (EW13). Parking is available in the TripleOne Somerset building carpark.
Dr Kelvin Ng (Founder and Clinic Director) and Dr Ashley Liew (Senior Associate Chiropractor) see athletes and active individuals at Family Health Chiropractic, 111 Somerset Road #08-03, Singapore 238164.