Chiropractors in Cottonwood Heights Help Athletes Stay on Top

 Many people have realized the positive benefits of regular chiropractic treatments at The Joint in Cottonwood Heights for the various aches and pains that accompany everyday life, but you may not realize how chiropractic can improve overall athletic abilities and capabilities in relatively pain-free elite athletes.

There have been several studies looking at how chiropractic adjustments effect the performance of athletes and I'd like to share a couple of these with you.

A recent study out of Sweden looked at the hip extension ability and running velocity of young male runners. This research study divided a group of young men into a control group (no treatment) and a chiropractic treatment group. They measured the hip extension and stride length before and after chiropractic adjustments. Those of you who are runners can appreciate the importance of a full leg extension and how that affects your run times. The athletes treated by chiropractors in this study did have a significantly increased hip extension and stride length post-treatment compared to the control group, and they did end up with a small decrease in their run times compared to the control group.

Another study looked at athletic performance and physiological measures in baseball players following upper cervical chiropractic care. This was an interesting study in that it did not look directly at baseball skills but

looked at general athletic performance using the vertical jump, broad jump specified, standing broad jump and muscle strength. It also measured physiological changes to blood pressure, pulse rate, microcirculation (capillary counts) and treadmill stress testing. Twenty-one university baseball players were assigned randomly to either a control group or a chiropractic adjustment group. Each subject was required to complete three sessions of athletic ability and physiological testing. The results showed significant improvement at 14 weeks in muscle strength and long jump distance in the group receiving adjustments along with a significant improvement in capillary counts. Further evaluation revealed that the group receiving chiropractic care showed decreases in resting blood pressure and pulse rate as well as pulse rate following treadmill activity.

The last study that I want to report was done at Virginia Tech University where the researchers studied 115 football players in 2 consecutive football seasons. A total of 1976 manipulative treatments were provided pre-competition, and the results showed that there was positive improvement in performance among both offensive and defensive Va. Tech football players.

The takeaway from reviewing these studies is that whether you are in pain and want to get healthy or if you want to stay healthy and improve your performance (which is not limited to athletes but also includes housewives, construction workers, businessmen, nurses, etc.) chiropractic treatment is an excellent way to get you healthy.

Let the chiropractors and staff at The Joint Cottonwood Heights help you achieve your optimal health and well being.

~Dr. Brad Hendricks

Can Posture Be Affecting Your Back Pain?

As a chiropractor in Utah, the most common causes I've seen of back pain and disability, after the age of 50, are spine related disorders. One of the most important things we can do from a young age to reduce back and neck pain and problems as we age is to correct our postural misalignment. A normal spine should have a specific alignment that keeps the back stable and strong. Any changes in that alignment can cause the spine to lose stability, become weaker, and degenerate faster.

When viewed from the front the spine should appear straight. From the side you should see some curves. Normally the neck will curve forward, the upper back curves backwards, and the lower back forward again. This a

lignment allows the spine to have a good range of motion, but also provides stability and support when lifting.

There a couple of ways to check your own posture and a few things to look for when you do. You can stand in front of a mirror to check your posture from the front, to see from the side you will probably need to enlist a friend of family member. When checking your posture you should take a few steps in place and then stand still in what feels like your usual stance. You should be able to see that your eyes are level with the horizon, one shoulder should not be higher than the other, and hips should be level. From the side you should imagine a vertical line through the hole in your ear, center of your shoulder, top of the femur, and ankle. By doing this you should be able to get a rough idea of your posture.

If you notice any deviations from the normal posture, you should be evaluated by a health care professional who specializes in spinal conditions such as your Utah Chiropractic Physician. Here at 'The Joint' in Sugar House we make postural evaluations part of your initial examination and can make recommendations to improve and postural distortions we find.

~Sean Smith