Chiropractic
and Recreational Sports
By Joseph J. Ierano B.Sc., D.C.
Input to the nervous system
One of the reasons chiropractic is effective in enhancing
wellness, and for a wide range of conditions, is that all
body movement requires input to the brain via receptors in
all joints. If this input is altered by improper joint
function or misalignment (subluxation), then input to the
brain is altered. The brain may instead be receiving poor
information, altered information, or pain. This is bad news
for the sportsperson.
In view of the above, it may be understood why chiropractic
would help the golfer's swing, the athlete's balance, or
the dancer's steps.
The effects of Recreational Sports
Recreational sports are an essential part of the activities
of people who not only want to keep fit, but enjoy the
challenge of competition, and take a break from busy daily
schedules &endash; whether it be work, family or study.
Hence as the word hints, the "re-creation" of the person is
an important part of health recognised by chiropractors.
It is also evident that people generally do very little
preparation before engaging in sports, particularly
recreational. Stretching is probably the single most
important preparation. Also, to exercise regularly, not
just on the weekend.
The most neglected preparation, from the chiropractor's
perspective, is a properly functioning neuro-spinal system.
This means that, as chiropractors, we commonly find
imbalances in the body, postural asymmetry, and spinal
irritation in people that are suffering health problems, or
in some cases may be totally symptom free.
Common problems seen are:
1. Diminishing wellness due to poor spinal
function
2. Diminishing performance in chosen sport because of pain
syndromes
3. Headaches from poor neck function
4. Pain syndromes related to poor spinal function
5. Shoulder pain syndromes related to poor spinal function,
and strain in tendons and ligaments of the shoulder, and
muscles of the forearm. Examples are tennis and golfer's
elbow type conditions
6. Any activity which promotes asymmetrical action is bound
to carry a risk of affecting the neuro-musculo-skeletal
(NMS) system.
Definition of spinal dysfunction: Subluxation
The spinal segment, or motor unit, consists
of two adjacent vertebrae, the disc between them, the nerve
that goes through them, and surrounding soft tissues.
The chiropractic subluxation hypothesises that a
misalignment, or improper function or movement in the
spinal joints will cause altered input into the nervous
system. This may affect health and body performance.
Definition of wholistic treatment: Adjustment
The adjustment is the primary intervention
of the chiropractor. It is the distinguishing feature of
chiropractic. It is a specifically directed force, at a
specific segment of the spine or joint, by hand or by an
even quicker, very low force instrument.
Some sports types that commonly see chiropractors
· Golfers will benefit from having a balanced spine
due to the importance of body balance for stance, swing and
merely getting around the course! Sometimes the stance
requires a lean to one side which, over time, can irritate
spinal joints.
· Dancers I would consider to be athletes. Many
dancers suffer conditions related to unrealised poor spinal
function such as neck, shoulder and foot problems. Tight
muscles such as calves and upper shoulders are often an
indication that body balance is less than optimal, or that
spinal subluxation is affecting muscle tone. Without a
doubt, all dancers need a properly functioning spine.
· Softball/Baseball can cause all sorts of injuries
with the swing of the bat, pitching and even sliding to
bases.
· Netball/Basketball has its obvious strain on the
knees but also on the pelvis, which quite often is found to
be out of balance or even twisted.
· Tenpin Bowling is another sport that promotes
asymmetrical activity. That is, the ball is always thrown
with the same arm. Repeated swinging has its share of
strain on the spinal structures.
· Lawn Bowls is commonly played by senior people.
This is a sport that requires bending, and thus the strain
on the back is obvious. What is less obvious is that senior
citizens are at high risk of taking drug cocktails
consisting of dangerous combinations of drugs. Simply
because the aches and pains are aplenty they can benefit
from chiropractic care, which uses no drugs, and can be
effective pain releif in many cases. It's wise to use as
many non-drug forms of health care at all ages.
· Soccer places strain on just about every part of
the body; from ankles in the kick to the neck from heading
the ball. The spine is an important part in co-ordination
of this type of activity.
· Rugby has produced many of the more serious cases
of injury seen in chiropractic offices. Frequently, the
injury goes undetected, particularly in the neck. And
usually there have been many instances of being dumped on
the head or even blackouts. The misalignments produced
escape normal imaging such as x-ray, CT or MRI, if the
patient is unlucky enough to warrant these medical tests.
Commonly fractures or dislocations are ruled out, but
unfortunately, slight misalignments may not become
symptomatic immediately. Chiropractic examination usually
quite readily reveals injury to the spine or soft tissues.
· Tennis is likely to be associated with health
problems, particularly when many players are very
enthusiastic and competitive. Not only
· Cycling is an excellent sport because it does not
jar the spine, especially good when an injury already
exists.
· Cricket, whether indoor or outdoor, has
considerable effect on shoulder, neck and back.
· Skating, Skateboards are a continual source of
injury. On the other hand, if you want to be good at it,
your body balance and function, controlled by the nervous
system through the spine, better be in good shape.
· Martial Arts. Over the years I have seen
recreational, competing, and olympic level martial artists
such as Karate, Kenpo, and Judo champions. Eg: Holly has won many karate titles.
· Walking may not be considered a sport, but it is
one of the best exercises and recreational activities
imaginable. Low impact, gives the heart, head, lungs,
limbs, and the whole body a good work out.
Importance of spinal alignment
The function of the entire spine can be affected by one
misaligned (subluxated) spinal segment. This in turn can
affect whole body function and performance. Hypothetically,
as shown in the diagram, if for example the top vertebra is
misaligned it leads to postural changes that may be seen at
the hips, low back, or even in the feet. The reverse also
is true.
What a chiropractor does
1. Conducts thorough history
2. Examination, including orthopaedic and neurological and
x ray examination if indicated.
3. Referral to other professionals if necessary
4. Other special testing and diagnosis may be carried out
5. Distinguishing feature is the adjustment. Other
procedures such as soft tissue, cranial, or rehabilitative
techniques may be used.
The chiropractor is a type of doctor with at least 5 years
of university study. Hours and types of subjects are
comparable to that of medical the medical degree. No
referral is needed. The chiropractor is trained in
diagnosis to be able to refer to medical treatment where
indicated.
Case studies
There is a lack of research into
chiropractic. The profession is in need, as is medical
practice, of substantiating a lot of what it does.
There are, however, a many studies that illustrate the
effects of chiropractic on the athlete.
1. Lauro evaluated the effect of spinal manipulation on
athletic ability in a group of 50 asymptomatic athletes by
performing 11 tests. In the control group (no chiropractic)
there was a 4.5% improvement in 6 weeks, and scores
improved in 8 out of 11 tests. In the chiropractic group,
improvement at 6 weeks was 10.57% and all 11 test scores
improved.
2. Watson followed 52 high level soccer/rugby players to
assess relationship between injuries and body mechanics. He
used photos with prints on a metric grid to detect
asymmetires of shoulder, back, trunk and lower limbs. The
incidence of injury was linked to body mechanics defects at
the site of injury. Most commonly found was swayback,
reversed spinal curve, shoulder asymmetry, scoliosis, rib
hump, foot and knee problems. This suggests that, as
mentioned, asymmetry and body imbalance leads to greater
incidence of injury.
3. Nansel found that neck adjustment improved symmetry and
range of motion in asymptomatic subjects with reduced neck
lateral flexion.
4. Seamann found that after chiropractic adjustment the
load distribution between both feet was more equal. After
12 weeks of care, the mean difference of weight measured by
scales under each foot went from 12.84lbs to 3.67lbs.
5. Herzog reported that the biomechanics of walking was
improved after chiropractic adjustment. Symmetry and load
distribution were improved significantlly.
References:
1. Lauro. J Chiro Res & Clin Invest 1991;6(4):84-87.
2. Watson. J Sports Med & Physical Fitness
1995;35(4):289-294
3. Nansel. J Manip Physiol Ther 1989;12(6):419-27.
4. Seaman. Chir Res J. 1993;2(3):33-38.
5. Herzog. J Manip Physiol Ther 1991;14(2):104-9.
A few Famous sports stars who use chiropractic care
Arnold Schwarzernegger
Dennis Lillee (cricketer)
Martina Navratalova
Nick Faldo (golfer)
Jeff Lawson (cricketer)
Guy Andrews (iron man)
Lleyton Hewitt, John Newcombe (tennis)
Lance Armstrong (cyclist)
