High school sports play an important role in developing a healthy, active lifestyle for kids while also developing invaluable life skills such as goal setting, time management, leadership, cooperation, and social intelligence.
At the same time, youth athletes are prone to injuries just like their favorite pros. Youth athletes also face an increased risk of injury due to the fact that their bodies are still developing. It is key to find the optimal recovery options so that your kids can be back in action without missing too many games or practices – Monmouth Pain & Rehabilitation can make that possible!
Dr. R. Dawn Comstock conducted the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study for the 2015 – 2016 academic year which monitored sports-related injuries among high school athletes, and identified the top five most common high school sports injuries:
- Head Injuries
- Ankle Strain/Sprain
- Knee Strain/Sprain
- Hip/Thigh/Upper Leg Strain/Sprain
- Hand/Wrist Injuries
Though a large portion of sports-related injuries did not require surgery, recurring injuries accounted for almost 10% of total injuries for the year. It is vital to understand that treating the symptoms of an injury does not always address the underlying cause of the problem. Pain medication can reduce inflammation and mask the pain giving the illusion that the injury has healed. Just because the pain subsided does not mean the injury has fully healed resulting in the increased risk of reinjuring the affected area.
Through effective injury management and preventative care, we can help keep kids active, healthy, and on the field! That is why it is important to understand the benefits that physical therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture bring to the injury recovery and prevention process.
Benefits of Physical Therapy for High School Athletes
Benefits of Physical Therapy for High School AthletesPhysical therapy works to maximize movement during the recovery process, and seeks to avoid pain medication and surgery. This is achieved by assessing the extent of the injury, and creating a treatment program specific to the patient’s needs and capabilities. Physical therapy can be utilized not only after an injury has occurred, but at the first signs of tenderness and weakness. For instance, many times an athlete will perform through pain, further increasing their chance of injury. Consulting with a physical therapist at the first sign of pain will help to strengthen the affected area before the pain manifests into a debilitating injury.
Benefits of Chiropractic for High School Athletes
Chiropractic care plays a key role in sports injury prevention and recovery. Training, practice, and competition take a toll on an athlete’s body, exposing them to increased stress that can result in chronic aches and pains which may lead to injury. Chiropractors correct spinal misalignments, fix asymmetries throughout the body, and increase range of motion by reducing the tension on muscles and tendons, which promotes faster healing and reduces the risk of injury. Chiropractic care is effective in injury prevention and can also benefit an athlete’s performance. Seeing a chiropractor without a preexisting injury is a proactive step in injury prevention.
Benefits of Acupuncture for High School Athletes
Acupuncture produces improved energy and biochemical balance, which results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities and promoting physical and emotional well-being. Acupuncture is a common practice used by many professional athletes around the world. Studies show that acupuncture effectively treats sports injuries, while also improving the athlete’s performance and endurance. The growing popularity of acupuncture treatment raises awareness of how beneficial acupuncture is for injury prevention.
Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation is Your Home Team!
If you or your child have experienced a sports injury in the past, are currently facing a sports related injury, or want to take the proactive steps in strengthening and optimizing your body for peak performance, please feel free to take advantage of our free consultation (a $245 value) and contact us directly by calling 732-345-1377 or by emailing us using the Contact Form below. Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation has three convenient locations in Monmouth and Ocean County: Shrewsbury, Wall, and Forked River. We look forward to helping with all your rehabilitation, physical therapy, and chiropractic needs!
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