Sports Injury Rehabilitation & Prevention
Chiropractors have many different ways in which they can help people with injuries rehab from soft tissue damage. Athletes are often at risk for soft tissue injuries as changes in the muscles occur due to repetitive stress. Over time the muscles can build up scar tissue that forms as knots. These knots and changes within the muscle can cause the muscle to lose strength, speed, elasticity, and ranges of motion. Changes to these muscular properties put athletes at risk for future injuries. If you work to prevent the build up of scar tissue, then you can decrease the risk of future injuries. Dr. Palmer specializes in several techniques that can directly be used on sports injury rehab and prevention, enabling the patients to recover quicker, and get back to the activities they enjoy.
Graston Technique
Instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation has been proven to benefit the body for sports recovery, injury and scar tissue build up. These high-quality specialty tools are used by trained, certified professionals to increase a patients range of motion and reduce pain.
The doctor will assess and diagnose the problematic area before determining the best course of action. Soft tissue injuries include those within muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Injuries in these areas can occur due to a injury as well as repetitive stress over an extended period of time.
The goal of treatment is to remove any soft tissue adhesions and restore proper biomechanics through a pain-free range of motion. Adhesions are knots that can form in tissues as the body attempts to heal itself. These adhesions can decrease performance, reduce motion, and increase pain. By stripping the muscles down, the tension is reduced, allowing the body to heal.
Myofascial Release Technique (M.R.T.)
MRT was originally created to help treat injured athletes. Athletes often endure a lot of wear and tear on their bodies over time. This can lead to acute injuries or repetitive stress injuries that can become chronic in nature. Any significant injury regardless of the nature will cause a decrease in overall performance. Our goal is to get you back to your peak performance so you can return to competition. Dr. Palmer has treated many athletes with MRT while working with Rice University in Houston.
The general population can also benefit significantly from Myofascial Release Technique. Many people have jobs that are repetitive in nature such as typing, desk work, manual labor, lifting, and many other activities. These tasks can lead to a what is known as cumulative trauma disorder. This happens when a cumulative trauma occurs in a given area over a long period of time. It is estimated that over $110 billion is lost every year in the american workforce due to these types of injuries. With MRT we try to help reduce the time spent out of work due to injuries and increase your overall productivity.
Kinesiology Tape (K-Tape)
If you have watched much sports over the past several years then you most likely have seen an athlete with kinesiolgy tape, also known as K-Tape. It comes in many colors and is used in a variety of patterns. Each pattern provides a unique form of support to the body. This form of athletic tape is often used to help improve in edema and pain reduction. It accomplishes this by creating a lifting effect on the surface of the skin. It can be applied with varying tensions and directions to accomplish different therapeutic benefits. Unlike your traditional support tape, K-Tape does not restrict movement while providing support. It has a unique weaved pattern that allows for unrestricted movement throughout the dynamic maneuvers that are required in sports.
Even though you typically see K-Tape on athletes, it can also be used for many soft tissue injuries that happen to people in everyday life. Often times when someone injures their neck or back the muscles are affected along with the joints. This can cause weaknesses within the muscles. These weakened muscles can be supported by K-tape to help alleviate pain and provide stability.