An excellent example of a specific field of sports that has long been benefited by chiropractic is football. Highly popular and widely idolized, NFL players have been using chiropractic as an indispensable benefit to their athletic performance. Not only does chiropractic play an integral part in keeping athletes at their optimum performance level, but it also helps in a much faster recuperative pace to injury.

Most serious football injuries occur due to axial compression of the cervical spine. What this means is when a player drops the head to tackle or block an opponent it flexes the cervical spine and the cervical lordosis (or abnormal forward curvature of the spine), flattening the back and bypassing the shock absorbing capacities of the spine. This can result in back, head and neck injuries in football players.

In addition to this common, but very serious football injury, many players also fall victim to numerous knee and ankle injuries that can occur when football players are, running, jumping, and tackling. All of these moves put a great deal of pressure on the knee, causing it to swell or become dislocated.

Shoulder injuries also commonly occur in football and are caused by movements such as catching a football, straining to reach the goal with the ball grasped in your hand, or stretching your arms while flat on the ground.

And of course muscle sprains and broken bones are extremely common football injuries. It's obvious where these injuries come from, even with the protection of football pads, mouth gear, and helmets. All of the common activities involved in football such as tackles, falls, pushes, and grabs can result sprains or breaks.

Chiropractors are well armed in the knowledge of spinal mechanics and muscle function. By simply observing a football player in action for less than five minutes a chiropractor can identify potential weaknesses and danger in athletic performance. For this reason many football players find chiropractic integral in preparation for football games to enable them to perform at their optimum level, and recover from injuries quickly.

Dr. Mairs is a San Jose chiropractor skilled in sports chiropractic and soft tissue muscle therapy. Our chiropractic office is centrally located in Santa Clara near the San Jose Airport and Santa Clara University. Dr. Mairs techniques in Sound Assist Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM) are extremely beneficial to all athletes experiencing muscle pain or joint discomfort. Using a combination of chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue muscle therapy, many of his patient athletes experience higher levels of performance as well as shortened recuperation after injury.

Call Mairs Chiropractic today for an evaluation of how sports chiropractic can benefit your performance as an athlete!