According to Dynamic Chiropractic, it is estimated that 3.5 million children under the age of 14 receive medical treatment for sports injuries each year, and almost one-third of all injuries incurred during childhood are related to sports activities. The most common injuries are strains and sprains. A chiropractor can be an excellent resource to develop a strategy to help to prevent further injury.

In the past decade, sports-related injuries in children have significantly increased. This is likely due to the fact that there has been an increase in the number of children participating in organized sports, and because they are allowed to participate at a younger age. As young athletes train harder and longer, the likelihood of an injury increases.

Exercise is extremely beneficial for developing strong bones, but excessive strains can produce serious injuries to joints. Low-intensity training can stimulate bone growth, but high-intensity training can inhibit it. Growth plate disturbances resulting from sports injuries can result in limb-length discrepancy, angular deformity or altered joint mechanics, possibly causing permanent disabilities. Sports involving contact and jumping have the highest injury levels.

Athletes place an enormous amount of stress on their bodies. The idea of 'pain' should be relayed to children as an important warning signal from the body that something is wrong and should be checked out. Taking drugs such as pain-killers tends to mask this warning signal, which means that often kids will tend to overextend themselves, exacerbating the underlying problem. Chiropractic is a drug-free form of therapy - better all around, especially for children.

With the introduction of chiropractic, kids can not only prevent injuries but improve performance. Because doctors of chiropractic are experts in the field of human biomechanics, they are very aware of proper posture and movement. They can often detect a structural problem that can lead to injury or poor performance. Athletic injures are often caused by improper biomechanics or muscle imbalances within the body that can be corrected or at least strengthened by adjustments and balance training of the affected joint. Chiropractors are excellent resources for the management of sports-injuries.

For more information, contact Dr. Wendy at haydenhealth@gmail.com.