Factors That Increase Injury Risk -Part Two-Chicagoland Chiropractor Massage 60630
Published by Chicago Chiropractor Seaman Chiropractic on Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 3:12 PM.
I created Seaman Chiropractic 25 years ago and have done physical rehabilitation for the same amount of time.
This is part two of our discussion about injury prevention and causation of injuries to maintain wellness. Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice and Lance Armstrong practice all these preventative measures. Professional athletes know if they are hurt,they don't play, so prevention is key.
MUSCLE STIFFNESS--Technically, muscle stiffness refers to the ratio between the change in muscle resistance and the change in muscle length. Muscle stiffness is directly related to muscle injury so it is vitally important to reduce stiffness during your warm up.
If you are just a weekend gardener, weekend sports warrior or a new sports or workout enthusiast, research indicates that only progressive,dynamic stretches that are slow,controlled movements through the full range of motion decreases muscle stiffness.
Static exercises which is holding a stretch in one position for a period of time doesn't decrease muscle stiffness. This suggests that dynamic stretches are the most appropriate exercises for warming up. Static exercises are better for cooling down as they help relax the muscles and increase their range of motion.
TRIGGER POINTS--When pain syndromes develop, certain parts of the muscle develop "trigger points" (TP). A TP is a knot in the muscle that you can feel and might be tender, even painful. But I have seen in patients where they let the TP's stay for years,become chronic and they no longer can even feel them That is very serious because there is a decrease in blood flow and the muscle continues to get damaged.
Massage therapists are experts in TP techniques and at Seaman Chiropractic, both of our therapists, are experts in reducing TPs.
The ultimate point here is that trigger points are an early warning sign of a potential serious injury so getting checked for TPs at Seaman Chiropractic is very beneficial.
Regular massage is well worth it as the massage therapists, Miljan and Kim, at our office check and treat trigger points.
I also recommend a anti-inflammatory cream to help reduce pain and inflammation which speeds up the healing process and reduces injury time.
If you need help in preventing injuries, call 773-545-2233 today or http://www.seamanchiro.com/chicago_chiropractic_contact.htm to book an appointment with me or our massage therapists to keep your activities,sports and physical exercise from being derailed.
