The Wellness Center of Boca Raton

BY DR. DAVID WARREN

Athletes face rigorous routines on a daily basis. From the weekend warrior to the professional athlete, injuries are a part of every game. Sprained ankles, jammed fingers, knee pain, and a host of other injuries often sideline athletes or. on some cases, end their athletic career.In many cases, the problem is not necessarily at the site of the pain. A chiropractor will work with you to determine the actual cause of the pain. Under chiropractic care, many injuries can be corrected without the use of drugs and surgery. Therefore, the noninvasive approach should be the athlete's first choice. If the chiropractic route doesn't work, then medication or surgery is an option. By trying chiropractic first, there is "no harm, no foul."Here are some examples to consider: • Knee pain is not always caused by knee injuries. Sometimes, compressed nerves in the lumbar spine cause radiating (or referred) pain into the knee. • Shoulder pain, in many instances, is not caused by direct shoulder injuries, but rather from nerve irritation or compression in the cervical spine.Chiropractic focuses on the spine. Misaligned vertebral segments can compress the nerves that run to various parts of the body. A chiropractor removes this interference, allowing the nerves to get their messages across. Furthermore, improper nerve supply may cause problems, such as numbness and tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy.Chiropractic focuses on the spine. Misaligned vertebral segments can compress the nerves that run to various parts of the body. A chiropractor removes this interference, allowing the nerves to get their messages across. Furthermore, improper nerve supply may cause problems, such as numbness and tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy.Think of spinal nerves as a garden hose. If you step on the hose and block the flow, the water has a hard time getting through. A chiropractor will focus on the problems, not the symptoms. If you are having shoulder pain, for example, you can take an anti-inflammatory, aspirin, or get an injection to treat the symptoms. Surely, the cause of the pain is not a "lack* of these substances. A chiropractor looks to alleviate the cause of the problem, thus relieving your pain and possibly preventing its return. Back to the garden hose analogy. The "aspirin" would turn up the pressure to push out more water. Chiropractic looks to remove the interference (i.e., getting the foot off of the hose), allowing the water to f low freely through the hose.There are definitely needs for drugs and surgery, for there are injuries that a chiropractor may not be able to heal. But why not try the noninvasive technique first? Here are some other examples of injuries that are not necessarily where the pain occurs.• Low back pain, in fact, may not originate in the low back.• Foot fixations can cause radiating pain. As the shock absorbers to your spine, your feet take a beating on a daily basis. There are twenty six bones in the feet and when they are not moving together properly, it cancause various aches and pains that may cause pain in the knees, hips or lower back.• Another example is carpal tunnel syndrome, or even wrist pain. Sometimes, fixation in the wrist may be the cause of the pain. However, sometimes cervical interference is the culprit.The benefits of chiropractic go beyond back pain into the realm of total health and well being. Not only does chiropractic help with various injuries and ailments; it also helps prevent them.