A chiropractor may be an option for muscle, joint and spine-related sports injuries, particularly if pain persists or keeps limiting your training. Care usually involves an assessment, a plan for managing your training load, rehab exercises and possibly hands-on treatment. Suspected fractures, dislocations, concussion and severe injuries need medical assessment first.
What sports injuries do chiropractors commonly assess?
Chiropractors focus on the muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons and related nerves. Examples of sports problems they may assess include:
- Lower back and neck pain related to training
- Muscle strains and ligament sprains
- Tendon pain. The Chiropractic Association of South Africa has an article on tendonitis.
- Overuse pain in the shoulder, hip, knee or ankle
Some chiropractors have a particular interest in sport. Chiro Sport South Africa is the sports chiropractic organisation affiliated with CASA.
What should you do straight after a sports injury?
If you don’t have signs of a serious injury, the PEACE and LOVE approach, proposed in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, is a useful guide for soft tissue injuries.
PEACE, for the first few days:
- Protect: limit movement for a day to three days if needed, but avoid long periods of rest.
- Elevate: raise the injured area when you can.
- Avoid anti-inflammatories: the authors question whether they help tissue healing, so check with your doctor or pharmacist what is suitable for you.
- Compress: use a bandage or tape if it helps with swelling.
- Educate: understand your injury and take an active part in recovery.
LOVE, for the days that follow:
- Load: start to use the area again as your symptoms allow.
- Optimism: your expectations and confidence can affect recovery.
- Vascularisation: choose pain-free cardiovascular exercise.
- Exercise: restore movement, strength and awareness of your body’s position.
The advice isn’t settled. The same editorial questions the use of ice, while other authors argue that ice and more active acute treatment may be useful for moderate to severe injuries. Ask a health professional for advice on your specific injury.
When is it worth seeing a chiropractor for a sports injury?
Consider having a registered health professional assess your injury if:
- Pain isn’t improving after one to two weeks
- Pain returns each time you go back to training
- You aren’t sure what you can safely keep doing
- An old injury keeps limiting your activity
- You want a structured plan for returning to sport
What does sports injury care involve?
A chiropractor will usually begin by asking how the injury happened, what your training looks like and what you want to get back to. An examination should follow, and you may be referred for scans or to another professional if needed. Care may then include:
- Advice on what to reduce, change or keep doing
- Rehab exercises and soft tissue therapy
- Chiropractic adjustments, where suitable and with your consent
- A gradual plan for returning to your sport
Keep in mind that hands-on care is only one part of recovery. The PEACE and LOVE editorial argues that passive treatments early after injury have little effect on pain and function compared with an active approach. A good plan should therefore focus on what you can do yourself. If your pain is related to a joint condition, read our article on osteoarthritis and staying active.
Which sports injuries need urgent medical care?
Stop playing and seek immediate medical care if there is:
- A blow to the head with confusion, memory loss, vomiting, a severe headache or loss of consciousness
- A neck or spine injury with neck pain, numbness, tingling or weakness. Don’t move the person unless they are in danger, and call for emergency help.
- Obvious deformity, or a joint that looks out of place
- An inability to bear weight or use the limb
- Severe swelling, or a limb that is numb, pale or cold
- Chest pain, difficulty breathing or collapse
Frequently asked questions
Should I see a chiropractor or a physiotherapist for a sports injury?
Both are registered health professions that assess and manage musculoskeletal injuries, and approaches differ between individual practitioners. Choose someone who assesses you carefully, explains your options and refers you when needed.
Can I keep training with an injury?
Sometimes, with changes to your training. It depends on the injury, your symptoms and your sport, so seek advice if you are unsure.
When can I return to sport?
There’s no single timeline. Your return should depend on your symptoms, strength, movement and ability to do your sport’s demands. Follow your sport’s and doctor’s guidance after a concussion.
You can read more about chiropractic care or get in touch with any questions.
This article is general information and doesn’t replace an individual assessment by a registered healthcare practitioner.