Reasons Why Sportsman Should Look After Their Health and Wellness
Guest
It seems inevitable that with the growing demand for sports, one gets bound to experience the threats that stem from it. Out of the many flaws, sports accidents rank as one of the most common causes and lead to frequent spinal injuries, soft tissue injuries, bruising, etc. And since health wellness can get understood as one of the fundamentals required for healthy living, we must find practical medical solutions for them.
Another threat instigated at the hands of sports accidents includes ligament stiffness experienced around the neck region. Sometimes the accident gets so sudden that muscles go into spasm due to the sudden impact caused at the hands of the collision. And this phenomenon commonly gets referred to as a Whiplash injury. It holds great potential to cause a drastic effect on the cervical spine. And many times, patients feel disabled and bound to their beds because of the excruciating cycles of pain.
An in-depth scientific research analysis on wellness involved crash dummies and high-speed cameras to study the impact of sudden collisions on the spinal cord. And it showed that a sudden impact on the lower bones causes them to get pressed into a state commonly called hyperextension. And on the other hand, the bones in the upper areas get forced into a state of hyperflex. An irregular movement causes the spine to stay in a deformed S-shape, which wears out the ligaments piecing the vertebrae structure together.
Corporate Wellness App
CircleCare
Scientific data derived from research proved that around 3 million Americans get subjected to Whiplash injuries annually. And about 1.5 million suffer from prolonged periods of pain, while approximately 300,000 face some disability. However, Whiplash injuries usually occur during car accidents (at a speed of fewer than 12 miles per hour), proving how fragile the human skeleton can be.
To understand the ever-increasing frequency of road accidents, we must observe the National Transportation Safety Board study, which confirms that one car accident happens every 10 seconds and adds up to about 2 million injuries per year. And what might come off as a surprise to you is that most such accidents get categorized as Whiplashes when diagnosed at a wellness clinic.
The Culprits behind Whiplash injury
Car design
Whiplash accidents tend to increase by about 30% based on car designs. For example, a headrest that gets put too high or too low inside a car interior can cause problems. If your head does not sit correctly, it can easily get subjected to frequent neck jerks and whiplash injury.
Age
Perhaps age and wellness go hand in hand for most individuals and as we age, so do our muscles, ligaments, and joints. Over time, such ligaments weaken, and so do our reflexes. And that causes a loss of flexibility inside the body. Therefore, the body gets more fragile, and movement gets restricted, which causes the slightest neck strain to lead to whiplash.
Gender
Just like age, wellness, and accidental tendencies go hand in hand, so does gender. Unfortunately, women and children genetically have a smaller and shorter stature than men. And that is one reason why seatbelts mostly stay loose on them. Hence, most women get forced to recline dangerously close to their wheel/airbag, which increases the chances of accidents.
Carelessness on the sportsman part
A third factor that does have to do so much with wellness is negligence on the sportsman’s part about his safety. Often, they start playing without wearing safety costumes. Moreover, common distractions during the play include using the cell phone, eating, texting, etc. It severely hampers concentration spans and increases accidental tendencies.
‘Prevention is Better Than Cure’
Perhaps discussing a couple of practical issues for such threats faced daily never did anyone harm – staying on the safe side can never become a problem in the long run. One should always take the necessary precautions in time.
- Never sleep without a cushion under your head because prolonged periods in such positions ruin overall body posture
- Sleeping at weird angles also puts tendons under pressure, and that can cause injury in the long run
- Be mindful of wearing proper gear when on the field playing your favorite sport
Underlying Whiplash Symptoms
Whiplash symptoms can mostly get experienced within the first 24 hours of the accident. And readers can find a short brief in the following list.
- Dizziness
- Pain jaw area
- Pain experienced in either of the two shoulders
- Back pain
- Noticeable stiffness
- Blurry vision
- Ringing sounds felt in the ears
- Body gets numb
- Constant fatigue
Professional Care and Treatment
A technique used by a Sports Chiropractor in the past with Whiplash treatment involved securing the tensed neck muscles with a soft collar. However, later on, practitioners realized that this only hampered the recovery process, especially in cases that did not show signs of abnormal spinal alignment. Exercise becomes the last resort and proves effective in most cases since it allows a better range of motion to the damaged muscles. In such a case, exercise is now the best thing to allow some movement to the disturbed muscles.
Let us now consider chiropractic care, another remedy that can only be administered at a chiropractic clinic by a healthcare professional in the field. A Sports Chiropractor might be the person you would want to approach after getting into a whiplash accident when playing one of your favorite sports.
Perhaps the best part about this form of treatment is that it aligns well with wellness standards since it devises natural processes to get rid of neck or back pain. And that does not cut down too much on one’s health in terms of side effects. Chiropractors often cure the patient manually but also make use of tools.
A sudden pressure is applied onto the affected area in a swift and steady motion that manually instigates better spinal movement and body productivity. Therefore, after calling the police at an accident site, perhaps the only thing left to do next is visit a professional chiropractor. It will help ease pain levels of whiplash, both in the long and short term.
Effective Ways Used by Chiropractors
People often assume that the work of a Sports Chiropractor can never become difficult to execute, but that is false on several levels.
A few techniques mentioned below summarise how experts go about their treatment.
Heat Therapy
Everyone would agree on how effective hot showers become in relaxing tensed muscles after a tough day at the gym. Similarly, hot towels or hot water baths play the same role in curing neck sprains. A warm, wet towel kept in the affected areas helps relax stiffened muscles.
Collar or Neck Brace Usage
A collar or brace can be effective, but it can also increase fragility later. Hence, such a remedy must always first get discussed by a professional Chiropractor.
McKenzie Exercises
McKenzie’s exercises involve repetitive, stable movements as instructed at Chiropractic clinics. They comprise simple, easy-to-do exercises like lying on the back, rotating the neck towards either side of the shoulders, and slowly stretching the neck tendons for about 20 seconds.
Stabilization, as well as sensorimotor exercises, are just some other remedies for whiplash.
Last Thoughts
One can now access wellness apps on your phone, best suited for athletes, or people who prioritize physical activity. Appointments with your nearest chiropractor can also get booked online, which helps in making healthcare achievable for all.
Lose weight 
