The Important Role of Chiropractic Treatment for Gymnasts and Other Athletes
In the Philippines, gymnastics has been gaining popularity in recent years, especially after Carlos Yulo qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Fast forward to 2024 and Yulo snagged two gold medals (in two days) in the 2024 Paris Olympics for floor exercise and vault victories in artistic gymnastics.
Putting the Olympic factor and the health benefits of gymnastics into consideration, it is safe to say that its fame is going to skyrocket in the coming years. In line with this, individuals who wish to delve in the said sport should seriously consider including chiropractic treatment in their training routine. By doing so, they can optimize their biomechanics, prevent injuries, and even improve physical performance, among others.
The Benefits of Gymnastics
Before going through the benefits of chiropractic care on gymnastics, let us take a quick yet detailed look at the benefits of gymnastic training. Two of the most notable ones are elaborated below.
Improved Muscle Health
Gymnastics is a sport that activates several muscles of the body to achieve certain movements. With this in mind, it can be a great sport for those who want to make sure that their muscles are in optimum condition.
A comparative study that was published in PubMed showed that long-term gymnastics training had a positive impact on the flexion as well as extension of muscles, which, in turn, improved greater strength and flexibility. In addition to all these, it also suggests that gymnasts had 30% higher peak torque compared to their non-athletic counterparts.
Enhanced Motor Skills
Gymnastics is a complex sport that is known to improve motor learning and physical response. A separate study that was published in the National Library of Medicine showed that gymnasts who engaged in strenuous training as well as trampoline maneuvers exemplified better motor control than those who performed simple moves. This, in turn, can prevent the occurrence of injuries, especially those that are developed from falling.
Is Chiropractic Treatment Good for Gymnasts?
As of late, chiropractic treatment has emerged as a valuable resource for gymnasts and athletes, in general. This, because of the fact that it offers a holistic approach to manage unique challenges that they encounter on a regular basis and help them achieve optimum performance.
Proper Spinal Alignment for Optimal Biomechanics
One of the most notable benefits of chiro care is correcting spine misalignments. It should be noted that even the smallest misalignments can divert a gymnast’s center of gravity, which may lead to poor execution. That is not all; it can also increase the risk of injury.
This is where chiropractic adjustments come in. They can help aid in redistributing tension (especially during landing), reduce mechanical stress, optimize nerve function, and so forth.
Injury Prevention
It can be said that in the context of gymnastics, injury prevention is one of the cornerstones of chiropractic care. After all, the biomechanical as well as physical demands of gymnastics–oftentimes consisting of aerial maneuvers, rapid twists, etc.–present challenges that warrant specifically targeted interventions that the said holistic treatment can deliver.
Chiropractic treatment sessions for injury prevention oftentimes include soft tissue chiropractic massage techniques as well as mobilization methods that are tailored to meet the needs of gymnasts.
According to a study that was performed by researchers from North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy and published in the National Library of Medicine, the aforementioned methods can contribute to the reduction of pain associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), enhance sports performance and recovery, or rehabilitate sports injuries.
Putting the mentioned factors into consideration, it can be said that timely chiro adjustments can aid in identifying and correcting spine misalignments together with other joints. Consequently, this can significantly reduce the risk of sprains, strains, and other gymnastics-related injuries.
Improved Performance
Per a study that was published on the website of the University of Bridgeport, chiropractic treatment can improve gymnastics and sports performance, in general, by refining biomechanics and coordination.
Refined Biomechanics
In simple terms, biomechanics is the function and motion of the body. A chiropractic doctor can evaluate a gymnast’s biomechanics and identify issues of dysfunction.
Later on, he or she can address them by means of manual adjustments that are complemented by corrective exercises as well as a healthy diet. All these can refine biomechanics and allow a gymnast to improve performance by enabling them to move more efficiently.
Maximized Athleticism
Chiro adjustments can drastically boost range of motion, mobility, and flexibility. Attributes that play key roles with regard to allowing gymnasts to perform at the highest level.
Therefore, by helping the said athletes achieve optimum spine alignment, a chiro doctor can help them maximize athletic athleticism and improve performance.
Enhanced Nervous System Function
A separate study that was published in the National Library of Medicine suggests that the nervous system plays an important role when it comes to coordinating movement, reflexes, and athletic performance, among others. In line with this, according to a study that was published in Science Direct, chiropractic treatment can protect the nervous system.
How? Well, the underlying principle is that any form of damage, strain, or distortion in the spine area can lead to a multitude of problems. Problems which may have a negative impact on the glands, internal organs, blood vessels, and others. That said, the objective of the mentioned holistic treatment is to harmonize the body’s systems and allow its natural capacity to heal itself function properly by realigning the spine.
This may eventually improve communication between the brain as well as the body. Consequently, such a benefit may lead to improved coordination, reaction time, and balance–attributes–that are essential when it comes to gymnastic performance.
What to Expect from Chiropractic Care for Gymnastics
In general, chiropractic care for gymnasts usually involves a combination of chiropractic massage, spinal adjustments, and rehabilitative workouts, among others. The initial visit may include an extensive analysis of the gymnast’s medical history, physical examination, current symptoms, etc. Based on that, the chiropractic doctor is going to create a customized treatment plan that is tailor-fit to the said athlete’s specific needs and objectives.
By focusing on spinal alignment, pain management, injury prevention, and performance enhancement, chiropractic care can play a crucial role in helping gymnasts achieve their full potential in the sport while maintaining their long-term health and well-being.
Summing up
Chiropractic treatment offers a holistic method to meet the specific needs of gymnasts and other athletes. By focusing on spinal alignment, injury prevention, and pain management, among others, it can play a very significant role in allowing gymnasts to reach their full potential, while ensuring both their short-term and long-term well-being are not compromised in any way.
At Posture Perfect, we help athletes and active individuals address the unique challenges as well as demands of their sport or any physical activity. Our chiropractic doctors can provide a personalized approach that can help them thrive.
Book an appointment now! Our friendly and knowledgeable personnel will guide you throughout the whole process and make sure that your chiro sessions go on as planned.
