Many patients may not fully grasp the specialized knowledge and skills that distinguish sports chiropractors. While both share a common chiropractic foundation, sports chiropractors possess advanced expertise in addressing the unique musculoskeletal needs of athletes.
Sports chiropractors receive additional, specialized training in several areas that distinguish them from standard chiropractors. This makes them more capable of treating movement-impairing sports injuries, which are often suffered by athletes.
In addition to standard spinal alignments, sports chiropractors can perform more advanced chiropractic techniques such as:
- Adjusting extremities
- Applying chiropractic techniques to systems affecting movement, including the knee, ankles, shoulder, and other joints and surrounding muscle tissues.
- Prescribing exercise plans meant to optimize specific movements necessary for athletic activity.
- Designing custom rehabilitation programs for stretching and reworking areas injured in athletic performance to help players return to their sport.
Keep in mind that “athletes” tend to form only a relatively small portion of patients. While sports chiropractors specialize in sports to treat the unique needs of athletes, they treat all types of patients. Their brand of care, specializing in restoring movement, is also ideal for elderly patients or those with debilitating injuries.
How Do You Become A Sports Chiropractor?
To become a sports chiropractor, candidates must complete the required coursework and training to become a Doctor of Chiropractic. This includes at least three years of undergraduate study and an additional three to five years of graduate study. This training means that all sports chiropractors have the same training as standard chiropractors do.
However, candidates must undergo additional post-doctoral licensing by obtaining a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians (CCSP) certificate to become an accredited sports chiropractor. This proves they have had at least 100 hours of sports medicine-related post-doctoral education and passed a board examination.
After attaining a CCSP, prospective sports chiropractors must then acquire a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP). Often a lengthy and robust program, acquiring a DACBSP requires a written exam, multipart practical exams, a written thesis, and 250 hours of practical experience in the field.
What’s The Difference Between Sports Chiropractors And Standard Chiropractors?
Traditional chiropractors mainly focus on diagnosing and treating neuromuscular disorders by manually manipulating and adjusting a patient’s spine. In contrast, sports chiropractors typically take a more holistic approach to treatment and pain relief by restoring and improving the patient’s range of movement.
This is especially beneficial for athletes whose range of movement greatly affects their performance. Sports chiropractors offer more services to help athletes improve their movements while simultaneously treating neuromuscular disorders.
What Do Sports Chiropractors Treat Exactly?
Sports chiropractors can perform extremity adjustments, which are not typically performed by standard chiropractors. Extremity adjustments are based on aligning a patient’s neurological system (the spine) with their mechanical control system (their extremities). When the extremities are misaligned, it offsets the spine into misalignment, and vice versa.
When athletes experience unexplained soreness and pain, it is typically a result of misaligned extremities causing issues with spinal alignment. However, aligning a spine will not fix the alignment of extremities. Aligning extremities so they are in place to support your nervous system is one of the most important therapies a sports chiropractor can perform.
In addition to curative therapy, sports chiropractors provide preventative therapy and offer treatments, such as massage therapy, to reduce pain and improve performance. They use their knowledge of body mechanics to prescribe treatment plans aimed at improving movement for optimal athletic performance, preventing injury, and enhancing athletes’ abilities.
Get Back in The Game With Governor’s Park Chiropractic
Our experienced and friendly chiropractic staff understands the level of care demanded by athletes to ensure they are at their peak performance level. Our professional sports medicine chiropractors work with athletes seeking advanced healing, therapy, and personalized treatment plans. No matter your healthcare needs or goals, know that the team at Governor’s Park is here to help. Contact us today at (720) 928-3683 and discover what our sports chiropractors can do for you.
Governor's Park Chiropractic is the Colorado chiropractor team dedicated to helping individuals get out of pain and achieve better health. Offering a range of services and treatment options to meet the specific needs of each patient.