Common sports injuries can cause the soft tissues in our bodies to tighten and contract to protect our skeletons from damage. The contractions of these tissues can cause misalignment of the spinal column, subluxed vertebrae, and more. Eventually, these soft tissues may develop scar tissue.

Left untreated, these injuries can result in a variety of unpleasant symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, back pain and generalized discomfort. At Meek Integrative Health Center in Springfield MO, we use a variety of techniques to re-align the vertebrae, heal scar tissue and restore the body to its optimal state.

Myofascial Release Technique

This technique originally developed by athletes uses instruments to detect and treat scar tissue from healed injuries. This is helpful because scar tissue limits range of movement while also causing pain. The patient's original injury may have healed, but scar tissue prevents the patient from feeling truly well.

With Myofascial Release, instruments are used to comb the areas of injury until the scar tissue is detected. Then the instruments are used to break up the scar tissue. These tools increase blood flow and cellular activity in the affected areas, facilitating true healing and eliminating old scar tissue.

ART (Active Release Technique)

ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

How do overuse conditions occur?

Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:

• acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc),
• accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
• not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia).

Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

Cold Laser Therapy

Cold lasers are instruments used to aim beams of light into the injured parts of the body. These beams of light can penetrate the layers of the body up to 5 centimeters. The affected areas of the body absorb the light and a process much like photosynthesis begins. The cells convert the light into energy, allowing the injured area to return to a more normal state. This technique can reduce inflammation and pain while decreasing the time it takes for an injured part of the body to heal.

Kinesio Taping

With this method, a special type of body tape (known as Kinesio Tex Tape) is applied to areas of the body in order to affect change. Kinesio tape is designed to mimic the weight and pressure of the body's own skin.

When applied to the body, Kinesio tape pulls on the layers of skin, creating space between the muscle and the dermis for the purposes of relieving pressure on the lymph channels. This is done to increase drainage to the affected areas, and also change the signals that the nerves in the affected area send to the brain. This can reduce pain, increase range of motion and facilitate the healing of the affected area.

Kinesio tape is also believed to reduce muscle fatigue, increase muscle performance and improve the quality of muscle contraction. Kinesio Tex Tape also increases the mobility of the joints and improves joint alignment.

Treating Sports Injuries The Right Way

Meek Integrative Health Center in Springfield MO is proud to be one of the leading facilities in the Springfield area for treating sports injuries. We use all the latest techniques and equipment for healing persistent and painful conditions. For more information, contact us at (417) 717-8834 to set up an appointment.

Sports Injury Frequently Asked Questions

As an athlete, you understand that you need to be on top of your game at all times. Sustaining a sports injury can leave with aches and pains that might leave you out of the field for a while. Here at Meek Integrative Health Center in Springfield, MO, we want you to be at your best, so we offer sports injury treatment to help reduce your pain and prevent injury reoccurrence.

How Can I Tell The Difference Between An Injury and Normal Sports Soreness?

It's normal to have aches and pains after a tough workout, especially if you're diving into a new routine. This type of soreness typically wears off after a few days. Sports injuries are different than normal soreness. When you're injured, you'll find that the pain is making it difficult or impossible to go about your daily activities. A sports injury isn't likely to go away after a few days like standard post-workout ache. You may experience swelling, bruising, redness, or a limited range of motion at the site of your sports injury.

Can I Treat a Sports Injury At Home?

The RICE method, which is rest, ice, compression, and elevation, is a good sports injury treatment you can do at home if you have a minor injury. However, for best results, it's important to have your injury treated by our health care professionals.

Do Most Sports Injuries Get Better On Their Own?

Some sports injuries will get better on their own, but others will not. Often, sports injuries heal in a way that makes the injured site susceptible to reinjury. While the injury may feel better, it's hard to know whether it's fully healed without the help of an experienced medical professional.

How Can A Chiropractor Help Heal A Sports Injury?

When you come in for your appointment, we'll talk with you about how your injury occurred, and we'll examine your injury to learn more. Your chiropractor will develop a sports injury treatment plan to help your body heal on its own. Most of our patients find success using a few different modalities of chiropractic treatment, including spinal adjustment, massage, cold laser therapy, corrective exercise, and ultrasound. We'll revisit your treatment plan at each visit and adjust as necessary to ensure you continue healing.

Alleviate Your Pain with Natural Therapies

If you suffered from a sports injury, Meek Integrative Health Center is here to help you get back to the top of your game. Call our chiropractors in Springfield, MO, at (417) 887-0340  to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you make a full recovery.