Spend Less Time Recovering from Injuries
Spring is underway, and with warmer weather comes more time spent outdoors running, hiking, cycling, or starting a landscaping project.
These activities are great ways to spend more time with family and get some fresh air, but they also come with risk of injury.
Whether you’ve pulled a muscle or done more damage, being laid up for the summer is no fun. Make sure you take care of your body by healing properly and getting the care you need to get back to the activities you love!
What Happens When You Have a Muscle Injury?
When an injury occurs, soft tissue like muscles, ligaments, or tendons are damaged. This occurs through a macro or micro trauma. Macro is a large trauma usually resulting in a fracture, dislocation or laceration.
Micro is commonly referred to as an overuse injury. These types of injuries include tendonitis, bursitis, muscle strains and even disc bulges. Due to the constant repetitive stress, tissues break down over time and become weak. This also leaves them susceptible to macro trauma due to the weakened state of the tissue.
DIY Healing Methods
A popular method that many people use to treat an injury is called the PRICE method.
PRICE stands for:
- Protection
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
The main goal of this process is to control inflammation. Research shows that sticking to the PRICE method of injury treatment may not be the best technique for full recovery. This is because PRICE focuses on reducing inflammation and immobilizing the injured area.
Using ice for 10-15 minutes to reduce inflammation, then letting the tissues return to normal body temperature, followed by the application of heat for an additional 15-20 minutes to increase inflammation seems to help injuries recover faster. As the level of pain goes down, adding in controlled active range of motion will further assist in this process. Think of this hot, cold, movement combination as a pumping action to flush out the injured area.
However, the PRICE method interferes with the inflammatory process by reducing it all together. View this time when your injury is inflamed as the first and maybe most important step in the healing process. If this initial phase of healing is completed properly it will ensure that you bounce back to 100% or in some cases even better than you were before the injury.
How can Chiropractic Care Help with Micro and Macro Injuries?
People who have injuries from a micro trauma, or one that is repetitive in nature, respond well to specific corrective care. These individuals may require stretches or general rehabilitation in addition to their regular spinal corrections. The key to bouncing back is to make sure the body has time to heal and most importantly help to facilitate the healing process.
Get Back to Spring and Summer Activities with Help from Pivotal Chiropractic!
Chiropractic care can be beneficial to athletes, or just those of us who are more active – avid walkers, runners, cyclists, and people who work out regularly.
Outdoor activities and exercises performed with proper technique should not cause pain, even if you feel a little bit sore after a long hike or working out.
If you’re prone to injuries due to working out, weight lifting, or CrossFit, we can help you too! We understand that healthcare choices are critical decisions and that you have many different options for a chiropractor in Ann Arbor and the surrounding communities. If you have back pain, neck pain, or tingling or numbness in your hands and feet, it’s time to see a chiropractor. To schedule a complimentary consultation, where a conversation is never a commitment, contact us at 734-221-0362.