Chiropractic
Dr Darren Barnes-Heath BSc DC
Dr Darren Barnes-Heath has twelve years’ experience as a practitioner. Qualifying from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, he soon achieved a post-graduate qualification in treating the body’s extremities (arms and legs) - in particular, treating foot complaints to help sportspeople and those with long-standing back pain. Amongst his many clients, Darren has treated the players from Lincoln City football Club for the last six years.
Chiropractic and Sports
When a runner injures a calf midway through a race, or a footballer pulls a hamstring as he kicks the ball in the same way he has kicked it thousands of times before, it may not be the running or the kicking that has caused the injury, but an underlying problem that is finally showing itself. Whether it is a previously undetected spine or joint problem, or years of poor posture, the resulting injury could potentially signal the end of a sporting career. As the benefits of chiropractic treatment are increasingly recognised, many top sports teams have incorporated chiropractors into their medical care.
Sports injuries
Whether you are an amateur sports enthusiast or a top professional, your body is prone to the same kinds of injuries. Repeated stresses can lead to a slight loss of proper movement in the bones of your spine (vertebrae) and joints, which in turn can interfere with the healthy working of your muscles and nerves. When athletes ignore the painful warning signs, carrying on with training and sport for too long without treatment, they can suddenly find themselves debilitated with a chronic injury. This is not conducive to maintaining optimum fitness. If a part of the body isn’t working properly, and it continues to be overloaded, athletes risk prolonging the healing process and risking further long-term complications. Indeed chiropractors are seeing more and more amateurs and professionals with:
- Hamstring and calf strains
- Achilles tendon injuries
- Groin and thigh sprains
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Tennis elbow
- Shoulder sprains (rotator cuff injuries)
- Tendonitis
- Sciatica (often confused with hamstring pulls)
These injuries often recur, thus potentially shortening promising sporting careers and preventing enthusiastic amateurs from achieving their fitness goals. After chiropractic treatment which improves the movement and strength of the joints and muscles, however, injuries are far more likely to heal more quickly and less likely to happen again.
Problems with performance
Injury is not the only problem for sports enthusiasts and professionals. Many find that they reach a ‘threshold of ability’, and cannot improve further, however hard they work and however much training they put in.
As a discipline, chiropractic works to improve both function and health. As well as speeding up recovery from injury, practitioners monitor how well the brain controls and coordinates the muscles - a crucial aspect to enhance and maintain coordination and, ultimately, performance, whilst helping to prevent future injuries. Many athletes experience improvements in performance because of this multi-focused approach.
Innovative training techniques
Certain chiropractors also use a method of training known as Interactive Metronome training. This improves timing and coordination - vital for all racket sports, sports involving catching or kicking, and the martial arts. Training on the Interactive Metronome enhances one’s rhythm and has been shown to improve golfers’ shot accuracy. It also increases mental processing speed and sharpens concentration, helping athletes to stay calm and focused during competitive events.
Back on track
Unlike painkilling drugs, chiropractic gets behind the cause of an injury, rather than just treating the injury alone and masking the body’s warning signals that something is wrong. Chiropractors typically carry out a full examination (often including X-rays if necessary) and take a full case history, involving questions about your sporting life, posture, medical history and lifestyle, to discover the cause of your injury or poor performance and make an accurate diagnosis.
Treatment itself begins with gentle, specific adjustments (the chiropractic word for manipulation) done by hand, in order to free stiff joints and remove spinal nerve irritation. This effective drug- free treatment is generally painless, although some people may feel some short-term discomfort around the affected area.
Good chiropractors will offer a rehabilitation plan specific to your needs, to improve your flexibility, muscle strength, muscle coordination and control. This all helps to prevent future flare-ups.
Most athletes who have benefited from chiropractic treatment return for regular check-ups to keep their body working at its best. Regardless of age, condition or health, chiropractic care can improve your athletic potential.
