It would be rude not to wouldn't it? Since it is the week of the AFL Grand Final, and for the first time, and possibly last, it is in Perth! So for this week's blog we thought we would explore Chiropractic and AFL!
So while sports, in particular AFL, can be incredibly fun, the competitive and combative nature of this sport can lead to all kinds of injuries. These injuries can be both acute / impact in nature, or even perhaps more of a chronic / overload style injury. Now when these injuries do a occur, where do you look? Where is you first port of call for getting this injury assessed and treated? If your first action is to consult with a Primary Health Care provider, you are on the right track! While your local Perth Chiropractor would be a good place to start, there are many fantastic Physiotherapists that can assist.
So why consult with your local Perth Chiropractor? There are so many reasons! Firstly, they need to assess your injury. It is very important to understand what you have done, what is the severity and then decide the course of action after this. Whilst the majority of the time sports injuries can be managed conservatively by your local Perth Chiropractor, occasionally your sports injury may need to be referred on for either further investigations, or on to a seperate primary health care provider. This initial assessment is key to ensuring a speedy recovery.
Looking at the data available, there are numerous common AFL injuries that both amateur and professional players will experience. The majority of the most common AFL injuries occur in the lower half of the body. Generally these are in the hip, groin, and thigh area. Of these common AFL injuries, the most common that Perth Chiropractors would see is a hamstring strain.
As Hamstring Strains are really common, the Perth Chiropractors at Harrisdale Chiropractic are very accustomed to treating them. Our Perth Chiropractors will utilise a range of treatment modalities to assist in a speedy recovery, and these modalities can range anywhere from Dry Needling to Rehab Exercises. Now given that the most common risk factor for developing a hamstring strain, is previously having a hamstring strain, it is important to receive the appropriate rehabilitation in the first place. For this reason, once the pain in the thigh has subsided, our Perth Chiropractors will assist you in strengthening your hamstring to avoid any further relapses.
The hamstring strain may be the most common, however there are so many other regions that can injured in AFL. Commonly injuries will present around the ankle, knee and hip. The treatments for injuries in these areas are similar to any other injury and will aim to initially reduce pain, improve mobility once pain has relieved, and finally to prevent further injury or the injury reoccurring. In summary whilst an initial injury may bring you in to consult with your Perth Chiropractor, it is important to remember that once this injury has recovered, your Perth Chiropractor will aim to keep your body functioning at 100%, to reduce the chances of injuries occurring again.
So back to the big dance. Have you got your tickets? We have, a cannot wait to witness this historic event! Are you backing the Demons to break the drought? Or do you want to see the Bulldogs beat the odds again? Well, we are almost there, and cannot wait to see what Saturday brings!