Chiropractor Chandler AZ

Basketball Injuries - Prevention and Recovery

Basketball: An American Game

Basketball is truly the quintessential all-American sport, and it is more popular than ever these days. From its humble beginnings in Massachusetts a century ago, the sport has generated worldwide appeal; millions of people in over 200 countries play the sport now. Americans love playing it, too. Basketball by far is the most dominant sport in youth leagues, with millions of kids playing it across the country. However, while Americans cannot seem to get enough of basketball, there is one downside to the sport's popularity: injuries.

Basketball players, especially growing teenagers or people who play the sport intensely, can be susceptible to injury. A recent study indicated that basketball players typically experience 1.94 injuries for every 1000 hours of exposure to the game (both in practice as well as during actual games). While this is considerably lower than contact sports like football or rugby, it is still something to consider as you or your children approach the sport. The types of injury vary, but soft tissue issues like shin splints, patellar tendonitis (knee pain), and shoulder pain are extremely common in basketball. Fortunately, recurring pain does not have to keep you on the sidelines forever. There are new and innovative techniques to treat soft tissue basketball injuries and get players back on the court sooner rather than later.

The Graston Technique for Basketball Players

One of the newer treatments to help basketball players recover from a painful soft tissue injury is the Graston Technique (GT). GT is a form of soft tissue mobilization, and involves a trained practitioner using a specially designed set of stainless steel instruments to manipulate afflicted soft tissue. The GT instruments allow clinicians to identify injured tissue, and then are used to break down scar tissue and other restrictors. The technique facilitates increased blood flow to problem areas, alleviates pain, and can speed up the recovery process. While still a relatively new medical innovation, several clinical trials have affirmed the Graston Technique's effectiveness at addressing soft tissue injuries.

GT therapy is great news for basketball players suffering from shin splints or leg sprains. Typical soft tissue injuries like this, often called adhesions, can keep muscles painfully tight and limit range of motion. GT is particularly effective at addressing these conditions. Additionally, GT can immediately address the buildup of scar tissue, alleviate lingering pain, and promote soft tissue healing for other basketball injuries as well. The Graston technique can be especially effective at addressing injuries before they become serious and debilitating, so it is worth checking with your physical therapist to get treatment as soon as your aches and pains start adding up.

Active Release Therapy (ART) for Basketball Players

Active Release Therapy, or ART, is another relatively new non-invasive technique to treat injuries commonly seen in basketball. ART is a patented technique that involves hand manipulation of soft tissue by a trained practitioner. ART's 500-move treatment protocol is exceptionally effective at identifying damaged soft tissue, and then treating it. These carefully designed, precision movements, like GT, can help increase blood flow, alleviate pain, and restore range of motion. All of this, again, is great news for sidelined basketball players everywhere.

Specially trained ART practitioners are adept at identifying the source of soft tissue injury or pain, then breaking down the scar tissue causing it. Active Release Therapy is also used as a preventative measure to keep muscles and tendons primed for workouts, thus avoiding injury altogether. ART can be great for dedicated basketball players, especially those who are experiencing routine or growing soft tissue pain. So if injuries are holding you back from giving it all you've got on the court, ART may be the right choice for you.

Get Back on the Court

Basketball is the all-American sport, and continues to grow in popularity. The fast paced sport, with its lightning runs up the court, takes a toll on athletes' bodies and leaves them susceptible to a variety of injuries. The Graston Technique and Active Release Therapy offer innovative ways to keep basketball players' muscles and tendons in good shape, and prevent injury altogether. They are also extremely effective at treating soft tissue injuries and rapidly getting you back in action. So don't wait until it's too late. Do your homework, find a clinician who offers GT or ART and get back on the court before anyone notices you were missing.

Our Chandler Chiropractic and Physical Therapy clinic treats patients with a variety of muscle, tendon, joint, and ligament injuries. The clinic provides treatment for runners, tri-athletes, and weekend warriors in addition to common headache, neck, and back patients traditionally seen in Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Massage Therapy clinics. We work with all ages and abilities of the residents in Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, Mesa, and Chandler AZ.