Chiropractor Chandler AZ

Staying CrossFit - Innovative Ways to Recover from CrossFit Injuries

CrossFit is one of the most popular and fastest growing fitness trends in the world today. By some counts, there are over 9,000 CrossFit gyms, or Boxes, worldwide, and hundreds and thousands of dedicated CrossFit athletes. If you include other extreme fitness activities like Tough Mudders, Spartan Races, and the like, millions of people are out there giving it all they have in grueling physical events. While all of this is a seemingly positive trend, there is one downside - injuries.

Thousands of people are injured each year while doing CrossFit workouts. A recent study found there are approximately 3.1 CrossFit injuries per 1,000 workouts - a high rate of injury found only in other challenging sports like competitive weightlifting and triathlons. Typical injuries are no different from those in other active sports, and range from knee and shoulder pain to severe tendonitis. These injuries are sometimes exacerbated by the intensity of the workouts, and CrossFit enthusiasts' dedication to the sport; no firebreather ever wants to quit. Fortunately, jumper's knee and a bad shoulder do not have to keep you away from the workout of the day (or WOD) forever; there are new and innovative techniques to treat common CrossFit injuries, alleviate pain, and get you back in the Box in a relatively short amount of time.

The Graston Technique: Tailor-Made for CrossFit Injuries

One of the newer treatments for typical CrossFit injuries is the Graston Technique (GT). GT is a form of soft tissue mobilization. GT 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 CrossFit. Dedicated or new CrossFit athletes typically experience strained muscles and tendons, or adhesions, which keep muscles painfully tight and limit range of motion. Additionally, CrossFit's total body workout ethos often leaves athletes with a myriad of body pain and injures, all of which are extremely difficult to address with a foam roller or by stretching your legs out atop a racquetball. GT can immediately address the buildup of scar tissue, alleviate lingering pain, and promote soft tissue healing. 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 Treatment Therapy (ART) for CrossFit Injuries

Active Release Therapy, or ART, is another relatively new non-invasive technique to treat injuries commonly seen in CrossFit athletes. 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 CrossFit enthusiasts.

ART can help address the type of repetitive motion injuries that are endemic to CrossFit athletes. 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. Indeed, ART is so popular to treat CrossFit injuries that some of the bigger Boxes out there include ART clinicians on staff.

Don't Stay Injured, Stay CrossFit

CrossFit is an extremely popular and effective way to get in the best shape of your life and stay that way. The intensity of CrossFit workouts, like any other demanding sports, can frequently lead to recurring pain or injury. The Graston Technique and Active Release Therapy offer CrossFit athletes innovative ways to keep muscles and tendons in good shape, and prevent injury altogether. They are also extremely effective at treating soft tissue injuries and rapidly getting CrossFit athletes back into the Box and working out. So firebreathers, don't wait until it's too late. Do your homework, find a clinician who offers GT or ART (ideally, in your CrossFit Box), and keep yourself injury free WORKOUT after WORKOUT.

Our Chandler Chiropractic and Physical Therapy clinic treats patients with a variety of muscle, tendon, joint, and ligament injuries. The clinic provides treatment for CrossFit athletes, 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.