FOOTBALL & CHIROPRACTIC

While it can be a fun sport and a great way to get exercise, playing football is more than that to so many people around the world. Football is massive and a highly supported sport. It is embedded into different cultures across the continent. It is so big that it is estimated that approximately 4% of the world’s population play soccer. In 2006 FIFA conducted a survey called The Big Count and it was found that over 264.5 million people played soccer worldwide. So we can only guess what that figure is now in 2020.

Being the most widely played sport in the world, injuries are bound to be as common as goals in football ,and we are not talking about the famous Neymar “injuries. We are talking about the more serious kinds. These injuries occur more frequently in younger players, with 80% of injuries occurring in players under the age of 24 and 44% of injuries occurring in players under the age of 15.

The ankles, knees, pelvis, lower back, and neck are the most common sites of injury. Physical trauma (blunt force from hitting the ball, another player, or the ground) is generally the main culprit for injury but after time it is the routine wear and tear that brings about most long-term problems. Hours of repetitive twisting, explosive starting and stopping movements and ball contact pounds away at the body’s joints. Therefore joints will misalign and fixate, muscles will stretch, tear, spasm, and weaken and inflammation, scarring, and dysfunction will set in.

While it will never be possible to prevent all of these injuries, FIFA has attempted to substantially reduce the risk of injury. FIFA have come up with an injury-prevention programme which has shown to reduce the risk of injury by 30% and the risk of more severe injuries, like an ACL injury by 50%. These programmes are applicable to both male and female players and in children and referees.

This coupled with Chiropractic is a sure way to help with injury prevention, and even enhance performance! Research on the role chiropractic plays in naturally enhancing physical performance has produced findings that would excite players and coaches alike. A Study showed a group of athletes under Chiropractic care improved dramatically in agility, balance, power, and hand reaction compared to the group without Chiropractic care. After six weeks, the chiropractic group had an overall 10.7% improvement in athletic ability. The control group only had an improvement of 4.5%. After 12 weeks, the chiropractic group's improvement was 16.7% ! In the study it was stated that athlete under Chiropractic care react faster, have better coordination and execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision all amounting to an overall better athlete.

Another study conducted on our home soil in South Africa, tested football players from the Regional Premier League and shows really exciting results. The stats show that with chiropractic care, there was a significant increase in kicking speed after treatment. Considering how many games are either won or lost based on split seconds and how fast the ball can be kicked past the goalie, surely the results of this study will make every coach smile?

So what can a Chiropractor do?

Chiropractic offers a unique and comprehensive approach for soccer injuries from head to toe. The array of techniques used in chiropractic can profoundly benefit the soccer player and mitigate the effects the game has on the body. From gentle adjusting (realigning) the spine and extremities to soft tissue techniques on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, Chiropractic can help keep you and/or your child get back on the field, and even help improve performance. More specifically, if you suffer from knee pain, a Chiropractor will assess the knee and treat with manipulation and mobilization techniques, as well as strength and stability exercises, for the reduction of pain and inflammation.

We all know soccer is a physically demanding sport. Winning or losing depends on split second decisions and movements. A well-conditioned body that receives regular Chiropractic care has been proven to perform better. SO it’s a no brainer that Football and Chiropractic make up a winning strategy.

Cheers,

Team Hughes Chiropractic

(Blog post is written from a combination of my experiences and the various research I have read over time).