Winter Sports Injuries

Utah is home to 10-world class ski resorts! Many residents throughout Utah enjoy flocking to the mountains for snow skiing, snow boarding, tubing, and other exciting activities. However, there are many people that end up injuring themselves on the hills thanks to incorrect modalities and common accidents that can easily occur when participating in sports. Did you know sports injuries are the second most common reason people visit the emergency room? If you are planning to head out and hit the slopes, or even go outside to build a snowman, here are some things you need to consider about the most common winter sports injuries and how effective chiropractic care can treat those sports injuries and often decrease the risk of surgery.

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are so common! From a simple misstep that causes you to roll your ankle, to an intense sports injury, ankle injuries are happening daily. Snowboarder’s ankle is a common issue we treat in our Kaysville chiropractic office. While it does help to rest and ice your ankle, there are certain stretches and muscle manipulation we provide that will assist in repairing the damage to the ankle. Proper healing is vital or you can find your ankle continues to ache and throb and could lead to more serious problems in the future.

Concussion

One of the most common winter sports injuries is a concussion. Concussions occur often in the winter when people fall and slip on ice and snow. It’s easy for skiers and snowboarders to deal with concussions as a simple fall can easily cause a person to hit their head. Helmets are often recommended for people planning to go out skiing and snowboarding to help minimize the risk of concussion sports injuries. However, we often see people with concussions after ice skating. A nice afternoon at one of our local ice skating rinks can easily turn into a disaster. When you do take a tumble and end up with a concussion, you will likely see some of the following symptoms:

• Blurry vision
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Exhaustion or tiredness
• Nausea
• Swelling at injury site
• Vomiting

Chiropractic care following a concussion will include an adjustment as misalignment is common after a winter sports injuries. When the body is incorrectly aligned, it can lead to problems with the nervous system relaying messages along with effective blood flow. In addition to alignment, we will do an evaluation of your health and identify any underlying conditions that could cause difficulties healing following a concussion.

Knee Injuries

Our knees absorb shock throughout daily activities. Winter sports commonly include a lot of pivoting and movement from the knee. Ice skating, snowboarding, and skiing are all common sports that cause people to end up with knee injuries. If you fall on the knee, the injury is often worse as it strains the muscles by bending the knee in an unnatural way. Patients with sports injuries to your knee often find themselves in line for surgery due to torn ligaments and additional problems. If you have been recommended for knee surgery, we urge you to contact our office for pre-surgery knee treatment. We can assist in strengthening the muscles to make it easier on the recovery process. In some cases, we have even been able to help patients avoid surgery thanks to correct chiropractic techniques.

Wrist Injury

Falling while performing winter sports often leads to wrist injuries. Wrist injuries can be a simple sprain, or a painful break. The wrist has multiple bones and ligaments, making it easy for tearing of muscle fibers. However, many people do not know how severe the injury actually is and think it’s a simple sprain. It is important to have your wrist examined to know the type of damage you are dealing with. Contact our Kaysville chiropractic clinic for an examination of the wrist. If you are experiencing any of the following, contact us:

• Limited movement ability
• Swelling and inflammation
• Redness or discoloration
• Tender to the touch
• Deformity
• Numbness
• Unable to move the wrist or fingers

Grant Chiropractic will focus on adjusting the carpal bones to help adjust the wrist to allow for correct blood flow. We will push and pull the wrist to see movements and which ones help to decrease pain. Our wrist injury treatment is based on the patient and the extent of the injury. Each patient receives their own patient treatment plan, unique to your injury. We find utilizing the body’s natural healing ability through correct modalities and manipulations, patients are able to return to their favorite winter sports sooner.