Your bones and soft tissues (muscles, tendons, nerves, and ligaments) work together to set you in motion. Ligaments and tendons are the body's connectors. Tendons hold muscles to bones and ligaments hold bones together. If not properly managed soft-tissue injuries can cause stiffness, pain, and eventually disability. So let's talk about what happens when you over-do. Muscle soreness may appear 48 hours after an injury and may last for several days. You always hope that muscle soreness will just pass. If it doesn't go away within 2 to 3 days, you should be evaluated for a more serious injury, such as a sprain or strain. The most common soft-tissue injury is a muscle strain or "pulled" muscle. To recognize the difference between a sprain and a strain, keep in mind that a strain always involves the muscles and tendons; a sprain involves the ligaments. Muscle cramps are an age-old enemy of the athlete. Chiropractic adjustments can improve your circulation while the proper nutritional support can help keep you electrolytes in balance to prevent painful muscle contractions. Numbness, tingling, or pain in the hand area can be symptoms caused by excessive pressure applied to the median nerve, a nerve which extends from the neck to the wrists. Tennis and racquetball players should watch closely for any risk of developing a repetitive stress disorder commonly referred to as carpal tunnel syndrome. Chiropractic is very effective at relieving this type of nerve pressure. Any time you sustain an injury-that does not involve serious bleeding or emergency surgery-contact our office by telephone at (360) 348-1900 or by email: need email address

Just about every sport provides some health benefits, however, not all activity offers the same advantages. As an example, jogging, skiing, rugby, wrestling, dance and the martial arts are excellent body conditioners. However, from a chiropractic point of view, these activities may be strenuous on the joints, ligaments and the spinal column. Jogging reduces tension, improves our ability to deliver oxygen to various parts of the body, and improves blood circulation. On the other hand, jogging can also jar the body, particularly the spine, and lead to subluxations (spinal misalignment). While we do not discourage these forms of exercise, we do advise the "weekend sports warrior" to avoid over-exertion and to have a complete spinal examination before participating in any sports. A spinal exam can determine if there are physical limitations present that may increase your risk of injury. Chiropractic corrects subluxations, conditions the muscles and promotes total healing of soft tissue. That's how chiropractic improves muscle balance and coordination, which ultimately, helps to prevent injury. Every sport-rom fishing to football-involves body mechanics! Chiropractic restores and maintains proper dynamics of motion. And whether you're doing backyard cartwheels, riding bikes, or bowling-you rely on the proper dynamics of body movement to avoid injuries and to achieve "peak performance." Strains, sprains and other common injuries are often caused by faulty joint mobility. A joint with restricted movement will not only be more easily sprained, but it will also place increased demands on other joints, rendering them more susceptible to injury. Chiropractic care can help improve athletic performance by enhancing joint function and balancing muscle coordination. Your body is like a finely-tuned machine. The better your parts move together, the more efficient your performance will be. The integration of your bony structures and supportive soft tissues keeps your body balanced! Chiropractic puts it together for your good health.