As summer is in full swing in Chicago, Chicagoans are remaining busy with outdoor sports, concerts, and other activities.  With how busy one is, it is important to continue to work toward achieving one’s goals that one set either this year or for summer.  It is important to stay loose, focusing on stretching, keeping mobile, and cross-training to avoid injuries as one can occur if one does not follow the simple tools of rest (when appropriate), warming up, and cooling down properly.  Joint pain most commonly occurs resulting in spinal pain (neck, or back), hip, or shoulder to name a few.  This post will explain joint pain and how it can be treated well with chiropractic care.

When joint pain occurs in 1 body region or more, one’s symptoms can range from the following descriptors: dull, achy, sore, stiff, and/or sharp.  One or more of these symptoms can be present, but it is important to try to discover how the injury occurred.  Consulting with a chiropractor will allow one to understand how the injury occurred (was it traumatic, or did it involve more repetitive use, such as sitting for long periods working on one’s computer).  Once a thorough exam is performed, treatment options should be discussed that will likely include the following: manipulation/adjustments, soft tissue work, and corrective/rehab exercises.

The combined approach of soft tissue stretching, chiropractic manipulation, and rehab exercises are going to help address your joint pain quickly when you visit a chiropractor.  Chiropractic manipulation helps to realign any misaligned joints contributing to one’s pain, but also to reduce inflammation, improve mobility, and function.  Often, with injury, joints move out of place irritating the nerve causing you to feel pain.  Manipulation will correct the alignment. and possible nerve irritation, but soft tissue work will likely need to be done to address the muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments (most often muscles) that are tight,  limiting both flexibility and movement of the affected joint(s). Soft tissue work, especially, Active Release Techniques (ART), helps to break down scar tissue (AKA glue) that formed in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments as a result of the repetitive use or trauma to the joint(s).  ART will improve flexibility, and function to reduce pain associated with injury.  With rehab exercises, you will need to retrain the joint to avoid moving out of position and to strengthen the tissues to avoid recurrence of injury, speeding up recovery.  Depending on the length of time one dealt with joint pain, it may take a couple of treatments, or possibly several treatments (due to a longstanding problem) to address your joint pain, and dysfunction.  Following these treatment recommendations will provide you the tools to avoid re-injury.

Combining all 3 methods ensures proper healing, and the ability to enjoy your sport/activity without worrying about if or when the injury may return. Why should you let joint pain from an injury get in the way of enjoying your Chicago summer? Visit a chiropractor who may specialize in ART and rehab to take care of it today!

Brian Marion DC, CCSP, ART, CKTP, SFMA