Chiropractic Care for Athletes: What to Expect

Ask athletes what they want from care and you rarely hear 'treat my symptom.' You hear 'keep me training.' Chiropractic care for athletes is built around that idea: keeping joints moving well so the body can absorb training loads and recover between sessions.

Dr. Gregory Martin is the official chiropractor of Parisi's Speed School of Morris Plains, so he's used to the demands of speed and strength training, and the kinds of aches that come with pushing hard. The athletes he sees range from school-age to adult, and the care he provides looks more like coaching than clinic visits.

A typical sports-oriented visit starts with what's happening in your training: what hurts, when it hurts and what you have coming up. Then comes an evaluation of the joints involved, an adjustment where appropriate, and practical guidance on how to manage the week ahead. It's goal-oriented, and it respects the fact that 'rest completely' is often not a useful prescription for an athlete.

Chiropractic care won't replace strength work, sleep or recovery. But for athletes, it can be part of the system that keeps those things paying off. If you train in Sussex County and want a chiropractor who understands the athlete's math, Dr. Greg sees patients at his office in Sparta, New Jersey.