Sports like soccer, tennis and martial arts keep you fit and sharp, but they also put stress on your body. Sometimes that physical stress turns into pain.

We see it all the time in our Aptos office: Athletes come in frustrated and hurting after trying to push through hip pain, shoulder strain, or aching knees. 

Sometimes it's hard for athletes to remember: pain is never just “part of the game.” It’s your body asking for help.

Please don't "Tough It Out" when your body is sending you pain signals.

If you continue to suck up the pain and keep going, you're likely to make things worse down the line.

When it comes to athletes, here's what I see too much of:

Overuse Injuries & Repetitive Strain

Repetitive motions like running, swimming, and swinging your arm over and over can wear down your joints and tendons.

This overuse often shows up as tendinitis, bursitis, or that deep, nagging soreness that just won’t quit.

Acute Injuries from Sudden Impact

Football tackles, hard landings in volleyball, and quick pivots in basketball often lead to sprains, strains, or tears. 

Sudden impacts can cause acute tears in muscle tendons and/or ligaments. Injuries like an ACL tear, meniscus tear or strain, or biceps tendon tear can come from these intense hits.

Performance-Limiting Pain

Muscle stiffness and spinal misalignments can limit your range of motion.

That means you can’t swing, sprint, or dive like you used to. And it hurts more than just physically. When your performance suffers, it can chip away at your confidence.

Chiropractic can really help you heal—and avoid these sports injuries.

In our office, we use gentle adjustments and soft tissue work to calm inflamed tissues, realign your joints, and help your body heal.

We also work towards restoring your full range of motion so you can move freely and stay in the game longer.

We often guide our athletic patients through strengthening exercises, as well. 

We work on supporting your form, preventing future injury, and keeping your performance sharp.

When it comes to athletic performance, prevention is everything.

If you’re competing or training, you’ve got to protect your body.

Here’s what I recommend to prevent injury:

• Warm up intentionally (especially your hips and shoulders)
• Cross-train to avoid overuse
• Rest on purpose—don’t wait until you're forced to
• Learn proper form (don’t just rely on talent)

And if something feels “off,” come see us in Aptos.

Early care means faster recovery and fewer setbacks.

You can easily book online to see one of our chiropractors. We love working with athletes of all ages.