Tips to Prevent a Torn Muscle in the Back
If you’ve suffered from acute lower back pain, you’re familiar with how limited your mobility can be during the episode. The source of your discomfort can be a result of torn ligaments or muscles. Ligaments are fibrous cords linking to bones and cartilage, and they are designed to limit certain movements that can cause injury. Because ligaments are not particularly flexible, they are susceptible to tearing. Muscle tears occur most often from sports injuries. Practicing these tips can help prevent back pain and keep you in the game.
Always Warm Up
It blows my mind when athletes tell me that they don’t have a regular warm-up routine. Whether it’s a game or practice, warming up your body’s muscles is essential. It doesn’t matter if you’re the MVP, or you ride the pine. Any sudden move during the game when your muscles aren’t ready, and you can find yourself on the disabled list.
Try performing 10 – 15 jumping jacks to activate your muscles, and then move onto dynamic stretches. Touching your toes and holding that position will allow your back to loosen and relax. It will also expand your back’s flexibility.
Know Your Sport And Its Specific Injuries
Different sports use different muscles. It’s important to know what muscles you use most in your particular sport. Sports that feature throwing, like baseball or football, center on the shoulder and arms. Other sports like soccer or hockey require tremendous leg, hip, and groin flexibility.
When It Hurts, Stop!
Risking your health by playing through a minor injury can lead to a more serious injury. If you feel that tweak or pain, and we all know that feeling, pull yourself out of action. I tell this to parents. Your kid doesn’t need to be a tough guy at 7 or 17. Their bodies are still growing. If you or your loved one is experiencing pain, get it checked out. Ibuprofen or Tylenol can reduce inflammation, but seeing a specialist can make the difference between being out a couple of days instead of a couple of weeks or months.
Sports Medicine Saves Bodies
We all like to self-diagnose when we are sick or hurt, but an injured athlete can really benefit if they see an expert. Most patients feel relief from the pain after just one visit, and the pain can sometimes be completely removed within two or three visits. Core exercises may assist in getting your body back into shape. At Next Level Wellness, our team specializes not only in discovering your pain areas, but also identifying non-invasive techniques to treat the pain.
Our chiropractic team of doctors, Vasili Gatsinaris, James Kim, and Adam Abulghualya specialize in chiropractic and wellness care and are dedicated to helping you achieve your wellness objectives. We are located in Irvine, convenient for people living in Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Santa Ana and other surrounding Orange County communities. Let our team make a plan and treat your injury so that you are not restricted from the active lifestyle you lead.
To learn more about our variety of services or to schedule an appointment, contact us or call
949-263-9003 today.