Almost half of all adults report experiencing some form of back pain. This increases to nearly ⅔ when asking athletes about back pain. Due to the repetitive nature of sports training and the high impact athletes of all sports take, back pain can be one of the most persistent injuries.
For athletes of all levels – hobbyists, college professionals, or full-time performers – back pain can seriously get in the way of a healthy body and top performance. One of the best ways to treat sports-related back pain is to work with an experienced sports chiropractor.
Chiropractors work on the musculoskeletal system and can help with spinal alignment, back related pain, and even referred pain. Combined with recommended PT exercises, a sports chiropractor can help treat sports-related back pain for athletes and improve top performance.
See the benefits of working with a chiropractor for sports-related back pain and how to get started.
Articles on elitechirosport.com are not medical advice; always consult with your primary physician or a chiropractor in person before completing any new exercise or stretching routine.
Why Do Athletes Experience Higher Rates of Back Pain
Athletes report higher rates of back pain vs the general population because of the high-demand sports take on the body. From everything, including golf to football, sports are high-impact, repetitive, and strenuous.
Runners, dancers, basketball players, and more combat back pain on the regular. Getting to the root of the back pain can help reduce the pain, solve the underlying problem, and help prevent back pain from recurring or getting in the way of training.
Athletes experience back pain due to:
- High impact
- Vigorous training
- Referred pain
- Old injuries
- Repetitive movements
- Stress factures
- Herniated discs
- Muscle strains
From everything, including golf to football, sports are high-impact, repetitive, and strenuous.
How Does a Chiropractor Treat Sports-Related Back Pain
1. Consult and Examine
Sports chiropractors will first consult with the athlete, learn about the injury, get an overview of the training schedule, notate what causes the pain, and examine the athlete.
A consult with an athlete for back pain treatment goes beyond simple examination and asks about underlying conditions, training schedules, past injuries, and how the back pain interferes with training and performance.
2. Chiropractic Treatments
With a sound overview in mind of the injury and the athlete’s body anatomy, a sports chiropractor can begin to administer treatments. This may range from a simple hands-on adjustment to including more specialized chiropractic treatments like dry needling, graston technique, and more.
Your sports chiropractor may talk to you about:
3. At Home PT Exercises
Treatment for sports-related back pain goes beyond in-office visits. A chiropractor will advise on at-home exercises and physical therapy exercises that can be done to help maintain the treatments you are working with in-office.
Physical therapy exercises for athletes may include familiar movements like bird dogs and commandos, as well as more instruction on foam rolling tips and thoracic mobility improvements.
Familiar PT exercises include:
- Foam rolling
- Posture improvements
- Commandos
- Bird dogs
- Cat cows
- Glute bridges
- Falloff press
- Thoracic mobility
- More+
4. Regular Treatment Schedule
The goal of sports chiropractic treatment is to start with frequent treatments and gradually space out appointments, allowing the body to recover fully, heal, and find a rhythm. You will work with your sports chiropractor for back pain on a personalized schedule that takes into account the severity of the injury, training demands, and more.
5. Ongoing Maintenance and Prevention
For athletes, back pain treatment is rarely a one-time solution. While a sports chiropractor at Elite Chiropractic can find the root cause of the pain and provide treatment, it is advised to continue to work with a chiropractor on injury prevention.
Staying involved with a chiropractor, even on a monthly basis, helps athletes reduce their chance of re-injury, monitor the health of their body, and prioritize top performance without sacrificing health and mobility.
Benefits of Chiropractic Treatments for Athletes
Treating back pain and working to reduce its recurrence in the future means less pain, more mobility, and improved performance that feels better.
Speed Up Recovery
Chiropractors experienced in sports medicine can apply specialized techniques that help speed up recovery compared to at-home treatments like heat and ice alone. Instead of resting, pushing through the pain, or using too much athletic tape, a sports chiropractor can speed along recovery for better performance.
Improve Athletic Performance
Back pain, of any degree, can severely limit an athlete’s performance. Running, moving, twisting, and pushing to new milestones are all affected by sports-related back pain. Treating back pain and working to reduce its recurrence in the future means less pain, more mobility, and improved performance that feels better.
Reduce Risk of Injury
Old pain has a high chance of resurfacing and many athletes accept they will “always be in pain.” Sports chiropractic treatments help strengthen and improve the areas that are most prone to injury based on your history and your sport. Stop waiting for the next injury and instead take proactive steps to reduce being out of the game.
Personalized Recommendations
Get tips on your warm-ups, cool downs, and professional training advice for your body and your sport. Working with a sports chiropractor means having a medical professional who is familiar with your body and your movement patterns who can analyze and advise on how you move best, so you can go further than you ever expected.
Monitor and Maintain
At the end of the day, chiropractic treatment for sports-related back pain is all about monitoring injuries and performance to maintain activity on the field. You want to stay on top of injuries and potential causes before you are out on mandatory rest. Get all the advice you need on training, rest days, and more.
Overall Health
Chiropractic treatment for athletes will do more than injury prevention – you will get a well-rounded approach to staying healthy and in the best shape possible. With a team intimately familiar with your body and overall composition, you can improve activity levels, nutrition, heart rate, endurance, and more.
Chiropractic Treatment for Sports-Related Back Pain vs At-Home Treatments
Don’t settle for heat, ice, and rest when you have sports-related back pain. Hands-on treatment paired with tailored solutions will help you keep training while you are recovering. Instead of waiting to get better and pushing through the pain, talk to a chiropractor at Elite Chiropractic and Sport in Columbia, MD.
With sports-specific treatments like Graston Technique and Active Release Technique, you can feel better faster.
Book Chiropractic Treatments for Sports-Related Back Pain
The team at Elite Chiropractic and Sport in Maryland is composed primarily of sports chiropractors who are familiar with injuries, back pain, and high-demand training. Book online, call for questions, or email to get more info on how to get started. Don’t let back pain hold you back from your top performance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do athletes experience more back pain than the general population?
Athletes experience more back pain due to the high-impact, repetitive, and strenuous nature of sports. Common causes include old injuries, muscle strains, herniated discs, stress fractures, and referred pain from other areas.
How does a sports chiropractor treat sports-related back pain?
A sports chiropractor treats back pain through a detailed consultation, manual adjustments, specialized techniques like dry needling and the Graston Technique, and by recommending at-home physical therapy exercises for ongoing recovery and performance support.
What are some physical therapy exercises chiropractors recommend for athletes with back pain?
Chiropractors may recommend exercises such as foam rolling, commandos, bird dogs, cat cows, glute bridges, falloff presses, posture work, and thoracic mobility drills to support back health and prevent further injury.
How does chiropractic care help prevent future sports-related injuries?
Chiropractic care helps prevent future injuries by treating the root cause of pain, strengthening vulnerable areas, offering personalized training advice, and maintaining regular checkups to monitor body health and performance.
What are the benefits of choosing chiropractic care over at-home treatments for back pain?
Chiropractic care offers faster recovery through hands-on treatments, sport-specific techniques, and customized care plans, while at-home treatments like rest, ice, and heat are less effective for long-term recovery and performance improvement.
About the Author
Dr. Bross is the owner of Elite Chiropractic and Sport. He serves as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His unique approach to individualized patient care is based on the evaluation and treatment of the “whole” person.
Dr. Bross is a leader in the promotion of health and wellness. He has accumulated an extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nutritional components of the human body. He is skilled in the Graston Technique, Active Release Technique, and Sports Medicine.
