The East Dubuque River Beach and state parks with rejuvenating lake beaches in Dubuque are the perfect spots to relax and enjoy the summer. You can enjoy water sports, such as canoeing and kayaking while exploring nature. 

However, your spine and joints can become easily misaligned with all of the sand and water activities. This is where chiropractic care in Dubuque comes into play! Now, you might wonder—can a chiropractic care help swimmers, rowers, surfers, boaters, and kayakers? 

All athletes can gain from the pain alleviation, improved recovery, and increased flexibility provided by regular chiropractic visits. For those who enjoy the water, chiropractic care also has the bonus of being very helpful for many common injuries sustained while participating in water activities.

Did you hurt after a wipeout on the water? Even a little accident that didn’t necessarily leave you bleeding and battered on the sand might result in excruciating pain and functional impairment that won’t go away without therapeutic measures. But, your injury might be reversed with the help of a chiropractor. 

Read more to learn everything about chiropractic care for injuries sustained during water sports! 

Being Injured During a Day on the Water Is Common

A day spent on the water can be very beneficial to your health. We can employ a range of muscle groups while participating in water activities that we might not otherwise be able to do. That implies that we can extend our range of motion while accelerating the heartbeat, burning calories, and breathing fresh air. 

In addition, water-based exercise is beneficial for arthritis, mental health, and longevity, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

However, if we aren’t adequately prepared, many of the advantages of water sports might also become risks. Here are some typical water sports injuries to be on the lookout for:

  1. Rotator Cuff Injuries
  2. Elbow Injuries
  3. Wrist Injuries
  4. Hand Injuries
  5. Neck Injuries
  6. Back Injuries
  7. Hip Injuries
  8. Knee Injuries
  9. Ankle Sprains
  10. Foot injuries, such as plantar fasciitis

Unfortunately, all of these activities have the potential to bend and twist your body in ways that are not normal, leading to chronic pain and dysfunction. 

Yet, most people dismiss water sports injuries. Because they were technically “relaxing” while engaging in the activity that resulted in an injury, they believe they cannot have a sports injury. 

If an incident involves water rather than a hard surface, you might be at risk of an accident, fall, or collision. The interaction of the sun, sea, and fresh air can postpone the pain response by acting as an analgesic. As a result, people who suffer a water injury may feel “just fine.”

Unfortunately, as the pain sets in, the extent of the injury starts to become apparent. This might take you anywhere from a few minutes to an entire day. Maybe it wasn’t until you tried to get out of bed the next morning that you discovered how badly hurt you were.

At this point, making an appointment with a chiropractor in Dubuque can help to undo any twisting, shifting, or compression that may have occurred during the episode in the water.A few particular injuries that should never be ignored following a water sports injury.

Common Water Sports Injuries to Know About

Water sports injuries can occur to any portion of the body, making it particularly challenging for many people to notice them. This is particularly true if the impact that led to your injury involves your body, the water, and a vessel in some way. For example, back, knee, ankle, shoulder, neck, and joint problems are common in water sports. 

Whiplash From Water Sports Injuries

Yes, water sports accidents can cause whiplash. Whiplash can happen when a person is involved in a high-impact movement, even though most people equate it with car accidents. This refers to an automobile accident but can also mean collapsing, getting punched, or colliding with someone when participating in sports. 

Whiplash injuries from water sports usually occur when a person’s body is abruptly stopped by something submerged. For example, a surfer struck by a wave wall while riding a board can quickly suffer from whiplash. This is because your body’s forward velocity abruptly stops when you hit a wall of water. 

When this happens, your neck’s ligaments and muscles are put under a lot of strain, which can cause joint dysfunction and restrictions that affect your spine, cervical spine, and nearby joints.

Chiropractors can only treat whiplash injuries. Knowing that there is hope for recovering your neck’s range of motion after a whiplash injury is crucial. But delaying medical attention could lead to persistent pain and limitations. According to a research, chiropractic care reduces discomfort and increases cervical range of motion (cROM) in treating whiplash-related illnesses.

Spinal Misalignment

Spinal misalignments are prevalent in accidents involving water sports. A spinal misalignment can be brought on by sudden, unforeseen contact, pressure, or jerking motions by some collision on the water. 

How can you tell if a back injury sustained while participating in water sports has resulted in a spinal misalignment? Here are some typical signs of spinal misalignment:

  1. Unexplained pain in the back, neck, or shoulders
  2. Headaches
  3. Numbness and tingling in the extremities
  4. Joint pain

Because a spinal misalignment puts pressure directly on the nerves at the base of the spinal cord, it can be pretty painful and restricting. Pain, discomfort, and inflammation are frequently experienced. 

In addition, the communication between the central nervous system and the rest of the body may be distorted due to nerve involvement in this specific injury. As a result, the symptoms may resemble those of some neurological conditions. Chiropractors frequently employ manual adjustments to treat spinal misalignments successfully.

Shoulder Injuries

The shoulder is vulnerable to water sports injuries. A rotator cuff is a group of shoulder muscles and tendons that help lift the arm. These muscles and tendons can be easily strained or torn if overused or under too much stress. The bursa is a fluid sac that helps lubricate and protect the rotator cuff. Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa that can be pretty painful.

Swimming, in particular, puts tremendous stress on the shoulder. The repetitive motions required to swim can easily lead to rotator cuff tears, bursitis, or other shoulder problems. 

If you experience pain in your shoulder after participating in water sports, it is vital to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Treat Your Water Sports Injury With Help From a Chiropractor

A water sports injury shouldn’t be disregarded! The truth is that accidents on the water can be just as harmful to your musculoskeletal health as accidents on dry land, even though you might be tempted to dismiss a water injury because you think it’s not severe. 

Peak Potential Family Chiropractic-Houston Heights can assist you in realigning your body so that you can experience a wave of wellness instead of a squall of pain. So make an appointment right away for chiropractic care in Dubuque