There has been a big surge in the popularity of functional fitness in recent years amongst professionals and average joes alike. Whether its CrossFit, Hyrox or F45, these workouts demand strength, endurance, mobility, and coordination, and they’re a great way to get fit and healthy. However, they can also put significant stress on joints, muscles, and the nervous system if not performed appropriately, leading to increased risk of injury. To stay on top injuries and perform at your best, you need an effective and reliable solution. This insight will share how Chiropractic care at DMC Health and Wellness plays a crucial role in helping you stay at peak performance by improving mobility, preventing injuries, and enhancing recovery.
Integrating Chiropractic into a Functional Fitness Routine
People participating in functional fitness can benefit from incorporating chiropractic care into their training schedule depending on their current needs. Key times to see us at DMC Health and Wellness include:
- Regular maintenance: Preventative care to sustain peak performance and avoid future injuries.
- Injury rehabilitation: Treating existing issues to get back to training safely.
- Pre-event tune-ups: Ensuring optimal joint mobility and recovery before a competition, especially in the month leading up to the event.
- Post-workout recovery: Addressing soreness and improving recovery times after intense training or competition.
How Chiropractic Care at DMC Health and Wellness Can Help
1. Optimising Mobility & Flexibility
Functional fitness requires excellent mobility and flexibility to perform movements efficiently and safely. It combines Olympic lifting, gymnastics, endurance training, and jumping movements, which can be challenging skills to learn. These movements can require significant flexibility in your joints, especially the shoulders, back, hips and knees. A lack of mobility in these areas can cause:
- Lower back pain from heavy lifting and repetitive movements
- Shoulder impingement due to overhead exercises
- Hip and knee strain from deep squats and running
Chiropractic adjustments improve joint mobility, while soft tissue therapy and dry needling helps improve and maintain muscle flexibility. Enhanced mobility allows for better technique and reduces unnecessary strain on the body during intense workouts.
2. Injury Prevention & Recovery
A key part of Chiropractic care at DMC Health and Wellness is focusing on injury prevention. If we can prevent injuries from occurring, or get on top of them before they become a major issue, we can keep you training for longer. During our patient assessment, we take you through all the appropriate movements you need to perform in functional fitness workouts. This allows us to identify potential issues with your technique or training methods that could lead to increased risk of injury. By providing a proper assessment, we can help you create a structured plan for your training, including what to do for warm ups/cool downs, as well as how to stretch and improve your recovery outside of the gym.
3. Managing Injuries
Functional fitness can cause joint and muscle pain due to its high-impact nature. So, if injuries do occur, it’s important to get on top of them immediately. A lot of people will try and train through injuries hoping they will improve on their own. Although this can happen, it may also result in making the pain worse, leading to having to take more time off and prolonging healing times. If you’re having to change significant parts of a workout or are unable to do them comfortably, it’s time to get an assessment. At DMC Health and Wellness, not only do we look after our patients who do functional training, we do it ourselves! This means we understand the demands of functional training and how it effects your body. It also means we understand the most appropriate way to manage your injury, and get you back to training as quickly as possible.
By maintaining proper joint function and nervous system efficiency, Chiropractic treatment helps you perform at your best. Whether you’re preparing for a competition or simply aiming to stay injury-free, integrating chiropractic care at DMC Health and Wellness into your routine can be a game-changer.
Book a consultation today with DMC Health and Wellness to see how chiropractic care can elevate your training and recovery!
About the Authors
Isaac Searant completed a Bachelor of Chiropractic Science, Master of Chiropractic and Master of Research at Macquarie University. His research aims integrate chiropractic and physiotherapy into general practice for the effective management of low back pain. His clinical interests include spinal pain (neck and back) and sporting injuries. Regardless of the condition, his goal as a chiropractor is to work collaboratively with patients.
David McNaughton is a clinician, researcher and lecturer. He is the director and principal chiropractor at DMC Health & Wellness. He has an extensive background in the diagnosis and management of chronic pain. In addition to his clinical studies, David holds a Master’s of Research and PhD in Psychology. He regularly publishes his research in peer reviewed medical and psychology journals. David has taught both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Chiropractic and Psychology.
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