Many adults visit the chiropractor only when they have issues related to their musculoskeletal system.
While this is an effective way to address your problems, it is essential to visit the chiropractor regularly for preventive care if you lead an active lifestyle.
In fact, you don’t have to limit your chiropractic visits to just you.
Preventative or corrective chiropractic care for your entire family, especially kids active in sports or other physical activities, is becoming an increasingly popular method of ensuring your child doesn’t suffer from musculoskeletal problems.
What Does a Chiropractor Do?
Unlike a medical doctor, a chiropractor focuses on correcting and removing problems and issues with your musculoskeletal system.
Those include the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons that connect to your spine.
Chiropractors achieve beneficial results using various techniques, including spinal manipulation or a “spinal adjustment”.
Spinal adjustments are similar to massages and can be performed without any special equipment.
Chiropractic Benefits for an Active Child
A child who participates in physical activities or is involved in sports may suffer from a variety of muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries. These commonly include:
- Muscles strains
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Ligament sprains
- Tendonitis
- Ankle injuries
- Knee injuries
With regular chiropractic treatments, your child may have a reduced chance of suffering from these injuries.
Additionally, pediatric chiropractic treatments may reduce the risk of injuries in the future.
Your chiropractor can also provide nutritional counseling to ensure your child’s diet promotes healthy bones, joints, and muscles.
Furthermore, your chiropractor may recommend exercises or stretches that help increase flexibility and strength throughout their entire musculoskeletal system.
What Happens During Chiropractic Care for my Child?
During your child’s initial visit, your chiropractor will likely perform a physical exam to determine the cause of their symptoms.
They will also review any previous x-rays or MRI results and discuss how chiropractic care may help treat any concerns.
As a treatment, your child’s doctor will perform gentle adjustments to help correct the alignment of your child’s spine and decrease any pressure that may have built up around the spinal joints.
This helps reduce inflammation in the affected area by releasing any tension or pressure.
Does Chiropractic Care Hurt?
No! Your chiropractor will use a variety of techniques to ensure your child’s treatment is comfortable.
While some patients may experience mild soreness after their first appointment, this typically dissipates quickly as they get used to the treatment plan.
To improve comfort further, your chiropractor will likely provide an ice pack or muscle-soothing gel to apply after the adjustment.
How Long Will My Child Need Care?
The length of your child’s treatment plan is different for each patient and depends on what issues they are experiencing.
Your doctor may recommend ongoing weekly visits first, then tapering off as your child’s symptoms improve.
If chiropractic care is used to treat an injury, your child may receive additional treatments until their body has fully healed.
Your Family Chiropractor Cares for the Well-Being of Your Entire Family
While your doctor can provide treatments solely for you or other members of your family, they also encourage whole-family chiropractic care.
This will ensure that everyone you love gets the natural treatments needed to promote lifelong wellness.