Every athlete knows that recovery is just as important as training. Recovery allows your muscles to rest, heal, and grow, and it gives your brain time to incorporate new techniques and movements you’ve been practicing. But if simply skipping the gym for a day and stretching aren’t cutting it, you might want to look at options to recover faster, especially if you’ve got aches, pains, or are nursing an injury!
Here are five ways to recover faster and level up your game:
Cupping Therapy
Cupping therapy hit the mainstream media in a big way a few years back during the 2016 Olympics. Photos and articles were shared showing Michael Phelps and other athletes undergoing cupping therapy. This Olympic news coverage helped bring into the limelight. But don’t worry -- you don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from cupping!
In short, cupping is a technique that creates suction and negative pressure, which can encourage blood flow, loosens muscles, and quiets the nervous system. That’s why athletes of all levels use cupping to treat sore and fatigued muscles. Cupping also helps with everyday aches and pains, too! Cupping is for neck and back pain, fatigue, anxiety, migraines, and more, too!
Dry Needling
If you have an injury or musculoskeletal pain that is really wrecking your training, you might want to give dry needling a try! Dry needling is a manual therapy technique in which fine needles are inserted into painful knots in the muscles, known as myofascial trigger points. Needles can also be inserted into tendons, ligaments, or fascia. This versatility makes dry needling a great option for a whole range of injuries and aches.
The goal of dry needling is to increase blood flow in an injured region, which stimulates a healing response. This can help reduce the discomfort of painful musculoskeletal conditions and get you back in the game faster!
Ready to try Cupping or Dry Needling at Stark Chiropractic and Sports?
Graston Technique
If you’ve never heard of the Graston technique, that’s okay! Graston technique is an instrument-assisted therapy that is similar to a massage in a highly focused area, using a metal tool rather than the practitioners’ hands. Graston technique reduces inflammation and pain from conditions such as
Patellar Tendonitis
Ankle sprains
Meniscus injury
MCL sprain
Runner's knee
Achilles tendonitis
We pair the Graston technique with alignment therapy and dynamic taping for the most effective and efficient relief.
Kinesiology Taping
Kinesiology therapy is the practice of applying kinesiology tape. This super stretchy fabric uses a heat-activated adhesive to firmly secure to your skin.
Once the kinesiology tape is securely applied, it lifts the skin and fascia away from the muscle. This allows for increased blood flow to the area and drainage of painful lactic acid buildups. Kinesiology taping also reduces inflammation and pain in the treated area.
Increased blood flow plus drainage of lactic acid adds up to a more effective recovery day!
Ready to try the Graston Technique or Kinesiology Taping at Stark Chiropractic and Sports?
Chiropractic & Extremity Adjustments
Any of the recovery techniques mentioned above can (and should!) be used in conjunction with chiropractic adjustments for the best recovery strategy. Spinal adjustments, or spinal manipulations, are the backbone of any quality chiropractic service. A spinal adjustment is a skilled manipulation that provides mobility to the spinal joints. Chiropractic adjustments can reduce chronic pain and alleviate tension on the nervous system. In other words, adjustments can get you up and moving again!
Extremity adjustments involve adjustment of any of the joints outside the spine. This includes hips, knees, ribs, shoulders, elbows, hands, feet, and TMJ (jaw). Extremity adjustments can help maintain alignment and achieve proper form during physical activity, which makes them critical for those who are serious about their sport! Extremity alignments can also reduce pain in the joints and extremities.
Ready to get adjusted at Stark Chiropractic and Sports?
Recover Faster with Dr. Stark
If you’re working with an injury, or just want to give your body a little extra love and attention, there are so many options available to you! A consultation with a North Houston Sports Chiropractor like Dr. Stark can lead to a better, more fulfilling, and less painful recovery. Dr. Stark will evaluate your injury, pain, and routine to determine the treatment plan that works best for YOU!
Book a consultation at Stark Chiropractic and Sports right here using our hassle-free online booking portal, or give the office a call at 281-836-5908.