Why Soft Tissue Injuries Heal Better after Chiropractic Treatment

Soft tissue injuries occur in several different ways and can cause chronic pain and instability if not treated correctly. A chiropractor can provide the best treatment for these types of injuries and is often more knowledgeable than a traditional doctor where soft tissue problems are concerned.

Below, we’re going to detail common types of soft tissue injuries and what a chiropractor can do to help you recover.

Different Kinds of Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries occur in your muscles, blood vessels, nerves, ligaments, tendons, and fascia. A soft tissue injury may take several common forms:

Contusions

These are bruises that occur due to blunt force trauma to a muscle.

Sprains

Sprains are ligament tears classified as mild, moderate, or severe. They are often caused by twisting motions.

Tendonitis

This condition is when a tendon becomes inflamed. A tendon connects bone to muscle.

Bursitis

Your joints are protected by fluid-filled sacs called bursa. When the bursa become inflamed, bursitis is the result.

Strains

These are injuries to muscles or tendons and often occur in the back, leg, or foot.

How Soft Tissue Injuries Happen

They can happen when you improperly lift a heavy object, roll your ankle, overuse a muscle, experience a sports injury, become injured in a car accident, or endure any other type of trauma.

People are more prone to soft tissue injuries for the following reasons:

• Not warming up or cooling down for workouts
• Lack of sufficient training for a sport or a job
• Increasing activity intensity too quickly
• Not allowing yourself enough recovery time after an injury
• Failure to wear protective or supportive equipment

When left untreated, soft tissue injuries can take a long time to heal and may cause scar tissue to develop. A skilled chiropractor can help you recover more quickly from a soft tissue injury as compared to treatment from a traditional doctor.

How Chiropractors Help with Soft Tissue Injuries

Your chiropractor is skilled at targeting the injured area and forming a custom treatment plan. Some injuries may require immobilization through a cast or sling. Others may need gentle movement and manipulation for faster healing.

Depending on your injury, your chiropractor may work to increase your mobility through passive motions, which will relax your muscles and relieve your pain. You will learn special exercises to gain flexibility, balance, strength and greater range of motion.

If you have a soft tissue injury and are no longer experiencing pain, you may think your healing is complete. This is a common misconception. The inflammation that was causing pain may have gone down, but the affected area probably hasn’t finished healing yet. Most soft tissue injuries require four to eight weeks of recovery time, which can be prolonged if you restart activity too soon.

When you receive chiropractic treatment and follow through with exercises at home, however, your recovery time may be significantly shortened. Your chiropractor knows more about spinal alignment and joint mobility than a traditional doctor, which makes chiropractic treatment the preferred choice for healing your soft tissue injury.

Don’t Neglect Treatment for Soft Tissue Problems

Many people try to brush off the seriousness of a soft tissue injury without realizing the long-term impact on their health, mobility, and pain levels. Unresolved injuries can lead to degeneration of your spine, arthritis, nerve pain, and other chronic issues that may last for years.

If you are suffering from a soft tissue injury, it’s important to make a chiropractic appointment today to get started on a healing path.

About the Author: 

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.