When your sport gives and takes

Physical activity is supposed to help us prevent pain in the first place. The cardiovascular, muscle-building and conditioning aspects of sport fortify our bodies, boost circulation and assist every system in the body to function optimally. By strengthening our bodies, we become more resilient to injury from a whole spectrum of movement. But many sports also come with a price, one of the most frequent being trauma to the joints. Think of the top American youth sports:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football 
• Soccer

While the intensity obviously varies, all four of these sports are characterized by repetitive wear and tear of the weight bearing joints, including the ankles, knees, hips and spinal joints. As we get older, many of us transition to running, which can also be viewed through a high-impact, repetitive-trauma lens. But far be it from us to suggest a change of sport; if you love what you are doing, and your body feels great despite occassionally recurring pain, it is not time yet to make a wholesale change to a lower-impact sport. But you might benefit from a visit to the chiropractor!

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