By the Fitness Chiropractic team · Updated
What does a sports chiropractor do?
A sports chiropractor looks at more than the spot that hurts. We assess how an injury affects your joints, muscles and the way you move, then use hands-on treatment and exercise to reduce pain, restore motion and rebuild the strength your sport demands.
Our approach comes from founder Dr. Jean-Pierre "JP" Khreich, who opened Fitness Chiropractic in 2002 inside a Huntington Beach athletic club. He has spent his career working with athletes and sports teams on injury prevention, performance and recovery, and he blends Eastern and Western treatment methods. The wider team includes chiropractors with backgrounds in kinesiology, sports science and personal training, and Dr. Luke Krebs, a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, sees patients at our Santa Ana clinic.
Sports injuries we treat
Sports injuries fall into two broad groups. Acute injuries, like an ankle sprain or a pulled hamstring, happen suddenly, often from a fall, a collision or a burst of speed. Overuse injuries, like tendinitis or shin splints, build gradually from repeated stress until training starts to hurt. We commonly see:
- Hamstring strains and groin pulls
- Tennis elbow and other forearm tendon pain
- Achilles tendinitis, shin splints and ankle sprains
- Plantar fasciitis and other heel and foot pain
- Shoulder problems, including frozen shoulder and strains around the rotator cuff
- Knee pain such as jumper's knee, and rehab support once a ligament injury has been medically assessed
- Back and neck strains from lifting, contact sports and repetitive training
Signs your injury needs attention
Not every ache needs treatment, but it's worth getting checked if you notice:
- Pain that lasts more than a few days or returns every time you train
- Swelling, warmth or bruising around a joint or muscle
- Muscle spasms, burning pain or a joint that feels unstable
- Loss of range of motion, strength or speed
- Compensating, such as limping or changing your stroke or stride to avoid pain
Treating an injury early usually means a shorter recovery and less chance of it becoming a chronic problem.
New patient special
See if sports injury treatment is right for you — $75 exam
How we treat sports injuries
Every plan starts with a full orthopedic and neurological exam and a look at how you move. Depending on what we find, sports injury treatment may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments for the spine and for extremity joints such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and feet
- Soft tissue therapy, including Active Release Technique, myofascial release and instrument-assisted work, to ease tight, overworked muscles and tendons
- Sports massage therapy to reduce muscle tension and support recovery between sessions
- Acupuncture with our on-site acupuncturist for stubborn pain and muscle tension
- Rehab and corrective exercise to restore strength, balance and control
- Footmaxx custom orthotics when foot mechanics are adding strain to your feet, knees or back
We'll explain what we found, what we recommend and roughly how long recovery should take. If your exam suggests a fracture, a complete tear or anything else that needs imaging or a specialist, we'll refer you.
Getting back to your sport
The goal isn't just less pain. It's returning to training without getting hurt again. We set clear milestones along the way, such as:
- Pain under control and swelling settled
- Full, comfortable range of motion
- Strength and balance close to your uninjured side
- Sport-specific drills without symptoms
- A gradual build back to full training and competition
When you're ready to focus on strength and conditioning, you can continue with personal training on the same team, so your chiropractor and trainer stay on the same page.
Preventing the next injury
Many sports injuries come from training errors: ramping up too quickly, skipping recovery or pushing through early warning signs. We'll look at your training load, mobility, warm-up and footwear, and give you a short program to keep doing at home. Runners can start with our guide to running form to avoid injury.
Sports chiropractor in Huntington Beach
Our sports injury roots are in Huntington Beach, where Dr. JP opened the practice; the office's wall of signed athlete photos is a reminder of the players we've worked with over the years. Visit our Huntington Beach chiropractor page for directions and hours. Our clinics in Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana and Downey also see patients with sports injuries.
When to get urgent care
Go to an emergency room or urgent care first if you have a suspected broken bone, a dislocated joint, an injury you can't put any weight on, or new numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. After any blow to the head, symptoms such as confusion, a worsening headache, vomiting, or vision or balance problems need same-day medical assessment for concussion.
