Dr. James Goldman, owner of Goldman


Chiropractic & Acupuncture, in Naples, notes that when an imbalance in the spine is ignored or goes undetected for too long,


muscle imbalance develops. “Some muscles become weak and others react by becoming too tight, thus affecting athletic


performance,” he advises.


ments to minimize abnormal stresses and strains that affect the function of the nervous system and act on joints and spinal tissues. But active exercises and stretches, extension traction and ergonomic education are frequently added as preventive protocols to help athletes avert injury.


Cause and Effects


The spinal cord operates like a switch- board for the body, transferring electri- cal impulses via a network of nerves. It works properly as long as there is no in- terference between the brain and tissue cells. But when nerve endings swell due to misaligned vertebrae, injury is more likely. Research reported in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine and The Physi- cian and Sportsmedicine indicates that chiropractic sports science helps find and correct the underlying causes, and thus helps prevent and heal injuries. During one research project, Chung Ha Suh, Ph.D., and his team at the Uni- versity of Colorado demonstrated that even, “minuscule amounts of pressure on a nerve root (equal to a feather falling on the hand), resulted in up to a 50 per- cent decrease in electrical transmission down the course of the nerve supplied by that root.” The resulting biome- chanical misalignment causes a domino effect: it exerts abnormal pressure on the nerve root, causes interference in the brain’s impulses to tissue cells, and alters the performance of any muscles and organs that the nerve serves.


natural awakenings October 2011 27


Chiropractic Physician Jay Swee- ney, owner of San Antonio Family Alternative Medicine, in Texas, uses functional neurology to “send a bar- rage of neurologically correct signals through the nervous system straight into the brain” in order to promote the balance, stability and coordination that enhance athletic performance and help prevent injuries.


Dr. Nicole Galiette, owner of Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center, in Cheshire, Connecticut, believes that her expertise as a marathon runner helps to guard athlete clients from fatigue and stress that affects joints as a result of repetitive motions. “In any sport, there is a tendency to use one side, one joint or one movement more than others,” advises Galiette.


For example, cyclists and runners’ repetitive stress injuries most often occur in the knees and back, while swimmers and baseball pitchers experience them in the shoulders. When Galiette treats cyclists that overwork their leg muscles and lean forward in an awkward spinal


position for extended periods, she emphasizes strengthening exercises. “In- juries that heal properly are less suscep- tible to future flare-ups,” she notes. Dr. James Goldman, owner of Goldman Chiropractic & Acupuncture, in Naples, notes that when an imbal- ance in the spine is ignored or goes un- detected for too long, muscle imbalance develops. “Some muscles become weak and others react by becoming too tight, thus affecting athletic performance,” he advises.


Galiette agrees that anyone who pushes their body hard needs to be in proper alignment, to keep the muscular system balanced. “Strengthening the muscles around body mechanisms that are most frequently used means that the integrity of the surrounding structures won’t be compromised and cause other problems,” she says.


Goldman Chiropractic & Acupuncture, 1001 Crosspointe Dr., Ste. 1. Call 239- 254-0003 or visit GoldmanChiro.com. See ad, page 3.


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