Sports Injury Chiropractor: Getting Athletes Back in the Game

You’re a runner dealing with persistent knee pain that won’t go away. Or maybe you’re a weekend warrior who tweaked your back lifting weights. Perhaps you play recreational basketball, and your shoulder has been bothering you for months. Whatever your sport, the injury is keeping you from doing what you love.

Here’s what most athletes don’t realize: you don’t need to just rest and hope it gets better. And you don’t need to load up on painkillers to push through. A sports injury chiropractor can help you recover faster, perform better, and prevent future injuries—all without drugs or surgery.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, we work with athletes of all levels—from weekend runners to competitive athletes. Let me explain how chiropractic care helps with sports injuries and why so many athletes in the Twin Cities are choosing this approach.

Common Sports Injuries We Treat

Sports injuries come in all shapes and sizes, depending on what you’re doing and how your body moves. Here are the most common ones we see:

Running injuries: Knee pain, shin splints, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and lower back pain from the repetitive impact of running. Your body takes thousands of steps during a run, and if your alignment is off or your form is poor, that adds up to injury.

Lifting and gym injuries: Shoulder strains, lower back injuries from deadlifts or squats, neck pain from poor form, and muscle imbalances that develop from overtraining certain muscle groups. We see a lot of people who hurt themselves lifting—not because they lifted too much weight, but because their spine wasn’t properly aligned to handle the load.

Contact sports injuries: Football, hockey, basketball, soccer—these sports involve collisions, sudden stops and starts, and awkward movements that can cause sprains, strains, and joint problems. Even if you don’t get a major injury, the repeated impact takes a toll on your body.

Repetitive strain injuries: Tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, pitcher’s elbow—these injuries develop gradually from doing the same motion over and over. Your body can’t recover fast enough between sessions, and eventually something breaks down.

Acute injuries: Twisted ankles, pulled hamstrings, strained shoulders, wrenched backs—sudden injuries that happen during competition or training. These need immediate attention to prevent them from becoming chronic problems.

The key difference between treating athletes and treating other patients is that athletes want to get back to their sport as quickly as possible. They’re not just looking for pain relief—they want to perform at their best.

Why Athletes Choose Chiropractic Care

More and more athletes are choosing chiropractors as part of their healthcare team. Here’s why:

We treat the root cause, not just symptoms: If your knee hurts when you run, the problem might not be your knee—it might be your hips or your lower back throwing off your alignment. We look at your whole body and your movement patterns to figure out what’s actually causing the injury.

Faster recovery: Chiropractic adjustments combined with manual therapy help your body heal faster by improving joint function, reducing inflammation, and restoring proper movement patterns. You’re not just resting and hoping—you’re actively fixing the problem.

Performance enhancement: Proper spinal alignment improves nerve function, which means better coordination, faster reaction times, and more efficient movement. Many athletes notice they perform better after getting adjusted, even if they weren’t injured.

Drug-free and non-invasive: No painkillers, no injections, no surgery. You’re using your body’s natural healing ability, supported by chiropractic care and manual therapy.

Prevention: Regular chiropractic care helps prevent injuries by keeping your body properly aligned and functioning optimally. It’s easier to prevent an injury than to recover from one.

Professional sports teams have chiropractors on staff for a reason. It works.

How We Treat Sports Injuries at Twin Cities Chiropractic

When an athlete comes to our St. Paul clinic with a sports injury, here’s our approach:

Comprehensive Evaluation

First, I need to understand the injury. What happened? When did it start? What makes it better or worse? What are you trying to get back to doing?

I’ll do a physical exam, check your range of motion, test your strength and flexibility, and watch how you move. If you’re a runner, I might watch you run. If you’re a lifter, I might watch your form.

The goal is to identify not just where you’re hurt, but why you got hurt in the first place.

Chiropractic Adjustments

If your spine or joints are out of alignment, that affects everything. Your body compensates for the misalignment, which creates stress on other areas and leads to injury.

I perform specific adjustments to restore proper alignment and joint function. When your body is properly aligned, it moves more efficiently, generates more power, and recovers faster.

Athletes usually feel the difference immediately—better range of motion, less pain, improved movement quality.

Soft Tissue Work and Manual Therapy

Sports injuries aren’t just about bones and joints—muscles, tendons, and fascia play a huge role. Tight muscles restrict movement. Scar tissue from old injuries creates weak spots. Trigger points cause referred pain.

Joy Vang, our massage therapist, uses deep tissue massage, myofascial release, and sports massage techniques to address the soft tissue component of your injury. She works on releasing muscle tension, breaking up scar tissue, and improving flexibility.

The combination of adjustments from me and manual therapy from Joy gives athletes comprehensive care that addresses both structural and soft tissue issues.

Rehabilitation and Strengthening

Once the acute pain improves, we focus on strengthening and correcting movement patterns. If poor form or muscle imbalances caused your injury, we need to fix that, or you’ll just get hurt again.

I’ll give you specific exercises to strengthen weak areas, improve flexibility, and reinforce proper movement patterns. These aren’t generic exercises—they’re tailored to your sport and your specific injury.

Spinal Decompression for Disc Injuries

If you’ve got a herniated or bulging disc from lifting or impact sports, spinal decompression therapy can help you avoid surgery and get back to your sport faster. This treatment gently stretches your spine, taking pressure off the injured disc and allowing it to heal.

Getting Back to Your Sport Safely

One mistake athletes make is rushing back too soon. You feel better, so you jump right back into full training, and then you’re hurt again.

Recovery has stages:

Stage 1: Pain relief. We get the acute pain under control so you can move without constant discomfort.

Stage 2: Restore function. We work on range of motion, flexibility, and basic strength.

Stage 3: Build strength and endurance. Gradually increase load and intensity.

Stage 4: Sport-specific training. Practice the movements and skills required for your sport.

Stage 5: Return to competition. You’re back at full capacity, performing at your best.

Rushing through these stages increases your risk of re-injury. Do it right, and you’ll come back stronger than before.

Prevention: Keeping Athletes Healthy

The best sports injury is the one that never happens. Here’s how to stay healthy:

Get regular adjustments. Even if you feel fine, periodic chiropractic care keeps your body properly aligned and functioning optimally. Many athletes come in every 2-4 weeks for maintenance.

Warm up properly. Don’t skip your warm-up. Get your body ready for the demands you’re about to place on it.

Listen to your body. Minor aches and pains are warning signs. Address them early before they become major injuries.

Cross-train. Don’t just do one sport or one type of exercise. Variety reduces repetitive strain and builds balanced strength.

Work on mobility and flexibility. Tight muscles and restricted joints increase injury risk.

Finding a Sports Injury Chiropractor in St. Paul

If you’re looking for a sports injury chiropractor near me in the Twin Cities, here’s what to look for:

Experience with athletes. You want someone who understands sports injuries and works with active people regularly.

Comprehensive approach. Good sports injury treatment includes adjustments, soft tissue work, and rehab—not just quick fixes.

Understanding of your sport. Your chiropractor should understand the demands of your specific activity.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic, I’ve been treating athletes in St. Paul since 2001. We work with runners, lifters, team sport athletes, weekend warriors, and everyone in between. Whether you’re training for a marathon or just want to play pickup basketball without pain, we can help.

Don’t Let Injury Keep You Sidelined

Sports injuries are frustrating. You want to get back to doing what you love, but you’re stuck on the sidelines dealing with pain.

The good news is that most sports injuries respond incredibly well to chiropractic care. You don’t need surgery. You don’t need to give up your sport. You just need the right treatment approach.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, we’ve helped hundreds of athletes recover from injuries and get back to peak performance. Whether you’re dealing with a chronic issue or an acute injury, we’ll create a treatment plan to get you back in the game.

Dealing with a sports injury in the Twin Cities? Contact me at Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul. We specialize in sports injury treatment with chiropractic adjustments, manual therapy, and rehabilitation. Get back to your sport faster.