Sports Injury Care in Portland & Hood River

What is sports injuries?

From trail runners in Forest Park to skiers and snowboarders on Mt. Hood and windsurfers and kiteboarders on the Columbia River at Hood River, active people put repeated demands on their bodies. Injuries can be sudden — a fall or twist — or build gradually from overuse.

Common symptoms of sports injuries

• Pain during or after activity
• Swelling, bruising or tenderness
• Reduced range of motion or stiffness
• Weakness or instability in a joint
• Pain that keeps returning when you resume training

What causes sports injuries?

Common causes include training errors (doing too much too soon), falls, repetitive motion, muscle imbalances, previous injuries and equipment issues. Runners often develop knee, hip and foot problems; skiers and snowboarders knee, wrist and back injuries; windsurfers and kiteboarders shoulder, low back and knee strain; cyclists neck, low back and knee pain.

When should you see a doctor right away?

Most sports injuries is not an emergency, but some symptoms need immediate medical care. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room — rather than booking a chiropractic visit — if you have any of the following:

• Obvious deformity, inability to bear weight or suspected fracture
• Head injury, concussion symptoms or loss of consciousness
• Rapid, severe swelling of a joint
• Numbness, coldness or color change in a limb

How chiropractic care may help sports injuries

Your doctor evaluates how the injury happened and how your body moves. Care may include chiropractic adjustments to restore joint motion in the spine and extremities, StemWave for muscle and tendon injuries, and guidance on a gradual, safe return to training.

Services used for sports injuries:

• Chiropractic Adjustments
• StemWave

What to expect at ALVIS

Care for sports injuries at ALVIS Chiropractic follows three simple steps, starting with a free consultation. Nothing is decided until the doctor has heard your story and examined you, and there's no obligation to begin care.

1. 1Free consultation: tell the doctor about your sports injuries — when it started, what makes it better or worse, and your goals.
2. 2Exam: a hands-on chiropractic exam, with X-rays or other imaging reviewed or referred if needed, to identify the likely source and rule out red flags.
3. 3Personalized plan: the doctor explains the findings and recommends a plan, which may include chiropractic care, StemWave, home exercises or — in Portland — spinal decompression, or a referral if another provider is a better fit.

At-home tips while you heal

These general tips are safe for most people. Stop anything that clearly worsens your symptoms and ask your doctor what's right for you.

• Reduce, don't necessarily stop, activity — keep moving within comfort.
• Increase training volume gradually.
• Warm up before activity and include strength work for your sport.
• Check equipment fit, such as running shoes, bike fit or harness setup.