What kinds of sports injuries?
Common diagnoses across the sports populations I work with:
- Hamstring strain — the most common athletic muscle injury. Common in soccer, hockey, sprinting, field sports.
- Calf strain — common in runners and field athletes.
- Quad / adductor strain — acute or recurrent, especially in kicking sports.
- Ankle sprains — the single most common athletic injury, with high recurrence if not rehabbed properly.
- ACL sprain or post-reconstruction — long, structured rehab.
- Achilles, patellar, rotator cuff tendinopathies — overuse injuries.
- Bone stress injuries — tibial stress reactions, metatarsal stress fractures in runners.
- Concussion — see the dedicated concussion page.
What the evidence says
- The Lauersen meta-analysis (BJSM 2014) found strength training reduces sports injury risk by approximately 50% — a much larger effect than stretching or proprioception work alone.
- The Askling H-test and L-protocol for hamstring rehab reduces recurrence in elite athletes.
- For ankle sprains, the JOSPT 2021 CPG (Martin et al.) supports early mobilization and proprioceptive training to prevent chronic ankle instability.
- Return-to-sport decisions should follow criteria-based testing (Grindem; Aspetar; StARRT framework).
Who I work with
- Youth athletes — age-appropriate, growth-plate-aware rehab.
- Competitive athletes — including Tecumseh United FC players.
- Recreational athletes and weekend warriors — same evidence, applied to your demands.
- Active older adults — treating sports injuries through to a full return to activity.
The plan
- Assessment within the first visit — specific diagnosis, severity grading.
- Acute phase: protect, restore basics.
- Strength & control phase.
- Power & sport-specific phase.
- Return-to-play criteria battery: strength, hop tests, sport-specific demands, psychological readiness.
When to seek emergency care
Some symptoms need urgent medical attention — not a chiropractic visit. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for: progressive limb weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, saddle anesthesia (numbness in the groin/inner thighs), severe unrelenting pain unrelieved by position, signs of fracture after significant trauma, chest pain, stroke-like symptoms (face drooping, arm weakness, speech changes), or any rapidly worsening or unusual symptom.
Bottom line
Sport-specific rehab built around the demands of your game. Criteria-based return-to-play. Honest timelines. Return when you're actually ready.