Soccer Kids Need Protection

Spinal Decompression from Our Chiropractor near You in Winter Park, FL

If you have back or neck pain, the conditions can reduce your range of motion and prevent you from participating in your favorite activities. At Lions Chiropractic & Injury in Winter Park, FL, we offer various treatments, including spinal decompression, to reduce your discomfort and improve your overall health. Before you schedule your appointment, keep reading to learn more about this treatment!

How Spinal Decompression Works

This therapy involves the use of a specialized decompression table that applies controlled traction to the spine. The gentle stretching reduces pressure on spinal discs, allowing bulging or herniated discs to retract. This process also increases blood flow and nutrient exchange, which supports the body’s natural healing response.

Conditions That Benefit from Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression is commonly used to treat a variety of conditions affecting the back and neck. Many patients find relief from chronic pain and mobility issues caused by pressure on the spine. Common conditions that respond well to this treatment include:

Herniated or Bulging Discs – Reducing pressure on the discs helps them return to their normal position.

Sciatica – Relieving nerve compression can ease pain that radiates down the legs.

Degenerative Disc Disease – Creating space between the vertebrae can slow disc deterioration.

Chronic Back or Neck Pain – Stretching the spine alleviates tension and improves flexibility.

What to Expect During Treatment

A session typically lasts between 15 and 30 minutes. Patients lie on a motorized table while our chiropractor adjusts the traction to target specific areas of the spine. The treatment is gentle and relaxing, with most patients experiencing little to no discomfort. Several sessions may be needed to achieve lasting relief and maintain spinal health.

Contact Lions Chiropractic & Injury for an Appointment Today

If you’re considering spinal decompression, contact Lions Chiropractic & Injury in Winter Park, FL, at (407) 951-5500 today. Our team is ready to answer any questions you have and assist with scheduling your appointment. When you need a trusted chiropractor near you, our team is here to help!

Ever since 1984, the year soccer passed baseball as the most popular team sport in the United States, participation in this sport has skyrocketed. With increasing numbers of children running and kicking their way down soccer fields across America, doctors of chiropractic are urging parents to take a step back and learn how to protect their children from the potential injuries this popular sport can cause.

Although soccer can be a great overall sport for children, some youngsters are enduring mild to severe head traumas, neck injuries, damage to the cervical spine, headache, neck pain, dizziness, irritability, and insomnia as a result of their participation, according to the September 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association (JACA). Each year, in fact, youths under age 15 suffer more than 227,100 soccer-related injuries, according to recent reports.

Heading the Ball: A Risk for Children

"People have this misconception that soccer has no risk," says Scott Bautch, DC, past president of the American Chiropractic Association's (ACA) Council on Occupational Health, who has five children playing soccer. "I think soccer is too aggressive too early, which is leading to potential problems. It's not as though we can fix brain damage later on in these kids' lives." Soccer requires three basic skills - kicking (striking the ball with the feet), trapping (similar to catching the ball, only using different parts of the body), and heading the ball, (the deliberate use of the head to redirect the ball). It's that last one - heading - that stirs concern and controversy over possible permanent damage.

Philip Santiago, DC, who was an All-American soccer player in college and a professional player for five years, says that heading is safe only when children are given "proper coaching in proper technique." Dr. Santiago has also served for five years as head soccer coach at both New York Institute of Technology and Montclair State University, and was the chiropractor for the United States Olympic Team in 1992. Dr. Santiago's opinion on proper technique is backed up in a study of elite soccer players at the 1993 Olympic Festival. "While properly executed heading was not found to result in any concussive episodes, 18 percent (18 of 102) of the concussions were a result of heading," the study found.

Dr. Santiago would like to see youngsters hold off heading until age 10 or 11. Dr. Bautch prefers age 14 to 16, based on maturation and development of the spine.

Helmets: Not A Complete Solution

Some school districts are now requiring helmets for young soccer players. However, Dr. Bautch, who says helmets are "a positive," worries that helmets don't protect the spine and don't make up for too-aggressive play. "They are just a small piece that may give some protection," he explains. "I'd hate to see kids wear helmets and have people think that the kids are safe and that they don't have to teach safety and prevention. I would rather see no heading without helmets in young kids, and let helmets be introduced later."

Prevention and Treatment of Injuries

Parents should also encourage a broad spectrum of sports - like soccer, skating and skiing, for example - to develop the whole body. Over-playing and over-training are problems exacerbated by ambitious parents, peer pressure and adult role models. Children need their rest time.

If an injury occurs, think RICE - rest, ice, compression, and elevation of the injury - which is the recommended procedure. Keep the injury iced until the swelling is down, applying ice no longer than a 20-minute session. After 20 minutes, ice fatigues the blood vessels and causes a heat reaction that actually increases swelling. Leave the ice off for about an hour and reapply. Then, try to get the child to move the injured area as soon as possible. If pain persists, consider taking your child to a chiropractor or other health care professional.

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