The season of snowy slopes and ice rinks is right around the corner! Here in the Denver area, winter sports are some of our most-awaited and beloved activities. From hockey to skiing and everything in between, the Denver area is home to a wide variety of thrilling winter sports. The cold weather doesn’t stop us from keeping our bodies moving.

That being said, the winter months also bring with them plenty of physical aches, pains, and strains. Winter sports routinely cause a huge number of injuries in both adults and children. What’s more, cold weather is also responsible for slowing down the healing process. The cold temperatures inhibit blood circulation, stiffen muscles, joints, and ligaments, and can even make your immune system more susceptible to illness.

In order to continue enjoying the activities and sports you love, you need to make sure that your body is in good functional health. A sports chiropractor can help you address a variety of injuries as well as keep your body in optimum shape for the winter sports season. 


Reasons a Sports Chiropractor Can Benefit You This Winter

– Helps treat soft tissue injuries and joint pain

The chilly winter weather is known to make joints and muscles stiff. As the temperature drops and the atmospheric pressure increases, the fluids in your joints move around less freely. Your muscles may end up in a state of constant contraction or compression. All of this can lead to severe discomfort, and make muscles and joints painful to use. Chiropractic care eases stiffness in the whole body and keeps joints and muscles relaxed. This flexibility also relieves any pains that may flare up because of the cold weather.


– Maintains proper spinal alignment and posture

Good spinal alignment is the first step to avoiding winter sports injuries. Your body tends to remain tense in the winter months to retain heat and handle the elements outside. As a result, the risk of musculoskeletal injuries greatly increases, especially for people who participate in vigorous winter sports like snowmobiling and ice climbing. If not treated properly, even minor stiffness can lead to severe misalignments and dislocations over time. Chiropractic care aligns your entire spine and helps build your strength and coordination. Spinal adjustments also improve your posture, which lowers the risk of injuries in the long run.


– Prevents cold and flu 

Cold and flu season peaks in the winter months and can make everyday life quite rough. Factors like freezing weather, sleep deprivation and stress all contribute to a compromised immune system. These conditions increase the risk of catching an infection, as the surroundings are already swarming with bacteria and viruses. Expert chiropractic care can boost your immune system function and also help fight all sorts of illnesses. Chiropractic adjustments fix the alignment of the vertebrae within the spine and strengthen the nervous and immune systems.


– Helps treat or prevent seasonal depression

Seasonal depression, medically called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a condition that frequently strikes in the winter months. Darker days, colder temperatures, and less sunlight all come together to drain your energy and motivation. The many stressors associated with the holidays can also trigger the same effects as standard depression. While there is no complete cure for SAD, the right chiropractic care can help relieve its symptoms and boost mood. Spinal adjustments stimulate the nervous system and thus impact hormone regulation in the body. The boost in serotonin and melatonin levels in the body can help balance your emotions and feelings.

– Releases muscle tension in your neck and back

The stress stored in the body is often visible as tense neck, shoulder, and back muscles. A body that is unprepared for the colder weather is even more likely to feel tight and stiff. Neck and shoulder adjustments can effectively relax these muscles, reducing the pressure on nerves. This kind of chiropractic treatment is especially important for older adults and people who have had a previous injury to this area of the body. In addition to soothing muscle tension in the neck and back, chiropractic care can also ease pain caused by muscle spasms, pinched nerves, or strains.


– Removes joint restrictions and restores a full range of motion

Joint restriction or a “stuck” joint is a very common health issue that causes persistent muscle stiffness and pain. It can be caused by injuries, muscle sprains, mental stress, or exhaustion. The “stuck” or “locked” joints can often be traced back to poor spinal alignment. Vertebrae that are restricted or fixed can lead to significant pain, discomfort, and abrasion of the spine. If you have been experiencing radiating pain, numbness, or tingling, chiropractic care can help restore your spinal column to full health. Hands-on chiropractic manipulations directly reduce the pressure on nerves and discs in the spine. This can help heal both acute and chronic joint restrictions — so that you can jump back into all the winter sports you love.


– Reduces inflammation and pressure on and around your joints

Many of us face problems with joint mobility in the winter. Whether it is a flare-up of an old joint injury or consistent pain from general wear and tear, the frosty weather can trigger a decrease in range of motion. This pain and tenderness are commonly a result of compressed nerve endings or a poorly aligned spine. Chiropractic care uses a wide range of techniques to reduce or eliminate the pressure on nerves and nerve endings. The effectiveness of chiropractic treatments is not limited to back and shoulder pain. Treatments also improve mobility in the neck, knees, and ankles. If you have a chronic condition like arthritis, personalized chiropractic care will equip you with a full treatment and management plan to improve your body function in the long run.


– Increases balance, coordination, stability, and flexibility

Our physical balance and stability depend on good communication between the brain and the body. The spine facilitates this connection by transmitting messages from the central nervous system throughout the body. If the spine is misaligned, nerve communication is disrupted. Problems with balance and stability may ensue. If you are looking forward to the winter sports season, keep in mind that improper balance can result in severe falls, sprains, and other injuries. Gentle chiropractic adjustments can eliminate any nerve interference in the spine and improve your flexibility, gait, and coordination. 


– Improves circulation for quicker healing

Proper blood circulation is essential for transporting nutrients and oxygen to every cell of your body. Optimal blood flow is especially vital in winter when your body needs to keep warm. The most common symptoms of poor blood circulation include headaches, nausea, dizziness, visual problems, and cold, tingling extremities. If you have been experiencing one or more of these effects, spinal misalignment may be responsible. Regular chiropractic adjustments relieve pressure from nerves and encourage blood to flow more freely. Problems with circulation are often chronic and need to be addressed with a holistic treatment plan. 

Denver’s Best Sports Chiropractor 

Winters in the Denver area come with plenty of physical challenges. Fortunately, chiropractic care offers the perfect solution for all these difficulties and more. Reinhardt Chiropractic is Denver’s trusted chiropractic and wellness clinic. Our practice is based on the principle that the body can heal itself with the proper realignment of joint and spine positions. We utilize state-of-the-art chiropractic techniques and non-invasive interventions to restore your body’s natural health and wellness. Our expert chiropractic and wellness treatments encourage the body to heal itself without the use of any prescription drugs.

If you are looking for Denver’s best sports chiropractor to help you prepare for the snowy weather, book an appointment with Reinhardt Chiropractic today!