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Condition: CrossFit-Related Injuries

Overview:
CrossFit injuries commonly involve the shoulder, lower back, knees, and wrists due to high-intensity, high-volume movements with Olympic lifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. Risk increases with poor form, inadequate recovery, and overtraining.

Common Injuries:

  • Rotator cuff strain/tendonitis

  • Lumbar strain/disc irritation

  • Patellofemoral pain syndrome

  • Wrist sprains/tendonitis

  • Rhabdomyolysis (rare but serious)

Chiropractic Perspective:

  • Adjustments improve joint biomechanics, especially in the thoracic spine, shoulder, pelvis, and lumbar spine.

  • Extremity adjustments enhance mobility in wrists, elbows, and ankles.

  • Upper cervical and sacroiliac care can reduce compensatory movement patterns.

Rehabilitation Approach:

  • Corrective exercise for mobility/stability imbalances (e.g., scapular control, hip hinge mechanics).

  • Progressive loading for return-to-lift protocols.

  • Isometric loading and eccentric rehab for tendinopathies.

  • Emphasize motor control under fatigue and movement retraining.

Nutrition Interventions:

  • Anti-inflammatory diet (omega-3s, curcumin, magnesium-rich foods) for joint and soft tissue recovery.

  • Protein intake: ~1.6–2.2 g/kg/day for muscle repair.

  • Address deficiencies (vitamin D, iron, B-complex, zinc).

  • Hydration and electrolyte balance for muscle function.

Functional Medicine Focus:

  • Evaluate cortisol and HPA axis function in overtraining.

  • GI testing if chronic inflammation or recovery issues present.

  • Optimize mitochondrial health with CoQ10, B-vitamins, magnesium, and carnitine.

  • Support detox pathways post-rhabdo risk or NSAID use.

Acupuncture Use:

  • Local and distal needling for pain modulation (shoulder, knee, low back).

  • Auricular and scalp acupuncture to address CNS fatigue and recovery.

  • Electroacupuncture enhances tissue healing and neuromuscular reeducation.

Dry Needling:

  • Trigger point release in overactive muscles (upper traps, QL, piriformis, etc.).

  • Decrease tone and spasm post-WOD.

  • Restore normal recruitment patterns and reduce guarding.

Goal:
Reduce pain, restore joint/muscle function, correct movement patterns, optimize recovery, and prevent re-injury through integrative care.

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