Kindness is a hard thing to give away. It keeps coming back to the giver.

Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you.
Denis Waitley

Sports Injuries and Chiropractic Neurology

As a chiropractic neurologist and athlete, Dr. Ed Jennings has been able to provide a unique and valuable service to many amateur and professional athletes. Recent advances in the brain-based model of health have expanded our understanding of the intricate interaction of joints, muscles and the central neurological reflexes that govern balance, coordination, and muscular control.

When an individual suffers a sprain or strain, the soft tissue elements will commonly heal with fibrous scar tissue, which is less elastic and weaker than healthy tissue, leaving the joint vulnerable to further damage. The trauma to the joint, along with the fibrous scar tissue, can compromise the joints biomechanics. This altered biomechanical integrity can result in a negative sequence of events leading to altered sensory input from the receptors in the joints and muscles. In turn, aberrant sensory input can alter the brain’s ability to coordinate muscles; it can also cause inhibition of certain muscle groups. This condition is called reflexogenic weakness.

The typical treatment of rest, ice, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication is not always the best remedy. Physical therapeutic modalities like ultrasound and muscle stimulation can be helpful. However the mechanism controlling the muscular activity needs to be addressed and not merely the site of the tissue damage. Scar tissue, or adhesions, will develop whether you do the right thing or the wrong thing.

Reflexogenic weakness usually involves the muscle groups whose primary function is the stabilization of joints. This may present locally to the injured joint; however, due to the nature of how the left and right hemispheres (halves) of the brain coordinate muscles on each side of the body, individuals commonly develop reflexogenic weakness throughout muscle groups on one side of the body. Thousands of athletes throughout the world have greatly benefited from having these patterns addressed; however, many individuals remain short of optimum performance because such weaknesses are unidentified.