Preseason Chiropractic Care: How Collinsville Student-Athletes Can Get Ahead of Fall Sports Injuries

Two-a-days are closer than they look. For Collinsville's football, volleyball, cross country, and soccer athletes, August tryouts mean weeks of conditioning, cutting, sprinting, and contact — often after a summer with far less structured activity. That gap between "summer mode" and "in-season shape" is exactly when preventable injuries happen: hamstring strains, low back tightness, shin splints, and joint pain that shows up in week one and lingers all season.

Dr. Kris McClusky, Director of Sports Medicine at Next Level Performance Institute and the chiropractor behind ChiropracticWorks in Collinsville, sees this pattern every summer. His answer isn't to wait for an injury to happen — it's to get athletes assessed and adjusted before the season starts.

Why Preseason Matters More Than Mid-Season

Most families think of a sports chiropractor as someone you see after getting hurt. But the athletes who stay healthiest all season are usually the ones who came in beforehand for a baseline assessment. A preseason visit checks:

• Joint mobility in the hips, spine, and shoulders — restrictions here are one of the most common hidden causes of hamstring and groin strains

• Muscle imbalances left over from a less active summer

• Old injuries that never fully resolved and are still limiting range of motion

• Posture and movement patterns that put extra stress on the knees, ankles, and lower back during cutting and pivoting sports

Catching these issues in July, before full-contact practice starts, is far easier than trying to fix them during a busy in-season schedule.

What Makes Sports Chiropractic Different

General chiropractic care and sports chiropractic care aren't the same thing. Dr. Kris's work with high school, collegiate, and professional athletes through Next Level Performance Institute means treatment plans account for the actual demands of the sport — a lineman's needs aren't a distance runner's needs. Sports-specific care typically combines:

• Chiropractic adjustments to restore joint mobility

• Soft tissue work to address tight or overworked muscles

• Rehabilitative exercises targeted at the athlete's specific sport and position

• Return-to-play guidance that keeps parents and coaches informed

Who Should Book a Preseason Visit

• Student-athletes heading into tryouts or two-a-days in August

• Athletes coming back from any injury or pain during the school year

• Weekend warriors and adult athletes ramping up training after a slower summer

• Anyone who noticed nagging tightness, soreness, or reduced flexibility during summer conditioning

Get Ahead of the Season

Fall sports schedules fill up fast once practice starts. The families who book a preseason assessment in July give their athletes the best shot at a full, healthy season — instead of losing the first few weeks to an injury that could have been caught early.

Ready to get your athlete assessed before tryouts? Call ChiropracticWorks at (618) 343-3602 or schedule online with Dr. Kris McClusky in Collinsville, IL.