If you train regularly, your body takes a steady load: repeated movements, heavy sessions, hard surfaces, and not always enough recovery in between. Sports chiropractic care focuses on the joints and soft tissue that carry that load. For many active people it helps stiff areas move more freely and supports recovery between sessions, which can make training feel better day to day.
At Priority One Osteopathy & Wellness in Burlington, that care comes from Dr. Alexis Anderson, whose whole focus is movement and return-to-sport rehabilitation. She works alongside our massage therapists, osteopaths and naturopathic doctor, so a nagging issue gets looked at from more than one angle.
What athletes actually come in for
Most people don’t book because of a single dramatic injury. They book because something has been building:
- A hip or shoulder that feels restricted on one side
- Recurring low back or neck tightness after training
- A knee or ankle that isn’t moving the way it used to
- Stiffness that shows up the day after a hard session and lingers
- An old injury that never fully settled and flares under load
If low back or neck pain is the main issue, it’s worth reading how our osteopaths approach back pain and neck pain too, since the right starting point depends on what’s driving it.
How chiropractic care fits into training and recovery
Chiropractic care looks at how your joints move and how the muscles around them are working. When a joint is stiff or irritated, you tend to guard it, shift load elsewhere, and move less freely. Over a training block that can turn into compensation patterns and recurring niggles.
Hands-on care aims to restore easier movement in the stiff areas and calm down the surrounding soft tissue. For many athletes that’s associated with more comfortable movement and easier recovery between sessions. It’s a musculoskeletal approach, not a performance guarantee, and it works best as one part of a sensible training and recovery routine.
A session with Dr. Alexis usually includes:
- A movement assessment that looks at the whole chain, not only the sore spot
- Joint work and soft-tissue techniques suited to your sport and comfort
- Specific mobility or strength work to practise between visits
- A plan with an endpoint, so you’re not booked in forever
If you’re mid-season, that often means shorter, more frequent visits to keep something manageable while you keep training. In the off-season it tends to shift toward rebuilding a range of motion or addressing an old injury properly, with more time between appointments.
Working with Dr. Alexis
Dr. Alexis Anderson is a Doctor of Chiropractic registered with the College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO), with 11 years in practice and an athletic background of her own. Her training is built around movement:
- Full Body Active Release Technique (ART) certified, for the soft-tissue side of sports injuries
- Rocktape FMT Movement Specialist and FMT (Basic and Advanced) certified
- Trained in dry needling (Myopains DN1)
- Certified in cupping and IASTM (instrument-assisted soft-tissue work)
- BIRTHFIT pre and postnatal coaching certified, for athletes training through pregnancy and postpartum
In practice that means she’ll spend time watching how you move, work on the tissue around the restricted joint, and send you home with something concrete to do so the change holds. You can read more on her profile or book on her team page.
Where it fits with the rest of your routine
Priority One is a wellness hub, not a single-service clinic, and chiropractic care is one option among several.
If muscle tension and tightness are the bigger part of the picture, registered massage therapy is often a better place to start, and it pairs well with chiropractic care through a training block. If you want to understand how these approaches differ before you book, our guide to osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic lays it out in plain language. There’s also a piece on chiropractic care and your nervous system if you’re curious about why stiff joints can leave you feeling wound up.
And if something in your symptoms points to a medical problem rather than a training one, we’ll say so and send you to your physician first.
Who it’s for
Sports chiropractic care is worth considering if you:
- Compete, or train hard enough that recovery matters
- Run, cycle, lift, or play a team sport regularly
- Keep hitting the same niggle and want to sort out why
- Want to move well now rather than manage a bigger problem later
You don’t need to be injured to book. A lot of athletes come in during a build phase specifically to stay ahead of the small stuff.
Frequently asked questions
Is chiropractic care safe for athletes?
For most people it’s a low-risk, non-invasive option when it’s provided by a registered chiropractor. Dr. Alexis reviews your history and current training load first, and adjusts her approach to your comfort and your sport.
Can chiropractic care improve my performance?
It isn’t a performance treatment. What it may do is help you move more comfortably and recover between sessions, which can make it easier to train consistently. Consistency is what moves performance.
How often should I come in?
It depends on your sport, your training calendar and how you respond. Some athletes book more often during a heavy block or leading into competition, then space visits out. You should always leave with a clear reason for the next one.
Should I see a chiropractor or a massage therapist?
It depends on whether the issue is more joint-related or more muscle-related, and often a combination helps. If you’re not sure, book with either one at Priority One and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Book sports chiropractic care in Burlington
If a recurring niggle or post-training stiffness is getting in the way of how you want to train, chiropractic care with Dr. Alexis is a reasonable place to start. We’re at 600 Brant St, Unit 101 in Burlington. Book online through Noterro or call the clinic at 905-808-9231.
Book chiropractic care at Priority One
