Sports
THE ART OF HEALING // AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. DAMIEN BURGESS
By Roxana Vosough
How did you get into the field of sports medicine?
Dr. Burgess: As long as I can remember I have played sports. I grew up playing Club Soccer and Travel Baseball and there was always a game that I was in or a practice to attend. During my college years, I decided to get into Brazilian Jiu-Jistu and Kickboxing. These sports placed a high demand on my body and I had to cope with injuries. I decided to start turning my hobbies into work, and researching strength and conditioning options and rehabilitation techniques for the injuries. I also started teaching strength and conditioning programs for athletes who wanted to become bigger, faster, and stronger.
How does that field relate or benefit your current practice?
Sports Medicine is a major part of my practice and about 90% of my patients are sports related. I run programs that consist of Therapeutic exercises, Proprioceptive exercises, and strength & conditioning to help everyone from athletes to weekend warriors prevent injury and perform their best.
What advice would you have for people to stay healthy and avoid injury in sports?
I would stress the importance of warming up and cooling down. These little 5-15 minute session could make the difference in becoming injured or exacerbating an injury. Another major contributing factor to injury is dehydration and proper electrolyte balance is crucial for high level performance.
What are the most common injury in sports and how can they be healed?
Unfortunately, injuries vary depending on sports. If I would have to stick to one answer, I'd probably go with an Inversion Sprained ankle. An inversion ankle sprain or a "rolled ankle" usually occurs when the individual has stepped onto an uneven surface or landing with improper biomechanics. When the foot is not properly planted the foot rolls inward. This results in a stretching or tearing of the Anterior Talofibular ligament (ATFL). This injury can be as simple as a 1-2 week recovery or a lengthy recovery with a surgical intervention (rare, unless displacement of the fibula has occurred or an avulsion fracture).
For most cases, R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation) would be the first stage in recovery. The second would require introducing Range of Motion (ROM), strength and flexibility exercises. The last phase would be to gradually returning to activity with normal dynamic movements and holding off on burst or cutting movements. After returning to normal movements has taken place for a week or two, introduction to cutting and bust exercises take place.
Muscles strains are also really common and occur when the muscle tissue is not ready for the demand that is being exerted on it. Fast muscle movements to an improperly warmed up muscle can cause the tissue to stretch too fast and/or overstretch. Ways to avoid a muscle strain would be proper warm-ups and cool downs with dynamic movements to reduce stiffness and increase ROM. A proper conditioning program will decrease chances of a muscle strain from muscular imbalance, fatigue, and poor conditioning. Lastly, hydration and proper electrolyte balance are crucial for performance and injury prevention.
What are the most common workout fads in California, and what do you think about them?
Right now, I would say the most common workout fad is CrossFit. CrossFit has been around for about 10 or so years, but recently became popular in the last 5, possibly after the implementation of "CrossFit Games". My personal opinion is, CrossFit can be a great tool for working out, however many factors need to be addressed. With most growing fad workouts, the demand becomes higher than adequate professionals to instruct them. CrossFit utilizes three olympic lifts; the snatch, the clean, and the jerk, as well as several other ballistic movement type exercise. When performed by an untrained or unskilled athlete, these exercises can result in significant tissue damage and/or injuries. CrossFit can be a good workout tool but the key component is properly instructed technique and coaching.
What advice do you have for people who are just starting to go to the gym, versus avid gym goers who want to advance their work out?
My advice for someone trying to get into exercising or adopting a new workout plan would be to try some group classes at a gym. Gyms usually have variations of skill level from beginner classes to advanced classes. Also, you can take these classes with a friend, but still go at your individual progression. I would show up to class a few minutes before and introduce yourself as a new student to the instructor. If classes aren't for you, I would try a personal training session or two so that you can become acclimated the equipment and cardio machines of that particular gym. Enjoyment is the most important part of choosing a workout regimen. In the end you have to enjoy it or you probably won't stick to it.
For more Sport related articles see below
Image above, circa 1923.
Chiropractor Dr. Damien Burgess is truly passionate and dedicated to his field. His intellect and experience in Sports Medicine serve as a guide for everyone from those just beginning to work out to advanced athletes alike.
Dr. Damien J Burgess D.C. M.S. C.C.S.P. CSCS
Treating Chiropractic Sports Physician at NewportCare Medical Center
Owner at ChiroRehab Premier Sports Therapy
Current Team Chiropractor for Bike Religion Cycle Team
Indoor Soccer Coordinator at Equinox Sports Club Irvine
Current Team Chiropractor for Obey Indoor Soccer Team
Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine
Masters in Sports Medicine
Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Certified Full Body ART Practitioner
Roxana Vosough is the Founder and Publisher of
Mode-Moderne Journal
MMJ. Sport Articles.
MMJ. Sports Articles.