Sports Injuries
Reno plays hard: ski season, trail season, golf season, softball-that-we-take-too-seriously season. Sports injuries here split into two families — the sudden ones (sprains, strains…
Medically reviewed by Dr. Alan S. Bader, DC — Chiropractic Physician, Nevada License B-567 · About Dr. Bader · Last reviewed: July 2026
Reno plays hard: ski season, trail season, golf season, softball-that-we-take-too-seriously season. Sports injuries here split into two families — the sudden ones (sprains, strains, impacts) and the sneaky ones (overuse patterns that build for weeks). Both respond best to care that respects how athletes actually heal: actively.
What’s actually going on
Beyond first aid, athletic injury care is about restoring joint mechanics, tissue capacity and movement patterns — then finding the why. The ankle that keeps spraining, the hamstring that keeps grabbing, the elbow that flares each golf trip: repeat offenders usually have a mechanical cause upstream, and that's examinable.
Common causes we see
- Ski and board impacts — knees, shoulders, whiplash-pattern falls
- Running overuse — ITB, plantar fascia, shin and hip patterns from Reno's trails and pavement
- Golf — the rotational low-back tax
- Court and field sports — ankle sprains, hamstring strains, collision injuries
- Training-load jumps: doing Tuesday what your tissues weren't ready for until June
How we evaluate it
Injury-specific orthopedic testing, screening for fractures and instability that need imaging or medical management first, and a movement assessment aimed at the upstream cause — hips that don't rotate make backs do the rotating, and backs complain.
How chiropractic care may help
Staged like athletes expect: calm the acute tissue (modalities, controlled motion), restore joint mechanics (adjustment and mobilization of spine and extremities), rebuild capacity (progressive loading — the part that prevents the sequel), and return-to-play criteria rather than guess dates. Many sprain/strain patterns resolve over weeks; we coordinate imaging or orthopedic referral immediately when the exam points that way.
What to expect
Expect return-to-play criteria, not just 'rest two weeks.' Tissue tolerances are tested before you're cleared to test them yourself on a mountain.
⚠ When to seek medical care instead
Get imaging/medical care first for: inability to bear weight after an ankle or knee injury, joint deformity or gross instability, a pop with rapid swelling (possible ACL or fracture), numbness after a collision, or any head impact with confusion — concussions outrank everything.
Framework: staged rehabilitation and progressive loading per standard sports-medicine practice.
This page is education, not medical advice for your specific situation — an examination is how care decisions get made. If you may be experiencing an emergency, call 911. Full medical disclaimer.
In pain right now? Acute patients get priority scheduling. Call and tell us what’s going on — same-week appointments are usually available.
☎ (775) 829-7575Sports Injuries — FAQs
Should I ice or heat it?
Fresh injuries with swelling: cold, briefly and repeatedly. Older, stiff, achy patterns: heat before activity. When in doubt in the first 48 hours, cold — and get it examined rather than guessing for a month.
Can I keep training around it?
Usually something can be trained — we're big believers in modifying rather than stopping. The exam defines the guardrails so you keep fitness without feeding the injury.
Why does the same injury keep coming back?
Because the tissue healed but the cause didn't — mechanics, capacity or technique. Repeat offenders get the upstream exam, not just the sore-spot treatment.
What patients say
Reno Patients, In Their Own Words
“First time here… Friendly and efficient receptionist, she explained everything in detail. I saw Dr. Bader. Listened to my areas of pain, explained many things and my first adjustment was great. He is also friendly, has good “bedside” manners. They are a hometown health provider.”
“I’ve been seeing Dr. Bader for the last 15 years. He is extremely knowledgeable and has a great bedside manor. The office is very well run… Most insurance is accepted and if it’s not, the cash plan is very reasonable. Walk in’s are acceptable and same day appointments are most likely.”
“Dr Bader is a Super Chiropractor! Palmer educated.”
“They actually work on fixing your issues with adjustments and therapy and get you in and out of the office in a timely manner.”
Real patient reviews from Google and Yelp, quoted word-for-word (ellipses mark trims — nothing else is changed). Individual experiences vary — care decisions always follow an examination. Read them all — unfiltered — at the sources.
Request an appointment
Tell Us What’s Going On
Fastest path is a call — (775) 829-7575 (Mon/Wed 9–1 & 3–6 · Tue/Thu 2–6 · Fri 9–1). Prefer to write? Send this and we’ll call you back, usually within the hour during office hours — after hours, you’re first on the morning list.
One Call Starts It.
Mon/Wed 9–1 & 3–6 · Tue/Thu 2–6 · Fri 9–1 · 294 E. Moana Lane, Suite 28 · Se Habla Español