What Does the Doctor do When he gets Injured?
For a while, my sign off on YouTube videos was #DoesYourDoctorEvenLift ?
It was a little tongue in cheek jab at providers and professionals whose only advice to athletes in pain is consistently “Stop doing that thing that you love.”
A classier way to summarize my feelings about providers like this is “Are they athletes / do they even understand athletes?”
Part of being an athlete and a provider that cares for athletes is knowing the mentality of active people. I know how much moving, lifting, and competing means to my patients because I know how much it means to me.
I’ve been on both sides of injuries. I’ve known the absolute gut wrenching feeling of having something I enjoy doing taken away from me because of pain. And I’ve helped athletes of all levels overcome this helpless, hopeless feeling for more than two decades.
All of this brings me to the point of this post. What do I do when I get injured? Do I practice what I preach? Are there shortcuts or secret recovery hacks that I utilize?
Let’s find out!
Prevention
The number one thing I do regarding injuries is avoiding them in the first place. Yes, prevention is the best approach. What does this entail?
I eat a low inflammatory diet (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo-ish) which helps decrease my overall systemic inflammation and likelihood for injury and illness.
I use regular mobility and stability exercises daily.
I warm-up extensively prior to activity.
Body Awareness & Biofeedback
Knowing how your body is feeling and performing prior to load-based exercise is a vital component to avoiding injury. Biofeedback is a series of simple quick tests prior to working out that can drive your exercise choice (assuming you have a choice). Read more about Biofeedback testing at DaveDellenave.com
Additionally, when you feel pain during a workout…STOP. You should know the difference between discomfort and pain. If you have pain during a workout, you must shut it down immediately.
Immediate care
If you are in pain, find a position of relief and slowly move gently through pain-free ranges of motion if possible. This might be specific, like neck ranges of motion that don’t hurt. Or general, such as simply walking slowly.
Ice or Heat? Usually, it doesn’t matter that much. If you have an injury that is immediately swelling (like an ankle sprain), your best bet is to stabilize the area with some support and compression, and let it rest. As soon as you can, start moving or better yet work with a practitioner that can guide rehab. Early mobilization will help prevent muscle atrophy and kick-start recovery.
If you have pain but don’t have obvious swelling, check in with a trusted provider that specializes in movement recovery. When I injured my mid-back recently during snatch drills, I immediately texted my fellow Chiropractor and got an appointment the next morning. After just two-days, I was back training again.
This combination of some guided rehab, adjustments (when necessary) and body work like Active Release Techniques are vital to a full and speedy recovery.
Long Term Care
Ideally, you’ll want to fully rehabilitate the injury. I often see patients that have chronic pain in joints and structures because of past trauma that went un-rehabilitated. So follow up with your local provider as well as drilling at-home mobility and stability protocols. These tried and true protocols, a group of exercises in a progressive series are the key to long term recovery. This is how professionals design rehab programs and this is what you’ll need to return to play.
I hope that helps give you some direction to navigate any future injuries you run into.
Dr. Scott Mills
What is Performance Care?
It all begins with an idea.
Does Your Doctor Even Lift?
When I first started seeing patients in a CrossFit gym in 2012, I noticed a common theme. Many athletes came to me frustrated after being told by other providers to simply "stop doing ________" in response to their pain. Whether it was running, tennis, or CrossFit, the advice was the same—avoid the activity.
This lazy approach didn’t sit well with me. It was clear that many traditional healthcare practitioners didn’t understand the athlete’s mindset. I started jokingly asking my patients: "Well, does your doctor even lift?"
A Better Approach to Chiropractic Care
This tongue-in-cheek question became a way to shift perspectives. Rather than avoiding activities that cause pain, we ask better questions: What is the biomechanical or neurological cause of this pain, and how can we fix it?
This is the foundation of sports chiropractic care—focusing on root cause analysis rather than simply avoiding discomfort. Athletes don’t want to stop moving; they want solutions that help them perform better and stay pain-free.
From Patient to Sports Chiropractor
I understand this firsthand. In my 20s, I began experiencing lower back pain. By 25, I had an L5-S1 lumbar disc herniation with debilitating sciatica. Despite my background in athletic training and access to doctors and physical therapists, I struggled to find answers. One doctor even told me I’d "have a bad back" for life and should never lift heavy again.
That wasn’t acceptable to me.
This experience led me to chiropractic college, determined to heal myself and provide better solutions for others. Now, nearly 20 years later, I’ve been pain-free for 15 years—not by avoiding movement, but by optimizing it. I recently competed in my 5th powerlifting competition, setting a personal best deadlift of 468 lbs.
(No, deadlifts are NOT bad for your back.)
Why Athletes Trust Sports Chiropractic Care
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury, or looking to optimize performance, a sports chiropractor can help you move better, recover faster, and train smarter.
I specialize in sports chiropractic care, functional movement assessments, and rehabilitation strategies that address the root cause of pain—so you can get back to doing what you love, stronger than ever.
Ready to Move Pain-Free & Perform at Your Best?
If you’re tired of being told to stop doing what you love and want real solutions, let’s work together. Book an appointment today and take the first step toward better movement, better performance, and a pain-free future.
Let’s find a way to BE Better.
-Scott Mills, DC, MS, ATC-r
Located in Petaluma at Body English, Health & Performance – Serving athletes, weekend warriors, and active individuals looking for expert chiropractic care.
Beyond Mobility: A New Approach for Functional Fitness Athletes
It all begins with an idea.
With the rise of CrossFit and functional fitness, athletes have also seen an increase in the need for recovery, mobility, and injury prevention strategies. Enter pioneers like Dr. Kelly Starrett (MobilityWOD, now The Ready State), who emphasized self-care and movement quality. Alongside his work came a surge of massage therapists, physical therapists, and chiropractors catering to this growing community.
But one important question remains:
When should CrossFit athletes seek professional help—and who is best equipped to provide it?
Does Your Doctor Even Lift?
As a healthcare professional, I didn’t just treat CrossFit athletes—I became one. Through personal experience and clinical observation, I realized that while mobility work and stretching are helpful, they don’t always solve the root of the problem. That’s why I created a unique care model I call Performance Care—a comprehensive, individualized system that goes far beyond foam rolling and static stretching.
By combining my background as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Exercise Scientist, and Doctor of Chiropractic, I deliver targeted solutions that optimize performance, reduce pain, and prevent injury.
The Limits of Self-Care: Why You Might Need More Than Just Mobility
I’m a huge advocate of self-care. In fact, I’ve built a robust YouTube channel full of mobility and stability videos to help athletes troubleshoot movement issues on their own.
However, many athletes hit a ceiling with self-treatment. That’s because tools like stretching, mobility drills, and massage only work well if the problem is due to actual soft tissue restrictions. When deeper issues—like neuromuscular dysfunction or scar tissue adhesions—are present, more specialized care is needed.
What Is Active Release Technique (ART)—And Why It Works
When you have soft tissue damage, your body may form scar tissue or adhesions that disrupt healthy movement patterns. That’s why I’ve spent the last 20 years specializing in Active Release Technique (ART)—the gold standard in soft tissue care.
ART is designed to identify and eliminate adhesions quickly and effectively, helping restore pain-free movement and enhance recovery. It’s particularly valuable for CrossFitters, weightlifters, runners, and other performance-driven individuals.
Stability: The Other Half of the Equation
While mobility is critical, stability is just as important—and often overlooked. Stability refers to your nervous system’s ability to regulate muscle control and tension.
Here’s a common example:
If your hamstrings always feel tight, it might not be a flexibility problem. Instead, your body could be intentionally tightening those muscles to stabilize the area. Stretching alone won’t fix that—because the issue isn’t muscular length, it’s neuromotor imbalance.
This is where Performance Care shines. I take a comprehensive approach that includes:
Functional movement screening
Soft tissue evaluation
Chiropractic neurological assessment
The goal? Find and fix the root cause, not just chase symptoms.
Real Results: A CrossFit Shoulder Pain Success Story
Recently, a 35-year-old male CrossFitter came to me with persistent shoulder pain that had lasted over 4 months. Despite trying self-mobility, massage, and even PT, nothing had worked.
After my full-body evaluation, I discovered the real issue wasn’t in the shoulder itself—it was a neurologically inhibited subscapularis muscle, a deep stabilizer under the shoulder blade. This dysfunction is common in athletes who frequently perform overhead lifts.
After just a few sessions using ART and chiropractic neuro-integration, he saw a 90% improvementand returned to pain-free training—hitting a new overhead squat PR the following week.
When Should You Seek Professional Help?
If you’ve been dealing with an injury or movement issue that lasts more than two weeks, it’s time to get it checked out. Don’t keep foam rolling and hoping for the best—get a root-cause diagnosisand the care you actually need.
As a sports chiropractor in Petaluma, I specialize in helping CrossFit athletes, functional fitness fans, and active individuals get back to doing what they love—better, faster, and with less pain.
Book Performance-Focused Chiropractic Care in Petaluma
If you're in Petaluma or the greater Bay Area, I’d love the opportunity to help you move and perform your best. Whether you’re a competitive athlete or just someone who trains hard, Performance Care could be the missing link in your recovery and training plan.
📞 Call 724-664-6710
📧 Email drscottmills@bodyenglish.fit
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Dr. Scott Mills
Doctor of Chiropractic | Certified Athletic Trainer (r) | Sports Injury Specialist
Serving Petaluma & the Bay Area