Advanced Health Preston is home to Andrew Cunningham — an AHPRA-registered chiropractor with 12+ years of clinical experience specialising in sports injuries, overuse conditions, and the musculoskeletal demands of active lifestyles. If you’re an athlete, weekend warrior, or active adult dealing with a sports injury or performance-limiting pain, Andrew provides the clinical depth and treatment range that sports chiropractic requires: assessment, spinal adjustment, soft tissue therapy, dry needling, and evidence-informed rehabilitation guidance — all in one appointment.
What sports chiropractic at Advanced Health involves
Sports chiropractic is standard chiropractic applied with a specific understanding of athletic loading, training cycles, and the injury patterns that sports generate. Andrew assesses both the local injury site and the kinetic chain — the sequence of joints and muscles through which force travels during your sport. Most sports injuries have a proximate cause (where it hurts) and a contributing cause (where the breakdown in the chain is). Treating only the symptom location produces short-term relief; addressing the contributing dysfunction prevents recurrence.
Treatment for sports injuries at Advanced Health combines:
- Spinal and peripheral joint assessment — identifying restricted joints contributing to the injury pattern
- Chiropractic adjustment — restoring mobility to restricted segments in the spine and peripheral joints (hip, knee, shoulder, ankle)
- Soft tissue therapy — deep tissue release of associated muscle tightness and trigger points
- Dry needling — deep trigger point release for chronic muscle conditions and overuse patterns
- Sports-specific rehabilitation advice — training modifications, load management during recovery, and return-to-sport programming
Sports injuries Andrew treats in Preston
- Lower back pain in athletes — lifting injuries, rotational sport low back strain, disc-related pain in runners and cyclists
- IT band syndrome (ITBS) — lateral knee pain in runners and cyclists from hip abductor weakness and hip restriction
- Shoulder injuries — rotator cuff strain, AC joint irritation, thoracic outlet syndrome in throwing and overhead athletes
- Hip flexor and groin strain — common in football, soccer, and sprinting athletes; often involves lumbar and pelvic mechanics
- Tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow — lateral and medial epicondylalgia from racquet sports, golf, and repetitive loading
- Hamstring and gluteal conditions — proximal hamstring tendinopathy, gluteal tendinopathy, hamstring muscle strain
- Neck pain in athletes — contact sport cervical strain, cycling cervical load, stress-related tension headaches in high-training-load athletes
- Ankle and foot conditions — recurrent ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, tibialis posterior tendinopathy in runners
- Knee pain — patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, medial knee pain from altered lower limb biomechanics
Sports chiropractic for specific sports in Preston
Running
Runners present with predictable overuse injuries — ITB, plantar fasciitis, hamstring and gluteal tendinopathy, and lumbar stress from high training load. Andrew assesses running biomechanics, identifies contributing joint restrictions, and treats both the symptom and its mechanical source.
Cycling
Cycling produces specific overuse patterns: neck and upper back from road position, hip flexor shortening from sustained hip flexion, ITB and glute loading from pedalling mechanics, and lower back from saddle height issues. Andrew is experienced with cycling-specific biomechanics.
Football and team sport
Andrew works closely with the Fitzroy Stars Football Club in Thornbury and the Old Paradian Football Club, managing in-season injury load for both recreational and club-level athletes. He keeps you training and playing while injured structures heal.
Gym training and CrossFit
Andrew understands the demands of barbell training, Olympic lifting, and CrossFit programming. He treats these athletes with knowledge of their movement environment — not with advice to “just stop lifting.” He also offers 1:1 functional strength training for people whose back pain is affecting their gym training.
About Andrew Cunningham — sports chiropractor
Andrew is AHPRA-registered with 12+ years of clinical experience and a personal background in strength training and endurance sport. He understands athletic goals and the frustration of injury interrupting training. His treatment approach integrates adjustment, soft tissue therapy, and dry needling in the same session — addressing the full picture of a sports injury rather than the joint in isolation.
Pricing
Initial sports chiropractic consultation: $90 (45 minutes). Follow-up: $75 (30 minutes). HICAPS for private health rebates on the spot. WorkCover and TAC accepted. No referral required.
FAQs about sports chiropractic in Preston
Where is Advanced Health Preston?
4/107 Plenty Road, Preston 3072 — with free on-site parking. Open Monday–Friday 8am–7pm, Saturday 8am–1pm.
How is a sports chiropractor different from a regular chiropractor?
A sports chiropractor understands athletic loading, training cycles, and sport-specific injury patterns. Andrew treats peripheral joints (hip, knee, shoulder, ankle) as well as the spine, programmes treatment around your training schedule, and advises on load management during recovery.
Can I train while receiving sports chiropractic care?
Almost always yes. Andrew’s goal is to keep you training — modified if necessary — rather than resting completely. He’ll advise on specific modifications during the recovery period.
Do you treat acute injuries (just happened)?
Yes. Early assessment and treatment of recent injuries produces better outcomes than waiting. If imaging is indicated first, Andrew will identify this and refer you appropriately before proceeding.
How many sessions will I need?
For most acute sports injuries, 3–6 sessions produces the majority of improvement. Overuse and chronic conditions typically require 6–10 sessions plus exercise prescription. Andrew provides a projected timeline at your first appointment.
Book your sports chiropractic appointment
Call (03) 9484 9185 or book online. We’re at 4/107 Plenty Road, Preston 3072. Open Monday–Friday 8am–7pm, Saturday 8am–1pm.
