Let me start this off by saying, a Chiropractor IS (in fact) a DOCTOR! They don't receive a Doctorate of Chiropractic for nothing. Chiropractors are becoming more and more popular as people realize the benefits of attending a chiropractor. However, little people know the benefits of an athlete seeing a chiropractor regularly. In fact, all NFL teams have their own chiropractor to work on their athletes as needed and the majority of other professional sports teams have or use chiropractors as well.
"Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better; when I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I'm about three inches taller and everything's in place. And as long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I'm one step ahead of the game." - New England Patriot, Tom Brady
Professional athletes are seeing chiropractors regularly and loving it. Why aren't more athletes seeing chiropractors?
It is important to start this off by explaining what a chiropractor is specifically because most people just think we crack bones and it is so much more than that. Chiropractic care focuses on the musculoskeletal and nervous system using primarily spinal manipulation. The purpose of spinal manipulation is to restore joint mobility to joints that have become restricted in movement due to tissue injury. Athletes are constantly working their musculoskeletal and damaging their tissues, and most of the time they do not have enough recovery time to heal completely.
This is why chiropractic care is the best for them because that is what we focus on.
Chiropractic care for athletes has four major benefits, increased performance, reduced recovery times, fewer injuries and more effective training.
Reduced recovery times stems from injuries that may otherwise require weeks without training or even surgical repair. These athletes then miss weeks or months of their training and season to heal from an injury. With some injuries, a chiropractor can reduce symptoms, and fix the problem simply by doing a spinal manipulation and realigning the body. Therefore these athletes can go into their chiropractor with a problem, have it fixed and return to play in a shorter period of time.
There are various studies that show that long-term chiropractic care can increase performance in athletes. Your spinal cord is a backbone (literally) of your entire body and all body systems. If you have a misaligned spine other systems in your body can be disrupted causing a decrease in range of motion and performance. Studies have also shown that 30% of people have better hand-eye coordination after 12 weeks of chiropractic care.
Every athlete in peak performance puts stress on the body. Even people who are not athletes living their everyday life put various stress on their body doing things as simple as picking up a laundry basket or playing catch with your child. When there are alignment issues for an athlete their body experiences added unnecessary stress that can cause pain and inflammation. By seeing a chiropractor regularly they ensure that their bodies are aligned and avoid excess stress causing fewer injuries.
Lastly, many athletes who currently have joint pain and go to a chiropractor regularly report that after a few sessions with their doctor they were able to maintain normal training as long as they continued going to their doctor. This is primarily true for runners with joint issues in their knees, they were able to maintain mileage in the off-season. Athletes are able to have more effective training when seeing a chiropractor regularly.
While chiropractic care is still new and upcoming it is becoming more popular among athletes. There need to be more athletes seeing chiropractors among college and high school athletes. This way they will be able to play the sport they love longer, better and with less stress.
