WHY ATHLETES USE CHIROPRACTORS
Studies conducted by experts show that a good percentage of professional athletes use chiropractic care to boost their performance potential and also prevent injuries. As a matter of fact, a chiropractor is employed by every National Football League. Big names in the athletic world such as Jordan Spieth, Aaron Rodgers, Gerald Wilkins, and Tom Brady among others are beneficiaries of chiropractic care.
Sports is all about winning and losing. The difference in both lies in microseconds. Speed, flexibility, strength, and endurance are essential requirements in sports. This explains why most athletes resort to chiropractic care for relief of pain instead of invasive treatment options. Using prescription drugs is associated with certain risks such as addiction. Surgery may leave the athlete bedridden for a long time. On the other hand, a certified chiropractor can relieve pain without making use of drugs or surgery – leaving your body balanced, and performing at optimal levels.
Sports injuries put you at risk of complications such as a dislocated spine, resulting in stress on muscles, nerves and sensitive joints. Research has shown that chiropractic care is more effective at pain relief than other medical options. Pain relief from chiropractic care covers a wide range of common sports such as instability of the shoulder in hockey players, groin pain in footballers, and tennis elbow. It is also effective in:
- Knee and ankle injuries
- Pains in the back and shoulder
- Neck and head pains
According to Tom Brady, quarterback for New England Patriots says and I quote “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.”
So what are the exact benefits an athlete derives from a certified chiropractic sports physician? Here are some.
Pain relief: The spine is highly sensitive to pain. In fact, it contains a lot of pain-sensitive tissues. So if any subluxations occur in the spinal column, strain, stress and pain may be the end result. However, with the use of spinal manipulation, chiropractic adjustments can reduce the pain much more than any other medical treatment option.
Performance enhancement: If the spine is dislocated or misaligned, it could interfere with the physiology of other body systems. This can hinder athletic performance. Making adjustments regularly allows the spine to work at optimal levels – boosting the body’s performance in return. A study showed that the performance of athletes improved by 6.12 percent after taking a chiropractic treatment. Athletes who benefit from chiropractic care include basketball players, baseball players, and footballers. Starting with footballers, it is observed that these sports professionals benefit immensely from chiropractic care. Studies have shown that 16,320 to 27,200 adjustments are given to NFL players by chiropractors over the course of a football session. For baseball players, the strength of their muscles is greatly enhanced by chiropractic care. Long jump distance is also improved. Basketball players witness an improvement in their range of motion, speed, and flexibility.
Lesser injuries: Misalignment causes stress which leads to injuries. A good chiropractic treatment session can smoothen the skeletal system allowing it to run perfectly, thus reducing the risk of getting an injury. For instance, golfers benefit from chiropractic care by creating a balance in their posture. This aids their swing, thus reducing the risk of injury.
Reduced recovery times: Chiropractic care helps reduce the time required for injuries to heal. This is done by relieving the irritation between misaligned vertebrae. A study found out that chiropractic care helped reduce the recovery time in long-distance runners who suffered various degrees of injury. Healing is facilitated by several chiropractic techniques namely:
- Stretching and massaging
- Break down of scar tissue with tools made of stainless steel
- Release of deep muscle tension by functional dry needling
- Electrical stimulation of the muscle to release superficial tension (tension near the muscle surface).
Athletes at all levels get much relief from chiropractic care. Optimal performance at sporting events is achieved. This explains why a lot of athletes regularly see a chiropractic physician to stay in good shape.
Reference
Chapman-Smith DA, Cleveland CS III (2005). “International status, standards and education of the chiropractic profession.” In Haldeman S, Dagenais S, Budgell B, et al. Principles and Practice of Chiropractic (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill. Pp. 111-34. ISBN 0-07-137534-1.