Many athletes use chiropractic in conjunction with their athletic training. It can help the healing process after an injury and prevent future injuries. Professional athletes rely on chiropractic treatment to get an edge up on the competition. When you are competing at a high level, every slight advantage counts. Below we briefly explain benefits athletes have experienced while receiving chiropractic care, as well as a few examples of professional athletes you may know who are advocates of chiropractic.
Benefits of Chiropractic for Athletes
- Reverse any punishment the body takes during sports
- Helps injuries heal by relaxing muscles and increasing circulation
- Treats a variety of injuries
- Reduce headaches
- Shoulder pain
- Shoulder, elbow wrist, and hand sprains and strains
- Hip, knee, ankle, and foot sprains and stains
- Tennis and golfer’s elbow
- Neck, mid-back, and low-back pain
- Sciatica
- Groin pain
- Non-invasive/Drug-free treatment
- No recovery time, you can get back into action immediately
- Prescription drugs can dull reaction times and carry the risk of addiction
- Injury prevention and performance enhancement
- Chiropractic can assess muscular balances which leave you more prone to injury
- Reduced pain caused by training
- Increase range of motion
- Increase flexibility
- Increased blood flow
- Increase strength
- Improve coordination and control by reducing nerve interference that causes spinal imbalance
- Fixing asymmetry throughout the body
- Get advice on training
- Recommendations for what to eat
- How to get the most of your workouts
- Recommendations for exercises that are safer and more effective
Low Impact Sports (Golf, tennis, bowling)
Participating in low-impact sports you may feel less susceptible to injury, but a soccer ball can travel 70 mph. Chiropractic care is helpful for relieving strain that is placed on the body during these sports.
High Impact Sports (Hockey, Wrestling, Football)
Some high-impact sports can place the same amount of strain on the body as an auto-collision. Chiropractic care will help to increase performance and flexibility in these athletes while lowering their risk of injury.
Athletes who use chiropractic:
It is estimated 90% of all world-class athletes routinely use chiropractic care to prevent injuries and boost their performance. All NFL teams employ on-staff chiropractors, so do 72% of PGA golfers and most NBA, MLB, and NHL teams.
- Lance Armstrong
- Barry Bonds
- Dan O’Brien
- Michael Jordan
- Jerry Rice
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- “Bodybuilders and fitness people have been using, very extensively, chiropractors in order to stay healthy and fit. Whenever I had a little problem with my body, I always ran to one of my dear friends (Franco Columbo, DC). He was always right there with the adjustments. This is how I found out the best way of going is to use chiropractors, not only after injuries but also before an injury.”
- Tiger Woods
- “I’ve been going to chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing.”
- Evander Holyfield
- “I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring. I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. The majority of boxers go to chiropractors to get that extra edge.”
- Tom Brady
- “As long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.”
- “Chiropractic just makes me 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 am one step ahead of the game.”
- Emmitt Smith
- “I definitely try to get on a basis where I use chiropractic at least twice a week. I would say definitely it helps me to perform at a higher level.”
- Gerald Wilkins
- “My shooting has improved because of chiropractic. I feel more balanced and have more coordination and control. Since I have been under chiropractic care, I have improved by leaps and bounds.”
Athletes in many different sports rely on chiropractic care for different reasons. No matter the impact level of your sport there is stress being placed on your body and spine. Competing at a high level means keeping your body in top physical condition, that is why so many professionals include chiropractic care in their athletic training.