Athletes do a lot of things to ensure that they are at the top of their game while competing. They have traditions, pregame rituals, motivational movies, inspirational quotes, and many other techniques prior to a competition that they believe improves their performance. One of these techniques is getting some extra publicity with the recent Rio Olympics, chiropractic care. There are a lot of reasons that elite athletes visit their chiropractor, including Olympic athletes. The real question is, why do athletes that don’t already have a chiropractor or have never been to one choose to visit one? While there are a lot of different reasons, we believe that these are the three most important reasons that any competitive athlete would want to visit a reputable, science-based chiropractor.
#1 – Chiropractic Helps The Spine To Stay Mobile
Every athlete experiences some form of pain, soreness, or discomfort during intense periods of competition. Chiropractic manipulation of the spine releases joints that aren’t moving optimally. This treatment improves the movement of the joint and will ultimately enhance the athlete’s performance. According to the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, chiropractic care can improve mobility in the joints of patients, which maximizes their potential during competition.
All of your joints are connected and work as a team. If one joint isn’t moving correctly, that means that the surrounding joints have to move a little more. If you compound this problem to 3 or more joints, you have an issue that could lead to a major muscle spasm or the feeling of your back (or neck) “going out”. For high-performance athletes, this is not an option! In fact, the restriction of even one or two joints can ultimately be the difference between a win or loss of a game.
#2 – Chiropractic Helps Recover And Prevent Injuries
During competitions, athletes are typically pushing their bodies to the limits and leaving everything out on the field. Working your body that hard naturally, puts you at a higher risk for injury. If you are already injured, keeping the spine and other joints mobile allows for more overall movement. This extra movement allows for more nutrients and blood to enter the area which helps the injury heal at a much faster rate. If you are not injured, the improved joint mobility will help prevent injuries by allowing for more fluid muscle movement. This makes you less likely to experience sprains or strains of the back, neck, as well as your extremities.
#3 – Chiropractic Manipulation Offers Pain Relief
Chiropractic care doesn’t just adjust joints; it is a natural way of relieving pain. In fact, when a joint is adjusted, and you hear the pop or crack, your body releases endorphins. These endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers. They give your body a temporary but profound sense of relief. They are also a mild muscle relaxer, which along with the new mobility of the joint, will reduce the pain. This is sometimes all a patient needs for the pain to be relieved for good. This factor has helped many professional athletes avoid the use of both medications and surgeries as injury treatment.
Many elite athletes use their chiropractor as an advantage in enhancing their competitive performance. These athletes even include Olympians such as Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Kerri Walsh Jennings. That is just naming a few! In fact, a chiropractor named Dr. William Moreau (DC, DACBSP) was the chief medical officer for the USA team for this year’s Rio Olympics. Many high-level athletes are using chiropractic as a way to increase mobility, heal their bodies, prevent injuries, and provide pain relief. While high-level athletes use these as a way to improve their game, they are also the same ways chiropractic helps everyday patients too. To learn more about how chiropractic care can enhance your athletic performance, feel free to contact us today.