Chiropractic care is one of many forms of natural health care, specifically a non-invasive, drug-free alternative that can help patients find relief from a variety of musculoskeletal issues. Athletes in particular, can greatly benefit from chiropractic treatments both before and after they practice and perform.

Professional sports leagues, including Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL), have recognized these benefits for years. In fact, most professional teams employ their own official sports chiropractor. National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) graduates Marc Legere, Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), and Randy Cybulski, DC, (who himself was an NFL player) have also treated these professional athletes in private practices.

Beyond the United States, athletes from many other parts of the world utilize chiropractic treatment. As Dr. Carlo Guadagno noted:

“At the 2016 Olympics Games, I treated these athletes first-hand. As part of the Olympic Village polyclinic sports medicine staff, I saw a wide variety of treatment needs. Many athletes were referred to us for neck, lower back, and extremity conditions. We helped them achieve their goals by getting them back into play after an injury, or helping them increase their strength and flexibility so they could perform at their optimum level.”  

A chiropractic sports physician has the tools and skills necessary to optimize the performance of an individual’s musculoskeletal system, as well as their nervous system. This specialized training allows sports chiropractors to provide therapies that are geared towards maintaining strength and rebounding after an injury. It’s also important to help athletes avoid injuries altogether, or if that’s not possible, to effectively manage the associated pain and healing.

One factor that is relatively consistent among top athletes is their constant desire to improve their sports performance. Additionally, when this performance is hindered in any way, it can have a dramatic impact.

This is something Steven W. Whitelaw, DC, CCSP, has witnessed firsthand over his past 20 years as chiropractic provider for the Arkansas Razorbacks. In fact, he recalls one rather memorable experience in particular.

“We were about to play our first game at a college world series,” says Whitelaw, “and leaving the locker room to go to my seat, I saw our starting pitcher. He was over by the warm up cage and was very frustrated and distraught. I asked him what was wrong as he was usually very calm and collected before a start.”

The pitcher soon revealed that his wrist was hurting and the pain was so intense it was affecting his ability to throw accurately across the plate. Whitelaw conducted a quick evaluation, adjusted the athlete’s wrist and elbow, and had him throw a couple pitches.

Immediately, the player returned to his normal pre-game self and went on to pitch seven innings, helping the team secure a win. “He found me after and thanked me,” says Whitelaw, “saying if it weren’t for the adjustment, he would have had an awful night.”

While this is just one example of how chiropractic can benefit athletes, Whitelaw says that he and his team at Millennium Chiropractic Sports Medicine and Rehab in Fayetteville, Ark. —which includes Bobby R. Pritchett, DC, CCSP and David M. Sence, DC, CCSP — have identified seven specific ways chiropractic can boost sports performance.

1. Better hand–eye coordination

Though hand-eye coordination is helpful for daily living activities such as using utensils to feed yourself and folding the laundry, it is absolutely critical for athletes wanting to master their sports of choice. Research has found that chiropractic can improve this level of coordination, especially if neck pain is present, by changing the interaction between the cerebellum and motor cortex.

2. Improved reaction time

Studies have also found that chiropractic has a positive effect on reaction time, helping athletes respond more quickly to their opponents’ actions. For instance, one study published in the journal Trials involved 120 special-operation military personnel, individuals with extremely physical roles. After just one session, the participants receiving chiropractic care were able to complete a complex whole-body motor response task in less time.

3. Faster recovery from concussions

Concussions, and their subsequent neck pain, are a major issue for athletes, with the Brain Injury Research Institute estimating that as many as 3.8 million recreation-related concussions occur each year within the United States alone. Whitelaw and his team have found that chiropractic helps reduce the players’ recovery time from this type of injury.

4. Decreased healing time associated with other athletic injuries

Chiropractic is helpful for speeding healing time associated with other sports injuries as well. For instance, one survey of the National Football League revealed that chiropractors are often used to help these pro players heal from low back pain and a variety of other musculoskeletal issues, some of which include those related to “stingers” and “burners,” as well as play-related headaches.

5. Reduced need for medications

Research indicates that athletes tend to use pain medications and oral antibacterials more often than the rest of the population. Additionally, many of these medicines negatively impact these players’ sports performance. Therefore, treating the cause of the original issue via regular chiropractic reduces the need for these types of medications, ultimately improving performance as a result.

6. Increased muscular function

Muscular function is important in athletics because it allows for increased strength. According to one study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, spinal manipulation has been found to reduce muscle inhibition by 7.5 percent, an action that, by default, increases muscular function.

7. Decreased joint stiffness and pain

Whitelaw and his team also note that chiropractic can decrease joint stiffness and pain, leading to increased mobility and, therefore, increased athletic function and proprioception. It’s highly effective too.

“After my second season with football, the assistant trainer and I took a look back over the past four years of time missed in practice and games due to low-back pain,” says Whitelaw. “That number dropped by almost 90 percent after starting regular chiropractic care both during the week and on game day.”

Sports performance can be improved with regular chiropractic care

Athletes have been benefiting from Chiropractic care for many years; however, it has only recently been receiving attention from the media. Athletes of all types, from the weekend warrior to the world-class athlete, utilize Chiropractic because it is a drug-free way to better health and performance.

 Chiropractic adjustments help ensure that the body functions as efficiently as possible, which can maximize healing and recovery from all types of injuries.

 “I would estimate that at least 90% of world class athletes use Chiropractic on a regular basis to prevent injuries and to improve their performance.” SEAN ATKINS, Ph.D. Exercise Physiologist

The following is just a partial list of athletes who use Chiropractic care: 31 percent of NFL teams use Chiropractors in an official capacity as part of their staffs and a full 77 percent of the trainers have referred to a Chiropractor for evaluation or treatment. A survey of certified NFL trainers revealed that 100% of them agree that players will use Chiropractic without referral from the team medical staff.

The science of Chiropractic is founded on the premise that a proper nerve supply is essential to controlling and re

Benefits of  Chiropractic for Athletes

Whether they play in a neighborhood sports league or are elite competitors, an increasing number of athletes rely on chiropractic doctors who specialize in sports injury treatment to get them back in the game.

Traveling sports start at a younger age, which usually means more practices per week and tournaments multiple weekends per month. Tee ball starts by age 4. Travel baseball and football begins by age 8. Kids committing to one sport, also called specializing, is seen by middle school.

According to a study by The American Journal of Sports Medicine, athletes who specialize at a younger age are injured more often. Whether or not you agree with this practice, the fact is, it’s happening all over the country. Chiropractic medicine has a real niche in this environment as well as the knowledge base to treat these kinds of athletes.

Dr. Shelby Plante, a graduate of NUHS’ Florida Campus, notes that there are many benefits of applying chiropractic medicine to younger athletes, including:

1. Chiropractic treatments can decrease recovery time.

Normal wear and tear occurs often to a healthy athlete’s body. A baseball pitcher uses a repetitive throwing motion. A volleyball player jumps, repeatedly blocking and hitting. A football player takes multiple body blows during a single game. At some point during a season, usually multiple times, an athlete experiences muscle fatigue and soreness. There are usually only one to two days between practices or games, and at times younger athletes need more than simple rest to get them game-ready.

After a practice or a game, a chiropractic physician may utilize soft tissue techniques such as massage or instrument-assisted soft tissue techniques to make the tissue more moveable and relaxed, decrease lactic acid, and improve blood flow. Physiotherapy equipment such as an ultrasound or cold laser may be utilized to help with areas that have exceptionally high inflammation. An adjustment may be provided to improve joint mobility. Recommendations for rehydrating properly and dietary adjustments to assist with athletic recovery may also be discussed.

Combining these options or others not discussed above, based off of the chiropractic physician’s expertise, will help younger athletes recover and be better-prepared for the next practice or game.

2. Chiropractic treatments can assist in injury repair.

Each sport has body areas that are more prone to injury due to the stress the sport puts on the area. According to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, dancers most commonly experience leg injuries, golfers experience arm injuries, lacrosse players experience knee issues and muscular strains—the list of sports injuries go on through each sport. 

Once an injury occurs, the athlete and their family often want to return to their sport as quickly as possible. Many of these techniques discussed earlier can be modified by intensity and duration to assist in injury repair. 

Adjusting joint segments that are no longer moving can enhance mechanical motion. Soft tissue techniques will improve muscle tone and blood flow to injured areas as well as decrease adhesions or buildup around injured areas. Ultrasound and cold laser, among other therapy options, can significantly reduce inflammation and pain levels felt by the athlete. In addition, Kinesio Taping can provide support and certain taping techniques can assist in blood flow to the injured area.

Most importantly, chiropractic physicians are trained to understand anatomical and physiological response to movement patterns, as well as optimal treatment options. It is imperative that the athlete’s doctor has an intimate understanding of injury repair, as well as the proper guidelines for safely returning the young athlete to his or her sport.

3. Chiropractic treatments can lead to optimal wellness.

Taking care of an athlete’s body should not begin the first day of practice or after the first tournament of the season. Athletes should focus on body awareness, health, and optimal function all year.

A chiropractic physician can assist an athlete in proper diet and nutrition, sleep guidelines, and proper training strategies that should be utilized as a life-long habit. Proper spinal and extremity alignment through adjustments, body mechanic evaluation, and gait analysis can assist with muscular patterns and development that are essential in a developing youth athlete.

By continually keeping an athlete’s body in his or her healthiest form, he or she will train more efficiently and effectively year round.

4. Chiropractic medicine plays a vital role in supporting the athlete as a whole. 

With athletes training year round and specializing at a younger age, there should be a team in place to assist the athlete in being the best he or she can be. Although sports for younger athletes do not have a formal medical team established like college or professional sports teams, they should still have a support team that is entrusted with their care. 

For example, a trainer helps with muscle development and ligament/tendon stability, while the coach teaches young athletes how to play a sport and develop a love for the game. A chiropractic physician, on the other hand, plays a vital role in facilitating whole body wellness.

Before beginning a sport, the child’s physician should complete a thorough physical exam to ensure the child is healthy enough to participate in the activity. Some states allow the primary care physician to be a chiropractor. Other states have differing guidelines. Check your state for specific requirements.

5. More time and attention from their doctors

Chiropractic doctors typically spend more time with each of their patients than MDs. Chiropractic treatment includes a whole health assessment to ensure there are no underlying issues that may be contributing to an injury, or have the potential to cause future problems. They will continue to evaluate progress with each visit.

NUHS graduate Lindsey Polaskey, DC, says she often sees sports enthusiasts such as gymnasts, runners, crossfit athletes, and baseball players at Impact Sports Rehab and Chiropractic in Oswego, Ill.

“Growing up, I was a gymnast and often dealing with injuries,” recalled Dr. Polaskey. “I saw many orthos and other doctors. They didn’t seem to listen or understand my sport or individual injury. My parents eventually took me to a chiropractor,” she explained. “It was refreshing to have someone take the time to make an individualized plan of care and action.”