Chiropractic in Sports
During its 100-year history in America, chiropractic has gained steady acceptance for easing a wide array of physical ailments. The American Chiropractic Association describes chiropractic as a form of health care that focuses on musculoskeletal and nervous systems disorders and numerous studies support their assessment. [1] Chiropractic is common in sports medicine and many trainers will encourage it before, during, and after any physical performance. Let's take a look at a few examples of how chiropractic has benefited the sports world.
It's no secret that professional football is a beast of a game and injuries are frequent. Even if football players avoid serious injury, it's a sure bet that stiffness and soreness are just par for the course. In a 2002 survey, thirty-one percent of football teams in the National Football League reported having a chiropractor on staff. Athletes reported using chiropractic care quite frequently, noting its effectiveness. [2]
Osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT, is one of the main forms of chiropractic therapy used in sports medicine. The main goal with OMT is to promote flexibility and pain-free movement. Football players often rely on OMT as a preventative measure against injuries. A 2012 Virginia Tech study showed that OMT positively impacted sports performance in both offensive and defensive Virginia Tech football players. Most football players also reported a self-assessed improvement in athletic performance after OMT sessions. [3]
Like football, ice hockey is a full-contact sport and injuries are common. Chiropractic has been shown to reduce painful symptoms of recurrent shoulder instability related to hockey injuries. [4]
Five to twenty percent of all sports injuries involve groin pain. However, it's not always the result of a line drive baseball. One of the most common causes of groin pain in athletes is athletic pubalgia, commonly referred to as sports hernia. [5] A study showed that soccer players who experienced sports hernia were relieved of discomfort following 8 weeks of a combination therapy that consisted of chiropractic care and rehabilitation exercises. [6]
Although mainly used for alleviating muscular and skeletal complaints, it seems that chiropractic can also promote physical strength. [7] [8] [9] In one study, national level judo athletes showed a 16% improvement in grip strength after undergoing only three chiropractic sessions. [10]
For years, chiropractors have worked with world-class Olympic athletes to improve their strength, endurance, and range of motion while training. Olympic athletes also receive chiropractic care at the games. One particular set of games often overlooked at the Olympics is the Paralympics. These games include professional athletes with some type of physical disability who also use chiropractic care to enhance performance and overcome minor injuries. [11]
A whopping 50 percent of tennis players can expect to get tennis elbow during their lifetime, and one-third of tennis players will experience it in severe fashion. The main goals of chiropractic therapy for tennis elbow is to relieve discomfort and redness, promote healing, rehabilitate the injured arm, and avoid recurrence. [12] Specific joint manipulation performed by a chiropractor has shown to be effective for discomfort associated with tennis elbow.
Baseball is a game that demands quick bursts of energy. Whether it's running the bases or swinging the bat, these fast-moving activities often come with rotator cuff injuries, neck pain, back strains, and hamstring pulls. Studies have shown that chiropractic helps prevent hamstring and other lower limb injuries in baseball players. [13] Another study revealed that muscle strength and long jump distance was greatly improved in baseball players who received regular chiropractic adjustments. [14]
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