How Chiropractic Can Elevate Athletic Performance and Speed Up Recovery

The Athlete in All of Us

Professional sports and chiropractic care go back a long way. Athletes have always sought a performance advantage, and many have discovered that chiropractic can give them that competitive edge. Nearly everyone likes to believe they are an “active” person, so this month is an excellent opportunity to appeal to their inner athlete. Throughout the month, you will find a variety of topics related to sports performance and chiropractic care, including the social proof of professional utilization, the CrossFit craze, and exciting new research, all with a variety of fantastic testimonials.

Professional athletics have allowed chiropractors to showcase their skills as part of an elite healthcare team. Exciting new research has begun to show the depth of what can be achieved with an adjustment. Researchers from Brain Science found an increase in cortical drive and strength after an adjustment, and the team at SPINE found periodic chiropractic care has the potential to prevent future episodes of low back pain. 

"I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my chiropractor were among the most important."

 - Jerry Rice, Pro Football Hall of Famer

 Emerging research has shown an increase in strength after a spinal adjustment

Periodic chiropractic visits can help evaluate, detect, and treat an emerging problem, thus preventing future episodes of low back pain.

How Pro Athletes Deal with Pain

Professional sports are big business. The athletes are given access to various healthcare options to help them play at the highest level possible. Over the past few years, you may have noticed some familiar faces on the sidelines- chiropractors. Sports performance is a huge part of winning in a game of inches. Chiropractors are on nearly every sideline, working to keep the athletes happy, healthy, and productive over the course of a long and rigorous season.

The days of receiving shots of narcotics on the sidelines are over. Turning off the pain mechanism is an excellent way to cause more injury, not less. But, with chiropractors there to help find the cause of the injury- the athletes can get back on the field feeling better than ever. The sports franchises and the players now realize that a team approach to care is best.

Nearly every professional sports team has a team chiropractor on the sidelines

Chiropractors are there to help keep the athletes performing at their peak level

Crossfitters! Want to Get Stronger?

Crossfitters focus on strength and conditioning with a healthy dose of competition. And if you want to improve your WOD (that’s workout a day for the uninitiated), then you need a plan to achieve your best performance while ensuring your body can recover quickly. Otherwise, injuries may cause you to slow down or even keep you from going to the gym altogether.

As someone looking for optimal performance and recovery, there is no better choice than chiropractic. Exciting new research has shown that chiropractic adjustments can increase cortical drive by influencing your nervous system, which results in increased strength. Also, adjustments can improve spinal motion and reduce inflammation- all of which help with recovery.

CrossFit is a popular, high-intensity style workout

Improving core strength and flexibility can reduce the likelihood of injuries

Emerging research has shown an increase in strength after a spinal adjustment

Be Like Mike: How To Improve Your Sports Performance

Athletes and active people are always looking for a competitive edge. No one may embody that spirit more than basketball legend Michael Jordan. He won multiple world championships and gold medals, breaking almost every record in the NBA. So, what was the secret to his success? Aside from a tremendous amount of hard work and persistence, Michael said, "I didn't know how much I could improve until I started seeing a chiropractor. Since I've been in chiropractic, I've improved mentally and physically by leaps and bounds."

Like you, Mike was always striving to reach his full physical and mental potential. With that statement, he joined athletes like Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Wayne Gretzky, who talked about how chiropractic care helped them stay at the top of their game. With the rigors of pro sports and the demands these athletes place on their bodies, chiropractic care would be used to keep them healthy and perform to their highest potential.

Here is what a few other star athletes had to say about chiropractic.

“Chiropractic care has been instrumental in my life, both on and off the field...” -Jerry Rice

Performing at my best is important and should be to everyone. Getting adjusted regularly

"Along with practicing other good health habits that my mom helped me to establish – these are all part of my goal to win in life and on the field." – Aaron Rodgers

“I’ve been going to a chiropractor for as long as I can remember; it is as important as the practice of my swing.” - Tiger Woods

Pro Tips to Keep Your Spinal Discs Healthy

Not everyone spends the week preparing to “play on Sunday.” Most of us will never make it to the NFL, and our big game is more likely to occur in a conference room than in a stadium. But, no matter what you do for work, doing it in pain is no fun. Instead of lifting weights and working with the coach on a new play, your day-to-day may consist of long hours commuting and then 8 hours sitting at a desk. Research has shown that all those hours sitting can place more stress on your spine than if you were working out and pushing the limits of your body all day long.

It may be a bit too late to change careers and try out for a professional sports team, but you can do a few things to stay healthy and productive at work and home, just like the pros. Daily exercise, light stretching, and chiropractic care can all help keep your spinal discs healthy and strong. Adjustments allow your discs to stay healthy by bringing in valuable nutrients to help heal and flush out the inflammatory substances that can cause pain. Researchers from SPINE found that periodic chiropractic care may be able to detect, evaluate, and prevent future episodes of back pain!

Sitting is one of the most stressful positions for your spine

Periodic chiropractic visits can help evaluate, detect, and treat an emerging problem, thus preventing future episodes of low back pain.

Keep your spine healthy with daily exercise, light stretching, and chiropractic care

Next Steps:

Instead of catching a game-winning touchdown, your idea of peak performance might include a fantastic presentation at your next team meeting. Don’t let pain slow you down and keep you on the sidelines. You have made an excellent choice to include chiropractic care as a part of your active lifestyle. Let us know if you don’t already include stretching in your daily routine. We would be happy to provide a few tips to get you started!

Science Source:

The use and role of sports chiropractors in the national football league: a short report. JMPT 2002

Impact of CrossFit-Related Spinal Injuries. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017

Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcomes? SPINE 2011

Impact of Spinal Manipulation on Cortical Drive to Upper and Lower Limb Muscles. Brain Science 2016

Impact of CrossFit-Related Spinal Injuries. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017

Packers’ Rodgers Has Deep Roots in Chico. New York Times 2011

Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcomes? SPINE 2011