As the Olympic Games draw near alongside the Tour de France, which has already started as you read this, athletes worldwide are gearing up to compete at the highest level. The Olympics represent the pinnacle of athletic achievement, where every competitor seeks to perform at their best. While the Tour makes athletes find another level of determination and skill. Behind these extraordinary performances is a robust support system that includes a range of medical professionals, among them chiropractors. Chiropractic care is not just a luxury but a necessity for many athletes, offering numerous benefits that can enhance performance and reduce injury risk.
Join me, as we uncover the science behind chiropractic care and its impact on athletic performance, supported by studies and testimonials from Olympic legends. Whether you’re an aspiring Olympian or a weekend warrior, understanding the benefits of chiropractic care can help you reach your full potential and maintain optimal health. Read on to discover how chiropractic care can make a difference.
Let’s start with what we know already about chiropractic care and discuss some of the many benefits being under chiropractic care can offer, not only for me and you but athletes too.
Improved alignment and balance
Chiropractic adjustments help maintain proper alignment of the spine and joints. This alignment ensures that the body’s nervous system operates efficiently, reducing the risk of injuries caused by imbalances or compensatory movements.
Enhanced flexibility and range of motion
Regular chiropractic care can improve flexibility and joint range of motion. Flexible joints and muscles are less prone to strains and sprains. Muscle relaxation: adjustments can help relax tight muscles, reducing the likelihood of muscle strains and imbalances that often lead to injuries.
Increased rate of healing
Proper spinal alignment improves the communication between the nervous system and the rest of the body, which can speed up the healing process and reduce recovery time.
At the last Olympic games in Tokyo 9% of the 11,300+ athletes competing incurred at least one injury, so what’s in place for Paris 2024? Well onsite in the so called “polyclinic” are 2 MRI’s, an x-ray table and onsite ultrasound, all open 24/7 with specialized consultants and sports medicine experts, just to take care of the 10,500 athletes! These services will also be used by over 45,000 staff and volunteers with some more specialist equipment dedicated for the 400 horses involved.
The chiropractors in Paris, potentially over 100, will be working alongside all these medical professions as well as physios and massage therapists to build a comprehensive approach to the care of the athlete. They will be providing treatment when needed but also supporting the athlete’s performance.
A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found that chiropractic interventions significantly improved the flexibility and balance of athletes, leading to better performance and reduced injury rates. Another research article in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reported that athletes receiving regular chiropractic care experienced fewer injuries and shorter recovery times compared to those who did not receive such care. There’s a good reason why athletes all understand the performance-enhancing benefits of chiropractic care.
“If I could put a percentage value on it, I think I compete eight to ten percent better from regular chiropractic care. I think that is how much of a benefit it is, if not more. If it wasn’t for chiropractic, I wouldn’t have won the gold medal. Every track & field athlete that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. It’s absolutely essential. Chiropractic care is one of the things I think that no one can deny or refute. You obviously can’t compete at your fullest if you’re not in alignment.” Dan O’Brien an Olympic gold medalist and multi time Decathlete Champion.
Other Olympic legends such as Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps have credited their chiropractors with being integral to their performance and recovery. Usain spoke about how his scoliosis has impacted him from being a younger athlete to more recently, saying “ When I was younger, the scoliosis wasn’t really a problem. But you grow and it gets worse it really hampered me because I got injured every year” instead of using a brace or surgery he sought out chiropractic care “As long as I’m in great shape, nobody beats me, for sure”.
The tour de France is a spectacle unlike any other. A three-week trip across France, over rolling hills, flat wide roads and goat trails into the mountains. The Tour offers stunning views of one chateau after another and a host of lovely villages with imposing cathedrals. But besides the picturesque villages and idyllic roads, the tour also requires extreme effort from the riders.
A large part of the chiropractor’s job in elite sports is to prevent complaints and injuries. In cycling, for example, the back gets a lot of abuse. Bent posture and blows from bouncing the bike can cause subluxations. These subluxations can then begin to cause a variety of symptoms, some more acute issues while others can create chronic issues throughout the entire body. Kevin Reichlin, a chiropractor who spent 11 years working on the Tour de France describes the grind of the Tour as intense, spanning 21 stages over three weeks (e.g. 21 days of racing). The job demanded resilience and flexibility, requiring him to adapt to the mobile nature of the race, transitioning through numerous hotels – often a new hotel every night – while maintaining a high level of care for the team.
Therefore, not only is it important to properly remedy these subluxations, preventing these injuries is also vital. The chiropractor is alert to this, so he identifies possible subluxations before they start causing symptoms. By then providing specific care for this in advance, the athlete avoids a lot of pain, complaints and injuries.
In conclusion, chiropractic treatments offer a comprehensive approach to supporting athletes by preventing injuries, aiding in faster recovery, and enhancing overall performance. These benefits are achieved through improved alignment, better nervous system function, enhanced flexibility, and effective pain management techniques.
Whether you’re an Olympic athlete or weekend warrior, study after study shows that regular chiropractic care is an essential part of reaching your full potential as a human. Ready to perform at your peak? Come and chat with us at Care for Health.