The Road to Olympic Gold is Paved with Chiropractic Care

By Dr. Dave Edenfield

If you watched any of the 2014 Winter Olympics you no doubt marveled at the athletic prowess of the US Olympic Team.  Whether your favorite winter sport is skiing, skating, hockey or any of the other events, you can’t help but be impressed at the level of physical fitness exhibited by this country’s athletes.  While we may have come in second place to Russia this year when it came to the sheer number of medals won by American athletes in the winter games, one place that we come in first is in the medical care given to our athletes.  This includes chiropractic care.

While the public knows about all the hard work it takes to win a gold medal, what most people do not realize is how hard the members of the medical staff work to make sure that all our athletes are maximizing their potential.  The US Olympic Team travels with a number of sports medicine specialists, including chiropractors who aren’t only there to assist athletes when they sustain injuries, but they are also there to help them prepare for competition.

Michael Reed, medical director for the US Olympic Committee summed it up best by stating that, “Chiropractors have really come a long way in terms of the Olympic Games. And the demands of athletes are one of the main reasons why.”

You read that right, Olympic athletes demand chiropractic care.  This is nothing new.  During the 2008 Summer Games, the US beach volleyball team requested that their chiropractor, Dr. Ernest Ferrel, accompany them to all their matches.  When you consider the demands that athletes place on their bodies, it should come as no surprise that they require a medical professional that is trained in everything from physical therapy, to nutrition and stretching.  Chiropractic is like one-stop shopping for nearly every sports medicine need.

Another chiropractor chosen to assist athletes during the 2010 Winter Olympics, Dr. Blasé Toto, stated,

“These athletes are used to receiving chiropractic care at their home training centers because they know that it helps them to perform at their top level. Since we’ll all be there for about a month, the athletes will need someone to continue their regular chiropractic routine.” In addition to maintenance and performance care, Dr. Toto was also available for acute-injury treatment for the duration of the Winter Games.

The reason that top athletes require so much maintenance has to do with the fact that they are required to push their body to extremes in order to compete.  Everything from circulation, to respiration, to nervous system response needs to be functioning at levels well above that of mere mortals.  The best way to think about Olympic athletes is to liken them to Formula 1 racecars, whose need for exotic fuel and constant fine tuning is absolutely critical to winning a race.  If one component on a Formula 1 car fails during a race, the results can be catastrophic.  So it is with the world’s most demanding physical competitors.

Just as athletes take years to prepare for competition, the selection process for the Olympic Team medical staff is equally challenging.  To make the cut for inclusion on the USOC medical staff, chiropractors are required to volunteer for a two week rotation at an Olympic Training Center.  While there they will treat any athletes in either a rehabilitation and/or long-term care capacity.  Their performance as care givers will be evaluated just as is those of the athletes in their care. Completing this voluntary program does not assure a chiropractor of making the team.  Some, like Dr. Toto, worked as a volunteer for years before being invited to the games.

“It had been a goal of mine for a long time, but I didn’t think it would ever happen because it had been 14 years since I’d first worked with the USOC,” Dr. Toto said. “I’m humbled and grateful and excited. I’ve never served in the military, so this is my opportunity to serve my country by caring for the best athletes it has to offer.”

Not Just for Star Athletes

Fortunately, even weekend warriors can take advantage of sports-related chiropractic care.  Whether you are a runner, skier, golfer, tennis player, cyclist, or just like to play the occasional pickup softball or basketball game, your neighborhood chiropractor can help you get the most out of the effort while creating the least strain to your body.  Remember, not only top athletes run the risk of injury while pursuing their avocation.  In fact, the average Joe and Jane is much more susceptible to sports injuries than top athletes, mainly due to the fact that their bodies are not accustomed to supporting the high strain that competition demands.  Most amateur athletes also do not know how to prepare for event like Olympians.  In fact, there are as many different stretching routines as there are sporting events, since various sports stress different parts of the human frame. (Your chiropractor can help you tailor a stretching routine to suit your sport.)

While you may not be preparing for a shot at a medal, remember that the way you maintain your body will have a direct bearing on how it performs day in and day out.  Particularly if you tend to lead a more active lifestyle, having a chiropractor on your team is as important to your well-being as that of every Olympic athlete who knows that the road to the gold is paved with chiropractic care.

Dr. Dave Edenfield  and Dr. Steven Warfield are part of the team of doctors and therapists at http://chiropractic-jacksonville-fl.com and http://endyourpain.org who are dedicated to helping you and your family lead  healthier, happier and pain-free lives.