1. Improved Pulmonary Function
An incredibly important study in 2016 published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that spinal adjustive care produced improvements in patients with C.O.P.D. (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
The study observed large improvements in both exercise capacity and lung function in the group that received spinal adjustments. Better pulmonary function results in more oxygen in the blood, more energy, and improved performance. While athletes likely do not have C.O.P.D. their activities require significant physical demands that would benefit greatly from improved lung function.
The correlation between spinal manipulation and improved pulmonary function can be explained by the connection between the spine, central nervous system, and our body’s autonomic functions, but I won’t bore you with the science. Just know, better breathing means better athletes.
2. Reduced Risk of Injury
Did you know that all NFL teams have a full time chiropractor on staff? The American Chiropractic Association estimates that approximately 90% of professional and Olympic athletes use chiropractic care to increase performance and reduce injury.
Chiropractic care centers around maintaining and restoring joint and muscle balance in the body, due to this chiropractors use a range of techniques to not only reduce inflammation, but improve range of motion, flexibility, and balance. All things an athlete needs even more than a regular non-athlete.
3. Pain Relief
While chiropractic care can greatly reduce the risk of injury, it’s unfortunately impossible to eliminate. Sometimes athletes get injured, and when they do, they’re in pain, and need to do something to manage that pain.
If you’ve come in to see us, or read any of our previous blogs, you know how we feel about the vast dependency on opioids that can be observed in America. In 2016 alone, more than 60 million patients had at least one prescription for opioids filled, as these are commonly used to treat acute and chronic pain. That’s a problem. Athletes are uniquely poised to fall into this group; according to a 2020 systematic review Opioid Use in Athletes even HIGH SCHOOL athletes had “ lifetime opioid use rates of 28% to 46%.”
Chiropractic care can offer pain management and relief without the use of these dangerous prescriptions. In fact, the American College of Physicians’s Guidelines recommend those with low back pain use alternative medicine techniques (such as spinal manipulation) before resorting to prescription medication.
Are you convinced yet? If the most elite athletes in the world (who mind you – have access to top tier professional coaches, doctors, and advisors whose job it is to keep them healthy and are arguably the healthiest people in the world) regularly use chiropractic care as both a preventative measure to avoid injury, an intervention to manage and recover injuries that do occur, and an advantage in performance, then it only stands to reason that just about any active person can benefit from regular chiropractic care to not only improve their overall wellness, but prevent any injuries and manage pain that they may be experiencing. In other words, want to keep up with Lebron James? Come see us 🙂
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