Chiropractic FAQ Sheet: Sports, Athletes, and Anyone’s Athletic Endeavors

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

Martha Michael

No matter what sport you enjoy watching or playing, you’ve seen the handiwork of chiropractors. Famous athletes such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan have said they rely on chiropractic care to maintain a competitive edge. Ever watch the Olympics? American Olympians have access to chiropractors, whether the sport is badminton or hockey.

It is fairly routine to find chiropractors working with athletes in the professional, college, and even high school ranks. Whether getting a performance baseline before the season or administering an adjustment on the sideline, chiropractors have become an important part of the athletic landscape.

Whether a pro player in a packed stadium or an amateur athlete in a weekend bike club, getting chiropractic care is particularly beneficial for anyone who needs to access speed, strength, and/or agility. By increasing range of motion and maintaining joint health, athletes of every level are able to perform at the top of their game and gain every advantage possible over their opponents. Not only does seeing a chiropractor regularly improve performance, but immediate access to chiropractic treatment also helps athletes recover from injuries faster than they might otherwise.

Let’s look at some Frequently Asked Questions about chiropractic care for athletes.

Why Is Chiropractic Important to Athletes?

For professional athletes, performance means more than winning or losing a game. Their careers hang in the balance. They get paid to win, not just to show up. Maintaining their overall health, optimizing performance, and preventing injury are non-negotiable factors if they’re going to be competitive.

How Many Elite Athletes Use Chiropractic?

At the heart of sport and competition, athletes rely on such assets as strength, flexibility, and speed, and many athletes maintain those abilities through the administration of chiropractic care. According to Palmer College of Chiropractic, approximately 90 percent of world-class athletes make chiropractic care a part of their routine. Many professional clubs have chiropractors on their medical staffs, including the majority of football, basketball, baseball, and hockey teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. It would be untrue to say that any professional athlete didn’t have access to a chiropractor.

What Injuries Are Athletes Prone to Suffering?

Athletes of all kinds and at every level stand the chance of injury while competing. Some of the most common injuries cause stress on parts of the body, including:

• Joints
• Muscles
• Nerves
• Discs
• Ligaments

Traditional medicine often treats individuals with prescription drugs that can reduce performance, dull reaction times, and add the risk of triggering problems with addiction. Chiropractors offer pain relief without the use of drugs by using non-invasive treatment to help restore function and facilitate the balance they need for maximum performance. Through spinal manipulations and other manual therapies, a chiropractor can reduce stress on their joints, lowering the chance of injury and speeding up recovery times.

How Do Senior Athletes Benefit From Chiropractic Care?

Few people are professional athletes, but millions enjoy sports and athletic pursuits on a recreational basis, including into their golden years. But the body changes with time, so safety and injury prevention is more important than ever for active seniors. For age-related health issues from bone health to mental decline, older individuals who remain active -- as they should -- have physical health risks that need monitoring.

What Injuries Are Senior Athletes Prone to Having?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 3 million Americans annually, aged 65 and older are taken to emergency rooms due to falls. Some of these occur due to problems with balance or issues unrelated to lifestyle. Seniors today spend less time sitting in rocking chairs than they did in previous generations, and such activity leads to a wide variety of health risks. Many have gym memberships or participate in sports such as pickleball, and they maintain an intense workout for as long as their bodies will comply.

Staying active is one of the most important things you can do to counteract the challenges of aging. The reason so many seniors seek chiropractic care is because sports injuries threaten to radically change their lifestyles and erode their health.

Muscle strain, joint dysfunction, and back pain are some of the most common complaints by men and women enjoying sports in their later years. Chiropractic adjustments can keep them moving longer and with greater comfort.

What Is the Chiropractic Benefit for Young Athletes?

Watching your kids run the bases in Little League or jump to the top of a cheer team pyramid is a constant reminder that young people who are physically active can fall victim to accidents. To minimize the risk of long-term negative outcomes, they need effective preventative health care and fast treatment when accidents occur.

Chiropractic care for young athletes can promote neuromuscular function and maintain biomechanical balance, which should enhance performance. The musculoskeletal system plays a huge role in athletics and is at the center of a chiropractor’s expertise.

Many parents choose routine chiropractic care for their children because it is effective in preparing them for play and preventing injuries. Tracking the overall health of a young athlete enables parents and coaches to monitor changes to healthy development and treat injuries immediately when they occur.

What Injuries Are Young Athletes Prone to Having?

Each sport has its own health risks, depending on the demands involved. For instance, the start-stop motion involved in soccer can lead to ankle sprains or foot fractures. Volleyball players are prone to shoulder strain and knee injuries, such as damage to the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Chiropractic care for kids in collision sports such as football can reduce their chance of ending up sidelined due to injuries. Chiropractic interventions such as spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapies are non-invasive approaches to pain relief, provide rehabilitation for injuries, and offer an ongoing boost to performance.

Do Children Need a Special Chiropractor?

Licensed chiropractors know how to treat children from infancy through adulthood. They have a specialized understanding of musculoskeletal developmental changes over a lifetime. Many of them have postgraduate pediatric chiropractic training, and there are chiropractors who specialize in the treatment of athletes. Your local doctor at The Joint Chiropractic is well-equipped to administer a spinal adjustment to your young athlete.

The public doesn’t need to see celebrity supporters of chiropractic, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady, to recognize the benefit of healthcare oversight by a specialist who understands the physical demands of athletics. Whether you’re a hardcore athlete wanting to maximize your biomechanics or a sports fan sitting in the bleachers hoping to keep your health in check, you can benefit from routine chiropractic care. From diagnosing neuromusculoskeletal disorders to treating muscle strains and joint sprains, chiropractors have a scope of practice that has your back no matter how active you are.

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.