Do Professional Athletes See Chiropractors?
An estimated 90% of all world-class athletes routinely use chiropractic care to prevent injuries and boost their performance. From the NFL to the NHL, chiropractors are now a regular part of the team roster.
Why? Because the difference between victory and defeat often comes down to millimeters and milliseconds. Chiropractic care offers a unique, drug-free way for athletes to stay in peak physical form, manage injuries, and even gain a competitive edge. Curious how the pros use chiropractic to push their limits?
In this blog post from Axiom Chiropractic we’ll dive into why chiropractic care is becoming every athlete’s secret weapon for success.
Why Chiropractic Care is Essential for Athletes
How Chiropractic Supports Athletic Performance
Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, whether sprinting, lifting, or pivoting at top speed. Over time, the wear and tear can lead to muscle imbalances, joint misalignments, and even a dip in performance. Chiropractic care helps athletes maintain peak physical condition by ensuring that their body stays aligned and all systems function optimally.
Regular adjustments boost flexibility, prevent injuries, and support the body’s natural movements, which is essential for peak performance.
Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments can improve performance measurably, including a 6.12% boost in reaction time and even a 30% improvement in eye-hand coordination. These seemingly small percentages can make all the difference in competitive sports, where results are often separated by milliseconds.
For athletes, staying in alignment means staying in the game.
The Role of Chiropractic in Pain Relief and Recovery
Athletes know that pain relief doesn’t have to come with a prescription. Chiropractic care offers a non-invasive way to relieve pain, especially for musculoskeletal issues, without the risk of addiction or unwanted side effects. This is particularly valuable for athletes who need to avoid anything that could slow them down or keep them off the field.
Chiropractic care can treat common sports injuries like lower back pain, neck stiffness, and joint discomfort, helping athletes stay in top form.
Many chiropractors also use techniques like massage, dry needling, and electrical muscle stimulation to aid recovery. These techniques relieve pain and help speed up the healing process, allowing athletes to return to their sport more quickly. Want to know more about how Calgary chiropractors can impact your nervous system?
The benefits of chiropractic extend beyond the initial injury, as regular adjustments can help prevent injuries from reoccurring. For athletes, this means fewer setbacks and a quicker path back to full strength.
Pro Athletes Who Rely on Chiropractic Care
Iconic Athletes Who Advocate for Chiropractic
Some of the biggest names in sports are outspoken advocates of chiropractic care, and it’s no surprise why.
A survey of Canadian national team athletes showed that two-thirds (67%) of athletes sought chiropractic treatment, most typically for neck or back pain (81.3%), despite nearly half (45.7%) being unsure about access to chiropractic care.
Take Tiger Woods, for example. He credits chiropractic adjustments with helping his golf swing by keeping his back strong and his body aligned. Then there’s Tom Brady, who famously stated, “Chiropractic just makes you feel so much better,” noting that it keeps him feeling taller and more balanced on the field.
Here’s a list of other athletes who swear by chiropractic:
Usain Bolt: Overcame scoliosis through regular adjustments, which helped him become the world’s fastest man.
Michael Jordan: Said chiropractic improved his mental and physical performance, keeping him agile on the court.
Michael Phelps: Includes chiropractic care alongside massage and cupping to stay in peak swimming form.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Uses chiropractic care to recover from injuries and maintain agility in soccer.
Venus Williams: Relies on chiropractic for flexibility and quick reaction times in tennis.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Bodybuilding legend and former Mr. Universe, who praised chiropractors as “miracle workers.” For these athletes, chiropractic care is about more than just pain relief. It’s about enhancing performance, reducing injuries, and maintaining balance in their bodies.
Widespread Use Among Professional Sports Teams
It’s not just individual athletes; nearly all professional sports teams incorporate chiropractic care into their health routines. In fact, an estimated 90% of world-class athletes rely on chiropractic care regularly, and all NFL teams have chiropractors on staff or on call. The same goes for the majority of MLB, NBA, and NHL teams, as well as 72% of PGA golfers.
For these athletes and teams, chiropractic care is essential in reducing injury risk, speeding up recovery, and helping athletes perform their best.
Football players, for instance, receive thousands of adjustments throughout the season to keep their bodies in alignment. Baseball players benefit from chiropractic care to improve strength and flexibility, while basketball players use it to enhance balance and range of motion.
Chiropractic care has become a go-to solution across professional sports because it’s non-invasive, drug-free, and provides real, measurable results. It’s critical to note that Calgary chiropractors do not prescribe medication.
The Role of Chiropractors in the NFL
Chiropractic Care as Part of NFL Medical Teams
In the NFL, physical contact is constant, and the demands on players’ bodies are intense. As a result, many teams rely on chiropractors to keep players healthy. Around 31% of NFL teams officially have chiropractors on staff, while another 12% refer players to chiropractors when needed.
Chiropractors in the NFL primarily treat issues related to the spine, addressing injuries like low back pain and nerve injuries, particularly neck-related conditions known as “stingers” and “burners.” Chiropractors can also be essential in providing treatment and concussion management to return players to the field post-injury.
The benefits of chiropractic in the NFL go beyond pain relief. By ensuring that players’ musculoskeletal systems are in alignment, chiropractors help reduce stress on their bodies, preventing further injuries. Whether it’s an adjustment before the game or treatment afterward, chiropractic care helps players recover and maintain balance through the season’s physical demands.
For NFL teams, having a chiropractor on staff has become a critical component of player care. The use and role of sport chiropractors in the national football league has grown significantly over time.
Building Collaborative Relationships for Player Health
The collaboration between chiropractors and NFL teams is strong and continues to grow. An impressive 77% of NFL trainers have developed cooperative relationships with chiropractors, showing the value they place on chiropractic care for players.
This partnership allows trainers and chiropractors to work together to address players’ needs quickly and effectively, especially when it comes to spinal and musculoskeletal issues.
Interestingly, 100% of NFL trainers surveyed noted that some players even seek chiropractic care independently, underscoring the popularity of chiropractic among athletes. This collaboration means players have access to specialized care when they need it, whether it’s directly through their team or from a chiropractor they trust.
For NFL players, chiropractic care is essential to staying at peak performance and addressing injuries early, allowing them to get back on the field sooner. How often you should see a chiropractor is another question that needs answering.
Chiropractic Care as a Winning Strategy for Athletes
Chiropractic care is a powerful tool for professional athletes and weekend warriors alike. From enhancing performance and flexibility to preventing injuries and reducing recovery times, chiropractic care offers numerous benefits that keep athletes in top shape. Whether it’s a quarterback, a golfer, or a long-distance runner, many of the world’s best athletes incorporate chiropractic care into their training and recovery routines.
The integration of chiropractic care into the sports industry and its impact on the performance and health of athletes and economic growth has grown significantly over the years and, for good reason.
For anyone looking to up their game or stay active without pain, chiropractic care could be the winning strategy. At Axiom Chiropractic, we’re here to provide the care and support you need to feel your best, both on and off the field.
Reach out today to learn more about how chiropractic can help you achieve your athletic goals!
Discover why so many pro athletes use chiropractic care to recover, reduce their likelihood of injury, and get a performance edge. For over 100 years, professional athletes of all kinds have used chiropractic care to recover, reduce their likelihood of injury, and even get an edge in performance. But what used to be a secret is now well-known, and chiropractic care is used by sports teams from high school right up through the pros. Historically, the medical staff of pro sports teams have been focused on helping athletes recover from injuries rather than finding ways to improve their performance (that was left to the coaches). Chiropractors provide a unique bridge between the player, coach, and medical team by focusing on injury prevention, mobility, and performance. Pro sports are big businesses, and athletes, coaches, and owners always maximize their talent. What began as a way to reduce injuries has advanced into a way to improve performance. New research shows how spinal adjustments can influence the brain, spinal cord, and even muscle strength. Here are three exciting findings from the research.
Motor control and movement patterns can be influenced by receiving a spinal adjustment
Spinal adjustments can alter how you process pain
Increases in muscle strength have been found after a spinal adjustment
Pro athletes choose chiropractic for many different reasons. For some, it's the focus on mobility, while others are looking for a performance edge. No matter what drives an athlete to seek out a chiropractor's expertise, one thing is for sure- the use of chiropractic care in competitive athletics is here to stay.
