Studies Show Every Athlete Can Benefit from Chiropractic
If you're an athlete you may have teammates or friends who regularly rave about chiropractic care. But why would you need to see a chiropractor if you're not suffering from some type of sports injury or spinal pain?
One reason: improved athletic performance.
In one 2012 study of 18 competitive judo athletes who participated in national level judo tournaments, the researchers compared chiropractic care to a sham treatment. Right before the chiropractic manipulation and immediately after, grip strength was tested to see if there were changes in the muscles via the nervous system interconnections.
There was a significant difference in the grip strengths of the two groups. The judo athletes who received the chiropractic increased their right hand grip strength by 6.95% after the first session and by 10.53% on the third session. Their left hand grip strength increased 12.61% on the first treatment and 16.81% on the third treatment. The sham group didn't experience any improvements.
Another study on athletic performance included female handball players with a history of ankle problems. Researchers found that chiropractic care enhanced their ability to jump higher.
Yet another study showed that manual therapies boosted pre-competition performance in college football players at Virginia Tech.
You might not ever expect that chiropractic, which works on the spine to remove any misalignments that could be causing nerve interference, would ever increase grip strength in judo athletes or jumping height in handball players. For the athletes, the added strength could improve their athletic performance – and that could mean winning awards and trophies in the sport.
While he can't promise you'll win any trophies, Dr. Cordima can correct spinal misalignments and give you pointers to prevent injury so you can operate at peak performance when you need it most.
References
Botelho, M.B. and Andrade, B.B. Effect of cervical spine manipulative therapy on judo athletes' grip strength. J Manipulative Physiology Therapy 2012 Jan; 35(1): 38-44.
Brolinson PG, et al. Pre-competition manipulative treatment and performance among Virginia Tech athletes during 2 consecutive football seasons: a preliminary, retrospective report. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 2012: 112(9):607-15.
Hedlund, S. Effect of chiropractic manipulation on vertical jump height in young female athletes with talocrural joint dysfunction: a single-blinded randomized clinical pilot trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014.doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2013.11.004.
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