April 25, 2012 — As the U.S. continues to celebrate the recent world championship win of its National Bobsled & Skeleton Team, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) is applauding the healthcare team that supported the athletes along the way.
Since the addition of chiropractic to its medical team in 2010, these teams report that injuries have significantly decreased and athletic performance has skyrocketed.
“For sports that focus primarily on power and speed, like bobsledding and skeleton, a team approach to healthcare has proven to be most effective,” shares Eugene Byrne, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who also serves as the team’s chief medical officer. “Repeatedly, the athletes are jostled back and forth during runs, resulting in excessive stress endured by the lower body. Due to advanced ability in addressing musculoskeletal and neuroskeletal conditions, doctors of chiropractic provide essential care to the athletes.”
Today, the multidisciplinary team that serves the athletes is comprised of two athletic trainers, one physical therapist, one doctor of chiropractic and the support of its chief medical officer, Byrne.
“The coordinated, specialized care provided by our premier healthcare team has demonstrated tremendous success in improving functionality, strength and overall performance of the athletes,” he adds.
Known for its challenging physical nature, both bobsledding and skeleton athletes rely upon their exceptional athleticism in order to excel. Chiropractic care helps athletes to optimize performance by providing techniques to maximize muscle control, strength and restoration, as well as to correct common imbalances and misalignments experienced after crashes.
Having experienced what it’s like to provide care to the elite athletes, Mindy Mar, DC, and strong supporter of the F4CP, shares, “From my observation, both bobsled and skeleton athletes deeply appreciate the value of chiropractic care. The chiropractor is the only provider qualified to perform adjustments — an exceedingly popular method of treatment amongst athletes, due to the rigors of each sport.”
Byrne stresses the importance of a quality, multidisciplinary healthcare team, but recognizes the importance of chiropractic. He shares, “Since adding chiropractic care as a core component, we have witnessed better performance and decreased injuries amongst the athletes. We anticipate continued success in the future.”
Source: Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, f4cp.org
