Better. Faster. Stronger.

When we think about athletic performance, athletes are doing what ever they can to give them that competitive edge. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of what’s fueling their competitive edge? More than likely you’re already thinking about the numerous hours they put into an extensive training program, but let’s look at another aspect, their recovery. Outside of the training that they’re doing, athletes are putting in the effort to make sure they are properly fueled, rested, and restored, so they can function optimally.  90% of all world class athletes actually use chiropractic to help them to stay ahead. Some major athletes such as Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Usain Bolt all incorporate chiropractic care into their recovery regimens. These athletes use chiropractic care because they understand if they want to be better, faster, and stronger they have to support their bodies, primarily their nervous system which controls every function within the body.

When we look at chiropractic, it supports the neuromusculoskeletal system, primarily by focusing on the spine. A chiropractor looks for areas of subluxation; which is a misalignment in the spine creating interference within the central nervous system (CNS). With an adjustment, a chiropractor removes the subluxation, which restores alignment in the spine and removes the interference in the CNS. This allows the brain to communicate properly to all the muscles and organs within the body. Haavik, a neurophysiologist, actually found that after an adjustment, there is an increase in activity in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is where our body integrates and coordinates operations of the nervous system. An increase here, actually means our bodies are better able to solve problems, achieve goals, and perceive the environment around us. When we are engaging in any athletic activity you think about how the body is adapting to the stimuli around it, some key factors that are affected are proprioception, hand-eye coordination, and reaction times. After an adjustment, one study found that a group had a 14.8 % faster reaction time. Think about how significant that is, a millisecond can determine the difference between first and second place when we think about sports such as track, drag racing, or even barrel racing. It also has been found after chiropractic care, that performance improved by 6.12% and hand-eye coordination improved by 30%. A difference in hand eye coordination could be the difference between a ground ball and a home run when we think in terms of baseball. Studies have also recorded an increase excitability in the corticospinal pathway following an adjustment. This pathway is how the CNS controls the function of our limbs and trunk. Excitability within this pathway has been correlated with an increase in muscle strength with the upper and lower limbs. More strength means the ability to lift more weight which can help in not only generating more power but and also be exactly what an Olympic weightlifter needs to win a gold medal.

So in terms of having a competitive edge, chiropractic only makes sense to be a primary ingredient in recovery. And let’s not only view this for professional/amateur athletes, but it is also important for all of us recreational athletes too. As we put in the work to train we want to see results from that training, chiropractic care is not just a luxury for the professionals and amateurs, it’s available to you too. If you’re already seeing a chiropractor, great, you’re already on track to unleashing your full potential. However, if you are not, I encourage you to make an appointment to get checked and see how your nervous system is affected. Because as you’ve read, you’re only an adjustment away from becoming a better, faster, and stronger you.