Category: Sports Performance

The title above comes from a study published in the November 15, 2022, issue of the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. The study documents the resolution of sleep and anxiety issues in a patient who is under chiropractic care for the correction of vertebral subluxations.

The study begins by noting the seriousness of sleep issues by saying, “Chronic sleep insufficiency affects a third of Americans and is a recognized detractor to optimal human health and performance.” The author continues, “It is associated with multiple serious adverse health and social outcomes, negative impacts on mental health and functioning, and decreased health-related quality of life (HR-QOL). Chronic sleep disorders have been linked to seven of the fifteen leading causes of death…”

In this case, a 28-year-old woman went to the chiropractor seeking help for headaches and lower back pain. In addition, she was also suffering from sleep disorders and anxiety. The examination she received included chiropractic subluxation-specific procedures as well as a HAM-A survey and a PSQI questionnaire. The HAM-A (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale) is a psychological questionnaire used by clinicians to rate the severity of a patient’s anxiety. The PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) is a self-rated questionnaire which assesses sleep quality and disturbances over a 1-month time interval.

The focus of chiropractic care was to determine the presence of subluxations. Once it was established that subluxations were present, specific forms of chiropractic care were utilized to make corrections to the subluxations. Follow-up testing for subluxations was performed along with second HAM-A and PSQI evaluations were done to objectively measure any changes the woman had as a result of the chiropractic care.

The results, as reported in this study, showed that the subluxations were being corrected. Additionally, the woman reported improvements in the symptoms that brought her to the chiropractor. There was also documented improvement in both the woman’s sleep issues and her anxiety. The study states, “The patient also demonstrated marked reduction of sleep disorder as measured by Global PSQI score (from an initial score of 16 to an improved score of 3) and marked reduction of anxiety disorder (from an initial score of 28 to an improved score of 10) after three months of consistent chiropractic care.”

In the conclusion of this study, the author summed up the results and noted the important role chiropractic can play for issues involving sleep and anxiety. “The data presented herein describe concurrent correction or reduction of vertebral subluxation with resolution of sleeping disorder as well as anxiety disorder. These findings suggest the utility of chiropractic care, delivered to correct or reduce vertebral subluxation, for restoration of normal sleep function and resolution or improvement of associated mental health symptoms.”

A case study published in the Journal of the International Academy of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine in June of 2022, documented chiropractic along with rehabilitation helping a woman recover from residual symptoms of a double mastectomy.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons approximately 144,000 mastectomies were performed in the US in 2020. The Mayo Clinic describes this procedure on their website as, “A mastectomy is an umbrella term used for several techniques to remove one or both breasts. In addition, the surgeon may also remove nearby lymph nodes to determine whether the cancer has spread.”

This study notes that breast cancer is broken down into 4 stages. “Stage 1 is clinically non-invasive which means the cancer is isolated to the location in which it is found and is unlikely to spread to other parts of the body. Stage 2 is determined by the size of the cancer cells found; typically, the tumor will be measured between 2-5 centimeters to have this classification. Stage 3 is determined when the tumor is over 5 centimeters in size and more than 4 lymph nodes are involved. Stage 4 is classified when the cancer metastasizes beyond the breast and lymph nodes to other parts of the body.”

In this case, a 67-year-old woman sought chiropractic care for lingering symptoms she was experiencing after her double mastectomy. The woman had previously had stage 2 breast cancer and had a double mastectomy which included removing all cancerous lymph nodes.

Her symptoms included radiating numbness and swelling that went down into her hands. Additionally, the woman’s shoulder range of motion was decreased in all motions. She reported that her condition was affecting her ability to perform normal daily activities as well as having a negative impact on her job performance.

After an examination specific chiropractic care was started along with other therapies and home exercises. The woman reported that immediately after her first chiropractic care visit, she felt an increase in her shoulder motion as well as relief in tension throughout her upper body. After only two weeks of care, the woman reported that she no longer was experiencing any of her original symptoms.

In the study conclusions, the authors wrote, “While breast cancer is prevalent and well researched in many areas, this case offers a unique perspective as a chiropractic physician was an integral part of the rehabilitative efforts. The patient’s symptoms decreased after one treatment, and no symptoms were reported after 4 treatments.”

The October 2021 issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a case study involving a teen who suffered a concussion during a volleyball game, who was helped by chiropractic after all else had failed. According to a 2015 study in PT in Motion News, concussions are becoming more common among volleyball players who are suffering concussions at the rate of 3.57 concussions per 10,000 exposures, with an exposure being each practice or match.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines concussion by saying, “A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.”

In this case, a 14-year-old girl was brought into the chiropractor four months after being struck in the head by a volleyball. At the time of her chiropractic visit, the girl was suffering with headaches and nausea which she had been having since the volleyball incident.

The incident took place at a volleyball tournament that was 400 miles from the girl’s home. The girl was stuck in the front of her head, and she immediately lost vision, was nauseated and dizzy, and felt head pain. Her memory was affected as she remembers her coach standing in front of her, but not much else. Most of the account of the injury was from her coach and other players as she does not have a memory of the injury or immediate time afterward.

The accounts reported in the study were from other individuals as the girl has no memory of these incidents. “The patient served the volleyball one more time, then sat out the rest of the game. She left the court, drank water, and used a cold compress over her eyes. The bright lights and noise in the gym were bothersome and caused her headache to worsen. She went out for pizza that night with the team. She took children’s liquid Tylenol (acetaminophen) and slept 9 hours. She attempted play the next morning but was again overcome by nausea and dizziness, as well as a worsening headache, when she returned to the gym. She was driven home later that day and slept in the backseat for the 7-hour drive. The nausea, dizziness and headache persisted for the entire ride home.”

The girl attempted to return to school multiple times but was unable to do so and had to return home each time. Her visits to an MD and referrals to specialist only led to a recommendation to take acetaminophen and continue to rest. She received no improvement from the medical attention or the acetaminophen.

The girl got a chiropractic examination and began specific forms of chiropractic care. The study records that the day following her first visit to the chiropractor, she was able to return to school for a full day. After her second visit, she reported her head pain was gone and she had less dizziness. Also, after her second chiropractic visit, she had a midterm exam at school where she scored a 90%. On a 5 month follow up, the study reports that the girl was completely symptom free.

In their discussion, the authors of the study highlight the fact that the girl had not been helped at all medically prior to starting chiropractic. “With the 14-year-old female patient in this case, the temporal nature of her symptoms from the time of the trauma is consistent with her having suffered a post-concussion syndrome with associated brain trauma. Of significance was that her symptoms had not changed for four months, until receiving her first chiropractic treatment.”

Published in the October 2021 issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal were the results of a case study documenting the resolution of a young woman’s symptoms from post-concussion syndrome related to a sports injury.

The study begins by reporting that traumatic brain injuries are very common in the U.S. with 1.7 million occurring each year. Of that total, 52,000 die and 275,000 are hospitalized. Of the total number of head injuries, it is estimated that over 300,000 of them annually are sports related.

In 2012, the International Conference on Concussion in Sport created a definition for concussion. “Concussion is a brain injury and is defined as a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain, induced by biomechanical forces.” The conference listed several common features of concussion. “Concussion may be caused either by a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an ‘impulsive’ force transmitted to the head. Concussion typically results in the rapid onset of short-lived impairment of neurological function that resolves spontaneously. However, in some cases, symptoms and signs may evolve over a number of minutes to hours.”

In this case, a 21-year-old woman stood up abruptly and felt lightheaded causing her to fall forward into a desk hitting her head on the desk and then on the floor. She was knocked unconscious for a short period and awoke with severe head pain. She was transported to the hospital but was released without a CAT scan or an MRI.

Over the next several months, the woman began to feel light-headed and dizzy when she exercised. These symptoms progressively got worse until she was unable to exercise at all. She also started to develop headaches that were made worse by her school studies or even just using a phone. She progressively got worse to where driving was an issue, and she was forced to sharply reduce almost all physical and mental activities. Her cognitive problems got so bad that she was forced to discontinue school.

A chiropractic examination was performed and based upon the results of that examination specific forms of chiropractic care were started.

The study reports that in little over one month of care, the woman “was completely pain free with no symptoms of lightheadedness, brain fog, or nausea. She has been able to exercise, and has been lifting light weights. She was also able to run five miles.” The woman’s significant improvement was in light of the fact that she was nearly non-functional for the previous six months.

A study published on May 21, 2021, in the journal Brain Science showed that people who had suffered stroke had improved motor function after 4 weeks when chiropractic was added to their regime of physical therapy. The journal Brain Science is one of the scientific journals published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) based in Basel, Switzerland.

The multiple authors of this study begin by noting the impact that stroke can have on an individual’s quality of life. “Stroke can result in persistent impairments of structure and function, which can lead to limitations of activity and a negative impact on quality of life. Due to long term disability, many stroke survivors are dependent on their caregivers for assistance with activities of daily life, such as dressing, bathing, and toileting, which imposes an additional burden on society. Regaining lost motor function is critical to post-stroke recovery.”

In explaining the reason for studying chiropractic care for stroke victims, the authors explain, “Chiropractic care has the potential to facilitate motor recovery in stroke survivors due to its influence on the central nervous system. Chiropractic care constitutes a holistic approach to health, with a focus on the identification and correction of central segmental motor control (CSMC) problems that chiropractors often call vertebral subluxations.”

This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the Rehabilitation Center of Railway General Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The patients in this study were from the Railway General Hospital database who had experienced a stroke at least 12 weeks prior to participation in this study. All participants had completed a rehabilitative program at the hospital.

Participants were all measured for motor function prior to the study so that subsequent tests could determine if there was a change. The participants were divided into two groups. One group received physical therapy plus chiropractic adjustments, while the other group received physical therapy and sham chiropractic. Sham chiropractic is when a procedure is done that seems like a chiropractic adjustment, but no actual adjustment is given.

These two groups were then compared for motor function after four weeks of the care. The motor function analysis was measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, which is a highly reliable and valid performance-based impairment scale that is used to measure recovery after a stroke.

Fifty-five participants completed the 4-week assessment. There were no adverse events or reports of harm to any of the participants during the study.

The results showed that there was a “statistically significant” improvement in motor function as measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale, in the group that received chiropractic care with physical therapy, compared to the group that got physical therapy and the sham or fake chiropractic adjustments.

The authors of the study wrote in their conclusion, “Improvements in motor function were observed when chiropractic care was added to 4 weeks of physical therapy care in people with subacute or chronic stroke. These improvements were statistically significant and a post-hoc responder analysis suggested they were also likely to be clinically significant. Chiropractic spinal adjustments may therefore be beneficial for people with motor impairments associated with subacute or chronic stroke.”

The August 20, 2020, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of two case studies that documented the resolution with chiropractic of vomiting problems in two separate pediatric cases. Both patients were young boys who had never received chiropractic care prior to the care reported in this study.

In the first case, a 9-year-old boy who was feeling sick and vomiting was brought to the chiropractor. His parents reported that their son was previously a healthy and active child who played a number of sports year-round. They also noted that, in playing sports, there were multiple occasions where their son would get hit and fall hard.

A chiropractic examination was done which included inspection, palpation, and infrared thermography. Spinal x-rays were also performed which included motion x-rays of the neck known as video fluoroscopy. From these tests, it was determined that subluxations were present. Specific forms of age appropriate chiropractic adjustments were started to address the subluxations. No nutritional, exercise, physiotherapy, or lifestyle modifications were incorporated into the boy’s care.

After just one chiropractic adjustment, the boy’s parents reported that their son experienced a complete resolution of all symptoms by the next day. He no longer felt sick and was not vomiting. His parents continued their son under chiropractic care on a wellness basis.

In the second case, a 7-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractic suffering with complaints of random vomiting after eating. The vomiting was occurring about once every six weeks. He was also suffering with hearing loss in his left ear.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included thermal imaging scans, a video-fluoroscopy, and static x-rays. As in the first case, it was determined that multiple areas of subluxation were present. Based upon the findings, a series of specific chiropractic adjustments were started on the boy.

The case study reported that the boy’s vomiting problems had completely resolved, but that as of the writing of this report, there had not been a change in his hearing. The study noted that this boy also remained under chiropractic care as a wellness or preventative measure.

In their discussion, the authors of the study note that spinal injuries from activity, accidents, or sports will usually affect the neck more seriously in younger patients than it would in a fully developed neck. This scenario sets up the possibility for nerve system interference known as subluxations. Since most subluxations do not result in symptoms, they can remain present for years and create health issues that are seemingly unrelated to a health issue the pediatric patient may be experiencing.

All 32 NFL teams include the professional services of a DC as part of their integrated health care team approach, according to a February 1, 2017, release by the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. Both the Super Bowl participants, the Atlanta Falcons and the Champion New England Patriots had team chiropractors available to adjust their players for optimal performance and reduce the risk of injuries.

The release notes that the New England Patriots have had the same team chiropractor for 35 years. Dr. Michael Miller, who attended his ninth Super Bowl this year stated, “During the NFL season, I regularly visit the stadium on my afternoon off from my office, as well as on game days both at home and away. Chiropractic care is emphasized by the head coach, trainers and medical staff as a proactive regimen to prevent injuries, with most of the players receiving adjustments roughly 1-2 times per week.”

Chiropractic has two functions when it comes to care for athletes. They seek care to maximize their performance, and to prevent and manage injuries. Dr Miller explains, “We’ve also earned the respect of other team physicians as a necessary protocol, and are all committed to one goal: keeping the athletes performing at their maximum potential and preventing and managing injuries as they occur.” He continued, “The players are educated about the principles of chiropractic and that it is designed to eliminate the cause of their problem rather than just masking their symptoms.”

The Atlanta Falcons team chiropractor, Dr. Joseph Krzemien, points out that players who receive regular chiropractic care are less prone to injury. “During the six seasons I’ve spent with the Atlanta Falcons, my goal has always been to prepare each player’s body to better resist trauma and to speed its natural recovery time,” he says. “This season, the Falcons have been successful for a lot of reasons, but I firmly believe that regular chiropractic care has played an important role in helping us stay healthy and get to Super Bowl LI – I am proud of the role I’ve played in their success.”

The Green Bay Packers chiropractor, Dr. Michael Zoelle, added, “Ensuring that the joints are functioning properly is critical in the healing process, as well as for injury prevention and optimal performance,” says Dr. Zoelle. “The players recognize that chiropractic care helps them to perform better and heal faster, ultimately leading to better team success.”

Dr. Lucas Matlock, President of the Florida Chiropractic Society and chiropractor for many professional athletes, explains how important chiropractic is for the success of a professional athlete. “Chiropractic detects and removes interference to the nervous system at the spine, called subluxations. When an athlete’s nervous system is free from interference, he or she can perform at a maximum level. For some athletes this could be the difference between making the team and the Hall of Fame.”

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics published a retrospective study in their November/December 2016 edition that reviewed the usage of chiropractic care during the World Games in Cali, Colombia, from July 25 to August 4, 2013.

The study begins by noting the overall increase of chiropractic utilization in the United States and Canada has risen from 4% in 1980 to 14% in the U.S. by 2015. They report that a high percentage of the people seeking chiropractic care do so for musculoskeletal issues related to back pain.

The authors also reported that in another study of 1.7 million people, having access to insurance that includes chiropractic care caused a significant reduction in overall medical expenditures with specific decreases in spinal surgery and all back-related medical treatments.

Chiropractic care was rendered at the games by 40 doctors of chiropractic and observed by six researchers. This was arranged by the International World Games Association (IWGA) who contracted with the Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS) to provide free chiropractic care to athletes and support staff who were accredited at this event.

In the review of chiropractic utilization at the 2013 World Games the study showed that 537 of 2964 accredited athletes received chiropractic care during the games. This represents a utilization rate of 18.1% for the athletes. The utilization for the accredited non-athletes was lower with 403 of 4131 in this group receiving chiropractic care. This showed a utilization rate of 9.8% for non-athletes.

Athletes seeking chiropractic care were from 68 of the 93 participating countries. Of the total of 33 sporting events at the games, athletes from 28 of those sports sought chiropractic care. The breakdown showed that the largest utilization rates were from bowling scored at 48%, with water skiing being second at 42%, then fistball at 41%, and wushu with 41% of those athletes seeking chiropractic care.

Of the athletes who sought chiropractic, 37% had an acute or newer conditions, while 55% had chronic or long-term problems. The non-athletes presented themselves for chiropractic at a ratio different from the athletes with only 20% having acute conditions, while 61% were suffering from a chronic condition. Those receiving chiropractic reported good results. The study showed that 86.9% patients reported immediate improvement after receiving chiropractic.

In their conclusion, the study authors reported, “The majority of people seeking chiropractic care at an international sporting competition were athletes. For those seeking care, the injury rate was higher among athletes than among non-athletes. The majority of patients receiving chiropractic care reported improvement after receiving care.”

Published on December 5, 2016, in the journal Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research is a case study of a man who was suffering from lower back pain and erectile dysfunction being helped by chiropractic.

According to the study authors, erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as a man’s inability to attain or sustain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. They report that there are two classifications of ED, primary and secondary. Primary ED is a man who has never been able to have an erection, while secondary is the case where a man used to be able to have an erection but is currently unable to.

According to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health website, “About 5 percent of men that are 40 years old have complete erectile dysfunction, and that number increases to about 15 percent of men at age 70. Mild and moderate erectile dysfunction affects approximately 10 percent of men per decade of life (i.e., 50 percent of men in their 50s, 60 percent of men in their 60s).”

In this case, a 47-year-old man went to the chiropractor on three separate occasions for the complaints of lower back problems and neck pain. At those times, he did not report that he had also been suffering from ED since the age of 22 years. He did have a history of spinal trauma at the ages of 16 and 20 years.

An examination performed on this first set of visits to this chiropractor yielded the conclusion that subluxations were present in the man’s spine. Care was given in the form of specific adjustments and the man reported a significant recovery. He thereafter decided not to continue with chiropractic wellness and he discontinue his care.

Several years later, the man returned to the chiropractor again suffering from lower back pain. Once again care was given and the man experienced a significant recovery. This time he was able to resume sports and activities fairly quickly which led to him suffering a neck injury several months later.

Although the man did not share his history of having ED with the chiropractor initially, upon returning for chiropractic care related to his neck injury, the man noticed the correlation between the correction of his ED and the time he was under chiropractic care. Because of this connection, the man continued his chiropractic on a wellness basis and was able to report to the chiropractor that his ED was effectively eliminated while under chiropractic care.

The man commented about his ED improvement by saying, “For a short time after receiving an adjustment it is much easier and highly more likely that (he) will attain and maintain a strong erection.” When asked by the doctor if he will be maintaining his chiropractic care since he has made the connection between that and the improvement in his ED, he commented, “Of course!”