Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, a champion who has received the most Olympic medals of all time, noted that he receives instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization technique treatments to keep him in top form. “My trainer uses instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization tools, these little metal crowbars. He carves them into my shoulder blades, my back, my knee, my hamstrings-wherever I’m really tight-to loosen things up. It’s pretty intense.” This Olympic champion has won 22 Olympic medals and holds the record for the most medals won and attributes much of his success to the therapy which keeps him in top form!

Many US Olympic athletes striving for gold in Rio 2016, will be using a secret weapon to help achieve their goals — chiropractic care. Many athletes use chiropractic not only for rehabilitation purposes, but also because they feel it gives them a special edge during competitions. Professional athletes are increasingly turning to chiropractic care as a drug-free alternative to relieve pain and keep peak condition. Pro athletes have a discovered a secret weapon they keep in their back pockets: chiropractic care. According to Dr. Andrew Klein, the official chiropractor for the 2000 US Olympic medical staff, the key reason why athletes have sought out chiropractic: it keeps them in top shape without the use of drugs. "Athletes have come to rely on manual therapy because the list of banned substances for the Olympics is so long, and also because they feel it enhances their performance."

Stretching has many positive benefits including better blood circulation, increased range of motion and improved muscular coordination. It’s often overlooked because the results are not as visible as aerobic exercise or weight training but good flexibility can decrease your risk of injury by helping your joints move through their full range of motion.

Aerobic exercise, the kind that gets your heart pumping, has been found to change the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills. According to Harvard Health, these results were not the same for resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises. 

Corrective exercises are an important part of modern chiropractic treatment methods because they can relieve symptoms of pain, restore proper movement and improve performance.

When dealing with chronic back pain day in and day out, it’s normal to long for an easy fix. Over 500,000 Americans reportedly visit the operating room for major surgery each year. Back surgery is often one of the most prematurely recommended procedures for patients who haven’t fully exhausted conservative treatment options.

Years of slouching, poor posture and excessive tension placed upon the cervical spine can lead to chronic conditions. Neck pain is the third most common cause of chronic pain and more than a quarter of Americans reportedly suffer from it. A common concern of chiropractic physicians, chronic neck pain can affect your overall physical wellness. 

People with good posture enjoy pain-free movement and flexibility, better balance and coordination and peak athletic performance. Correct posture month is celebrated every May and understanding the importance and necessity of good posture is key for maintaining overall physical wellness.

Exercise has wide-ranging effects throughout the body including well-known mood-boosting benefits. Recently, it’s been debated whether exercise just makes you feel better about stress or if can directly fight some of the physiological effects of stress, like inflammation and heightened risk of heart disease. 

Chiropractic care is becoming the treatment of choice in sports medicine and many athletic trainers encourage it before, during and after any physical performance. Sports chiropractic is not only beneficial to the experienced and professional athlete, but also to collegiate athletes, young players and weekend warriors.