This year’s Super Bowl is poised to be a riveting game full of great plays and likely some good strong hits. Have you ever stopped to consider how those strong hits affect the athlete’s body? Although professional football players maintain top physical condition, they are also subject to tremendous force and jarring motions during game time and also while practicing. This leads to the inevitable problem of their bodies coming out of alignment. This is exactly why football players love their chiropractors– chiropractic care takes athletic performance to the next level.
A serious sports injury to a key professional football player is financially costly but could also cost their team the season. Back in the day the mantra of “no pain, no gain” or “walk it off” may have prevailed on the football field but that is no longer the case. Pain is the body’s way of letting the athlete know something isn’t quite right. When a player takes a particularly hard hit and is left hurting it must be properly treated to ensure their ability to get back onto the field as soon as possible. Dr. Robert DeStefano, the Doctor of Chiropractic for the New York Giants, explained in a press release, “As injuries present themselves, we work systematically to provide the athlete with the care needed. In the end, we hope for quick recovery and high-level performance.”
Chiropractic care has become an integral part of the health and training programs of players in the NFL. All 32 teams have a chiropractor on staff and, according to the Professional Football Chiropractic Society, the average NFL team chiropractor gives 30-50 treatments per week. For football players, chiropractic is often used to treat conditions like neuromusculoskeletal strain injuries, including neck pain, low back pain, strains to the hamstring and quadriceps, and some injuries that are caused by whiplash like movements. Maurice Jones Drew, a 3-time pro bowl selection and 2011 NFL leading rusher explained in an interview, “When you get the NFL the hits are little bit harder. That’s why I see the chiropractor. Because after some of those hits you’ll see your body is not in line.”
We have been able to witness directly how professional athletes use chiropractic to optimize the functionality of their bodies and ensure maximum endurance. Dr. Brooke recently spent time adjusting Olympic hopefuls at the Olympic Training Center. While the reality is that most of us won’t make it to the pro-level for athletics we can still learn a tremendous amount from these athletes and their adherence to consistent adjustments and preventative maintenance with chiropractic care. Keep up with regular adjustments to ensure optimal performance of your body each and every day.
So this year while you gather around your big screen and cheer for the Broncos or the Panthers take a moment to consider the impact of those big hits on their bodies—and why those athletes love their chiropractor so much.