Many of the US athletes at the London 2012 Olympics benefited from chiropractic care, according to numerous news stories. One article on August 29, 2012, in the Herald Online starts off by noting, “The presence of chiropractic care and the leadership role of Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.s) at major national and international competitive events – including the Olympic and Paralympic Games — are the result of positive outcomes in optimizing athletic performance: endurance, return-to-play and functionality.”
Dr. Phil Santiago, the first chiropractor to be contracted with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), and secretary-general of the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic commented, “Chiropractic care is only one tool within the athletes’ healthcare tool box, but its unique manual, non-drug methods make it a crucial component of healthcare delivery at Olympic Games which carry strict restrictions on drug use.”
Another article in the Apex Herald on August 24, 2012, Dr. Michael Borgert, a chiropractor from North Carolina who helped athletes at the London Olympics, commented on his experience by saying, “The athletes really took it to the next level and performed better than they ever have before. We gave them adjustments before and after each event and I think it really helped. At the Olympic level, just a fraction of difference decides who wins a medal.”
Dr. Gerard Clum, a chiropractor and spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care summed up the benefits of chiropractic care for Olympic athletes by saying, “The care our doctors of chiropractic provided helped our athletes prepare for the competition, perform at their best, avoid injuries and better deal with injuries when they occurred,” said Dr. Clum. “It is a privilege for our doctors of chiropractic to serve our athletes as they seek to bring honor to our nation and to themselves, being a part of the process is a career highlight for the athletes and chiropractors alike.”
