ATHLETES!!!
I am dedicating this blog post to another passion of mine…. athletic performance.
I have been athlete all of my life and have recently (within the last 3-4 years) become more passionate about helping young athletes reach their optimal athletic performance.
Before I was called into chiropractic, I did this as a personal trainer. I had the honor to work with many young athletes in that regard. Helping them (most often) put on muscle and get stronger.
Now, as a chiropractor, I have the unique ability to help athletes tap into their potential by working with and improving the very factor that dictates that performance…
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM!
It has become more readily talked about in recent times, but it is still somewhat new. The knowing that if we want to help an athlete truly get the most out of their performance we have to remove the barriers to their neurological fiunction.
Simply put - if an athletes nervous system is constantly trying to overcome the demands being placed on it from a place of PROTECTION,SAFETY, & SURVIVAL (commonly known as Fight/Flight/Freeze) than the notion of improving performance is mute. It doesn’t matter!
Trying to optimize performance of a nervous system in this way is much like trying to get a Ferrari to hit top end speed with the emergency break on! You might get something to happen but most likely (and faster than you want) things are going to start not working well or at all!
In this analogy in order to UNLEASH the Ferrari’s amazing performance we have to unlock the E-Brake. Once it is set free the brilliance of its technology and performance takes over and the driver can realize its full potential.
For athletes, they are the Ferrari. The E-Brake is their nervous system “stuck” in stress. Chiropractic care is the “unlocking” of the E-Brake.
With consistent chiropractic care we can give athletes the best chance at keeping that E-Brake “off” while simultaneously unlocking & optimizing their God-given potential to perform.
There are so many things that athletes could (and SHOULD do) to help optimize their performance, but there is nothing that is as foundational as chiropractic care. Here is why we know this to be true…
Nervous System Function = Performance
There have been many studies on the impact of chiropractic care on performance but the one that always stands out to me the most was done in 2014 with Special Forces soldiers
They tested their reaction times and then one group received chiropractic adjustments (the other group was only setup on).
The group that received the adjustments had “an immediate reduction in reaction time.”
If we also simply look at athletic performance from a functional standpoint, the ability of the body to move, jump, stop, cut, dive, swing, etc. comes down to how well the nervous system is controlling & coordinating those abilities.
Chiropractic care has a direct impact on that function by increasing the brains ability to SENSE those demands, INTEGRATE them, and then create the appropriate OUTPUT.
This is known as SENSORIMOTOR INTEGRATION
The more efficient this process is the more likely an athlete will learn, grow, and evolve in their chosen sport/ activity.
Movement
There is nothing more ‘core’ to a human being than their spine! All of our movement patterns can be traced back to the spine in some way.
Optimal spinal function = optimal movement = decreasing the chacne of injury
Recovery
An athletes ability to recover from training, practice, and live action is of paramount importance! Not only as it pertains to their performance but from their longevity in their chosen sport.
Recovery has many avenues that can be taken to achieve certain results, but like the other factors listed it is the nervous system that controls how well it happens.
An adaptable nervous system is key to optimal recovery
We have a passion for helping young athletes realize their potential and cultivate the understanding that they can bring out that potential by supporting their body and understanding how to care for it!
