Pro Athletes: What do they do to stay healthy and rehab from injuries?

What do Evander Holyfield, former heavyweight champion, John Smoltz, 1996 Cy Young award winner, Dan O'Brien, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist, Jerry Rice professional football player, Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) and Arnold Schwarzenegger have in common? 

Most of them have been on the cover of Today's Chiropractic Magazine!  They shared their excitement and stories about the benefits of Chiropractic Wellness Care. 

What are professional athletes opinions on chiropractic care?

Evander Holyfield stated in the December 1998 issue, "I do believe in Chiropractic. I found that going to a Chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. Once I drove 20 miles to see a Chiropractor before a fight. I have to have my adjustment before I get in the ring." 

Dan O'Brien said in the August 1996 issue, "you obviously can't compete at your fullest if you're not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about Chiropractic. I really think Chiropractic is essential in running. If I could put a percentage on it, I think I compete eight to ten percent better from regular Chiropractic use, if not more. It is essential for me and my training routine," declared O'Brien. Ten percent is a huge amount for an athlete or anyone for that matter. For Dan O'Brien, it would have been the difference between the gold medal and not even making the team. A runner who runs a 10 second hundred meter dash may win a Olympic race, while an 11 second hundred couldn't even qualify for the team. A 4.5 second 40 yard dash would make a fast running back, while a 5 second 40 yard dash would be an average time for a lineman. 

A baseball player batting .330 might win the batting title, while a player hitting .230 would get sent down to the minors. Can you imagine if your entire life improved by ten percent? What if your energy, sleep, healing ability and immune function were all improved by 10%? How about a 10% improvement in hormonal balance and digestion efficiency? If your entire body was functioning ten percent better it would make a huge difference. You would enjoy a much happier, healthier, energetic life! 

Arnold Schwarzenegger has said in many interviews that "chiropractic is a necessity!"  He has said that during his weight lifting career he saw a chiropractor and it changed his workouts and allowed him to stay healthy and in the profession longer.  

What is it that the professionals know about wellness and Chiropractic that most people don't know? 

Why do they receive Chiropractic Wellness Care to help them be top of their game and the healthiest? 

These people understand that health is not just how you feel. For example, they know that you can feel perfectly fine and still not be healthy. Did you ever know someone who thought they were healthy and then all of a sudden had a heart attack? Do you know anyone who one day was fine and then, what seems like all of a sudden, got diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, arthritis, or a herniated disk? 

These conditions take 10, 20, or 30 years before they show any outward symptoms that you or your doctor might be able to identify. However, what they will do is reduce your body's function slowly over time, thereby limiting your health potential and quality of life. This process happens so slowly over time that we accept these weaknesses as normal and go on with our life, never knowing what we are missing out on. 

Top athletes and performers are challenging their physical and mental limits every day, so they keep track of their function and performance in relation to their true wellness potential. Rather than waiting until they get sick or injured, they fine tune their body and mind all the time with Chiropractic Wellness Care. Next, these top performers fully understand the relationship between their nervous system, and the function of every cell, tissue and organ of their body. 

Consider trying these simple interactive experiments. Wiggle your fingers and toes. How did you do that? Your brain sent signals down your spinal cord telling your fingers and toes what to do. All motor function, all movement, is controlled by your nervous system including your balance and coordination. 

Pull a hair on your arm, and then pull another one within an inch of the first. Do you feel the pulling in the same place each time, or a different place? You can feel the pulling in a different place because even every hair cell has its own distinct and unique nerve supply that is connected to the brain. All feeling and sensation is controlled by your nervous system.

Think about this:

  • How do you digest your food to get the maximum intake of nutrients your body needs to function properly? 
  • Think about how your heart knows how fast to beat when you are exercising in order to supply appropriate oxygen to all the cells of your body? 
  • How does your body know what hormones to produce and when it's time to go to the bathroom? 

Every function of your body is controlled and regulated by your nervous system. Your brain takes in all the information from the environment and sends out signals which trigger the appropriate response by your body. As long as there is no interference to this system, the brain receives the correct signals and in turn sends out the correct response. The result is a healthy human being with unlimited abilities and human potential. Unfortunately, if there is interference to this pathway, it acts like static on a telephone line and all the body functions become reduced. 

Dr. Chung Ha Suh, a researcher out of the University of Colorado, found that 45mm. of a mercury pressure, roughly the weight of a quarter, is enough to reduce the function of that nerve to 40 percent of its original value. We've already seen the significance of 10%, can you imagine the effect of 40%? Interference from your body's signaling system is a serious health concern . One person came in for Chiropractic care after not being adjusted for over a year. When asked on the issue of wellness, he said, "I'm into wellness. I eat healthy and I exercise regularly.". Unfortunately, his neck muscles had atrophied significantly and he had lost close to 50% of the range of motion in his neck. He had interference in his nervous system and didn't know it until the damage was done. This is not wellness and eventually that malfunction will lead to something.  It may be a headache, sinus issues, heart problem.  Signals need to be sent up and down the body for the brain to know what to do.  If the brain is confused, your body is confused.

Random House Dictionary defines wellness as the fact or condition of being in maximum mental and physical health. Chiropractic care is essential for wellness. Chiropractic removes interference from your nervous system so there is no static on your lines. Chiropractic Wellness Care keeps your spine and nervous system free from interference so that your body can function at its best all the time. This is why top performers receive Chiropractic Wellness Care. 

Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP, ANF is a San Francisco, CA and San Carlos, CA chiropractor that understands full body health.  She works with athletes, expectant moms, office workers and everyone else in between.  Contact our San Francisco, CA chiropractic office or San Carlos, CA chiropractic office today!

References: https://www.chiropracticresearch.org/

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Hours in the mission district, San Francisco

Monday
8-12pm
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
3-6PM
Thursday
8-12PM
Friday
3-8PM
Saturday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Sunday
Closed