Chiropractor Led Sports Medicine Team, Served as Chief Medical Officer for Team USA at Rio Olympics

Tsoccer goalkeeper catchinghe Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), the voice of the chiropractic profession, highlights the role of doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in the care of amateur and professional athletes, citing the continued leadership of William Moreau, DC, DACBSP as managing director of sports medicine for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and chief medical officer for Team USA at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.  

With chiropractic care now established as a key component of the health services available to Olympic and Paralympic athletes, experts at the F4CP note that the care provided by a DC helps to maximize overall health and maintain peak performance among athletes. 

Olympic and Paralympic athletes access care from a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals, including DCs who hold additional ACBSP™ certifications in sports chiropractic (an active Diplomate American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians® (DACBSP) or Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician® certification is necessary), as well as advanced techniques in soft tissue cares, joint mobility, active care and others,” states Dr. Moreau. “Chiropractic plays an important role in preventive, maintenance or injury specific care, and contributes to enhanced clinical outcomes and high patient satisfaction levels among all athletes.”  

Doctors of chiropractic – who receive a minimum of seven years of higher level education – are primary care professionals for spinal health and well-being, and are qualified to diagnose, treat and manage a broad spectrum of health conditions. For athletes, chiropractic care can help to reduce the risk of injuries, accelerate recovery time and improve health and performance through enhancements in range of motion, flexibility, balance, muscle strength and other key factors.  

Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president, F4CP, states, “It is gratifying to witness the demand for and growing utilization of chiropractic care among professional athletes. The evidence-based, hands-on chiropractic approach utilizes a variety of techniques, including spinal manipulation, to help restore functionality of the spine and nervous system to ensure optimal well-being, and inevitably fuel competitive athletic performance.”