Athletic performance and physiological measures in baseball players following upper cervical chiropractic care

Schwartzbauer J, Kolber J, Schwartzbauer, DC, Hart, JDC, Zhang J.J of Vertebral Subluxation Research 1997; 1 (4): 7

The athletic performance of university baseball players was assessed before, during and after chiropractic care. Each athlete’s performance was evaluated by athletic abilities, such as the vertical jump, standing road jump. Linear space (specified), broad jump (specified), muscles strength; and physiological tests such as electrical cardiogram, blood pressure, pulse rate and treadmill stress testing.

Twenty-eight players were recruited for the study. Twenty players completed the entire experiment with usable data. All players were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Every player was required to complete three sessions of athletic ability and physiological tests. The first test was administered before any chiropractic care was given. The second test was given after six weeks of chiropractic care. The third test was given after fourteen weeks of chiropractic care. Only the subjects in the experimental group received chiropractic adjustments to remove/reduce vertebral subluxation.

The results showed a positive correlation between chiropractic adjustments and athletic performance.

In addition to improvement in overall athletic performance, the chiropractic group showed significant improvement in capillary count at five and fourteen weeks of chiropractic care. Since healthy oxygenation of tissues is dependent up blood supply, this physiologic parameter may be the most important one of all.

Based on the observations and convlusions of this study, regular chiropractic care may improve athletic ability and performance and reduce injury.