Many athletes use chiropractic to recover from injury or difficult workouts. A new award-winning study suggests that chiropractic can also improve athletic performance.
In this study, researchers examined the effects of chiropractic on 18 professional judo athletes in Brazil. Half of the athletes received chiropractic adjustments and the other half received a sham treatment. Researchers then evaluated athletes' grip strength using a device that measures muscle force.
Despite the fact that both groups maintained their regular training schedules throughout the study, the chiropractic group had substantially better outcomes. After just three treatments, the chiropractic group improved their grip strength by 11% on the left side and 17% on their right, while athletes in the sham treatment group had only improved by 4-6%.
This study is more evidence that chiropractic improves nervous system functioning, which in turn strengthens muscles.
Whether it's injury prevention or enhancing peak performance, chiropractic care can play a vital role in keeping your nervous system working efficiently.
You don't have to be a professional athlete to benefit from chiropractic. Call our office today to see how we can help.
Botelho MB, Andrade BB. Effect of cervical spine manipulative therapy on judo athletes' grip strength. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2012;35(11):38-44.
