The Missing Link

As a doctor, I consistently look at what happens to my patients and determine the best measures to help them perform better either before or after an injury occurs. I also look at other forms of healthcare promotion and research why they work. Thanks to the editors at VYPE High School Sports Magazine, I will be able to bring another perspective regarding an alternative asset to the athletes. If any of the following are areas of improvement that may interest you, please read on. - Running Faster - Better Coordination & Balance - Increased Range of Motion - Better Movement - Peak Performance - Allowing You to be your Best! Proactive Strategy for Reducing Injuries According to the British Chiropractic Sports Council, "chiropractic, particularly sports chiropractic, can be of enormous benefit in training and preventing sports-related injuries and improving athletic performance." Benefits Athletes Receive with Chiropractic Chiropractic care bolsters the athlete's range of motion, coordination and balance. Runners experience a boost in their performance. Overall, chiropractic promotes a proactive strategy to reduce injuries and allow the body to function at peak performance. Measured progress should be the objective of the chiropractic doctor to ensure that the appropriate treatment and plan is administered. Perform Faster & Safer Young athletes have made incredible achievements via chiropractic treatment. The No.1 and 2 Indiana women's gymnastic state champions both benefited from chiropractic treatment. I know of two local track athletes that both achieved 6-foot-10 high jumps, one of which had broken his foot the previous fall. Both athletes were helped through the work of a doctor of chiropractic. I know of a young softball player that had severe knee pain that was cleared up through the use of a simple pair of orthotics and then discovered Scoliosis. I know of a young athlete who lost her volleyball scholarship due to preventable bilateral knee injury. I know these things because I was their chiropractor. Why were these not discovered by the standard medical and sports examinations? How could the obvious issues seen by a chiropractic doctor be simply missed by those that control sports medicine in today's care model? I'll leave that for your speculation and judgment. As presented here, doctors of chiropractic identify underlying areas of dysfunction, which prevent athletes from achieving optimal performance, and correct those deficiencies. These impediments include vertebral subluxations, weakened muscles and motor-control issues. Keep in mind that symptoms, such as pain, are often the final (not the first) signal of a hidden spinal dysfunction. Athletes with spinal joint disorder may be unaware of the problem until a certain motion or an increase in practice time results in disabling pain - or until their talent seems to drop for no apparent reason. Often missed, Scoliosis can be the culprit. Indiana no longer requires school's to assess for Scoliosis. That's why it's important to take a proactive stance and schedule a chiropractic evaluation prior to playing sports so you may finish the mechanical portion of the sports pre-participation physical required by the IHSAA. For more information on Scoliosis and an alternative bracing system visit: www.indianascoliosisspecialists.com. I welcome dialogue from the families of central Indiana. Please contact me via e-mail: dr.mcdougle@comcast.net and please research these topics and more via my website: www.inchiropractic.com. I look forward to your comments. - About Dr. McDougle: Dr. McDougle is a veteran of the sports arena after having served the NAFL as the Medical Coordinator of the Indiana Tornados. He developed a series of techniques that benefited professional & amateur international strongman competitors and assisted many college scholarship recipients through chiropractic. He currently serves on the board of directors of the International Chiropractors Association of Indiana and is the Chairman for the Chiropractic Insurance Compliance Council for the same organization. He has offices in both Fishers and Pendleton.