Several different stories, from two separate countries, highlight chiropractors helping winter Olympians at the 2006 winter games. One story, from the January 31, 2006, PRNewswire reported that two US chiropractors, Drs. Shapiro and Solomon, have been selected as the team chiropractors for the U.S. Olympic Team during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy.
The PRNewswire story notes that the athletes seek chiropractic care to maintain their health and improve their competitiveness. The article also notes that with the increased scrutiny surrounding the use of performance-enhancing drugs, “athletes are turning to safe, drug-free health care whenever possible.”
The second story from the February 9, 2006 Calgary Sun Canoe News reports on how Canadian athletes will also be receiving chiropractic care to help them in their pursuit of gold. In this story, Dr. Uchacz, of Calgary is there to help the Canadian athletes competing in bobsleigh and skeleton, with secondary support to the athletes in other disciplines. The story noted that Uchacz is thrilled to be instrumental in helping athletes optimize their performance. He stated, “The bob and skeleton athletes have a real chance at several medals this time and that makes it quite exciting to be a part of. This is the culmination of four years of development.”
Another story in the February 10, 2006 St. Petersburg Times also reports on a local chiropractor, Dr. Sage Campione, who has been chosen to be one of 15 American chiropractors representing the chiropractic profession at the winter games.
These stories highlight the fact that many athletes see chiropractic as a way to increase their chances of winning while decreasing their chances of injury or lost time. The articles did note that prior to the official recognition of having chiropractors directly as part of the staffs at the games, many athletes went to chiropractors on their own.
The PRNewswire article concludes by pointing out just some of the athletes that have relied on chiropractic. They noted, “The roster of Olympic athletes who have benefited from chiropractic care is truly impressive. Star performers such as Derek Parra, Carl Lewis, Greg Louganis, Willi Banks, Edwin Moses, and countless other greats from previous Olympics have taken advantage of chiropractic in order to get a leg up on their competition.”
