Unlocking Your Athletic Potential: How Chiropractic Care Enhances Sports Performance
Whether you’re chasing a personal best, playing lacrosse like Dr. Adelle (see photo above), or just trying to keep up with the kids, performance matters. You want your body to move well, feel strong, and recover fast and that’s exactly where chiropractic care can make a difference.
Movement Is Everything
At its core, chiropractic is about helping your body move the way it was designed to. We focus on detecting and correcting spinal dysfunctions (called vertebral subluxations) that interfere with how your brain and body communicate. When those signals are clear, coordination improves, muscles fire more effectively, and your body adapts more easily to the physical demands of training and life.
Backed by Research
Chiropractic care isn’t just anecdotal, research shows real, measurable benefits for athletes.
Increased Strength in Elite Athletes
One study involving judo athletes found that cervical spine manipulation led to a significant increase in grip strength, a key marker of neuromuscular performance.
Botelho, M. B., & Andrade, B. B. (2012). Effect of cervical spine manipulative therapy on judo athletes’ grip strength. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 35(1), 38–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
Supporting Long-Term Player Health in the NFL
A study on chiropractic use in the National Football League (NFL) found that sports chiropractors played a key role in player health and injury management, highlighting the importance of spinal care at the elite level.
Stump, J. L., & Redwood, D. (2002). The use and role of sport chiropractors in the National Football League: A short report. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 25(0). https://doi.org/10.1067/mmt.
Enhanced Performance in Adolescent Athletes
A 12-week study involving elite adolescent basketball players found that combining chiropractic care with a professional strength and conditioning program led to significant improvements in speed, strength, endurance, and overall performance, outperforming the control group that did not receive chiropractic care.
Zhang, Q., Yang, J.-S., Qi, G., Ma, Y., & Zhang, X. (2024). The effects of chiropractic care combined with a three-month physical training program on the development of adolescent basketball players. European Journal of Sport Sciences, 3(4), 18–24. https://doi.org/10.24018/
These studies reflect what we see in practice: when the nervous system is functioning optimally, the whole body performs better — regardless of age, skill level, or sport.
The Benefits for Active Bodies
Chiropractic care can give athletes and active individuals an edge. Here’s how:
- Improved Mobility and Flexibility
Better spinal function means your body can move more freely, which improves technique, prevents strain, and helps you move with more power. - Faster Recovery
Adjustments help your nervous system shift into recovery mode, reducing muscle soreness and speeding up healing between sessions or competitions. - Injury Prevention
By improving body balance and neuromuscular control, chiropractic care helps reduce the risk of injury caused by overuse or imbalance. - Sharper Brain-Body Connection
Chiropractic supports faster reaction times, better balance, and smoother coordination, all vital for high-level performance.
Not Just for the Pros
You don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit. We care for weekend warriors, gym lovers, dancers, hikers, runners, and everyone in between. If you move your body (and want to move it better), you’re in the right place.
