Chiropractic Care for Baseball Players 101

Once people discover that I am a Chiropractic Sports Physician for the Arizona Diamondbacks as well as the only on-staff Sports Chiropractor for their “A” affiliate, the Kane County Cougars, they instantly want to learn more. More often than not, they want to know how chiropractic care and baseball relate and what my role is in all of that.

Some of the more common questions people ask me are: What role does the sports chiropractor play within the medical staff of a baseball team? Why is it that every MLB team has a chiropractic consultant? What age would be best to be evaluated by a sports chiropractor for baseball? I always find it interesting how shocked people are at first when they find out how big of a contribution Chiropractic care has for not only baseball, but all sports, and, yet, is not often talked about. So, here are some of the biggest topics people find most fascinating when it comes to chiropractic care and its role in baseball athletes who range from beginners to professionals.

Why does Chiropractic Care have a role in Baseball?

Teams realize the importance of keeping their players healthy—players are the only assets teams have to help guarantee a winning season. Last year, when I was in Arizona for the Professional Baseball Chiropractic Society’s annual meeting, there was a huge sign in the sports medicine wing that read: “Durability is more important than Ability”. While talking with Ryan DiPanfilo, the Diamondbacks assistant athletic trainer, he said that this quote is parallel with the organization’s philosophy that they have for the entire organization from “A” baseball to the “big leagues”.  Their investments (the players) aren’t worth anything unless they’re on the field doing their job.

Being on the Diamondbacks’ minor league medical staff allows me amazing access and great opportunities to bring home current methods and techniques from the professional level to my patients here in the Fox Valley area. Sure, our kids that play little league or high school baseball aren’t playing for 8-figure salaries. And you may ask, why would it be advantageous to seek out this particular kind of care? Better yet, I ask you: how important is it to keep the baseball player healthy and reduce injuries? It doesn’t matter what level the athlete is or how old they are, there is always advantages of chiropractic treatment.

What do you do as a sports chiropractor?

This is one of my favorite questions. So many people I talk to didn’t even realize there is such a thing as being a Sports Chiropractor. One of the most common misconceptions is that being a Sports Chiropractor is just a title chiropractors give themselves when they treat athletic patients. A Sports Chiropractor has to be Board Certified--meaning you’re a chiropractor that has had additional education to get the proper training needed to specialize in sports medicine and the treatment of athletes. So, what I do as a sports chiropractor is help (1) identify areas of weakness in the athlete, (2) work with the athlete to correct these imbalances and weak areas, and (3) help the athlete maintain these areas when they’re stronger during the season to help prevent injury.  For example, if upon evaluating an athlete I observe that they have a problem with the motion of their hip, I can identify the cause of the poor motion of the hip and correct it. Problems with poor hip biomechanics (a fancy term for proper joint motion) have been shown to lead to an increased incidence of ACL injuries, for example. Once we correct these imbalances and poor movement patterns, we can help prevent a potentially season-ending injury.

How is this accomplished?

Adjustments to the particular areas that aren’t moving appropriately help restore normal function to the area. Next, various movement pattern exercises are prescribed for the patient to do at home to strengthen the area. Functional kinesiology taping (like RockTape) may be utilized to aid in the patient’s home work. We may also utilize other soft tissue therapy to help restore normal muscle length and tone.

Is this type of care right for me or my baseball player?

If you’re the type of person seeking to get the most of out your athletic ability and have a proactive view when it comes to your body, then this is for you. Many of my patients tell me that they have seen a noticeable difference in their athletic abilities due to seeking continuous chiropractic treatment. There’s a reason professional athletes take advantage of chiropractic care and the benefits of care. There’s nothing wrong with having a no-obligation consultation. You can have a chance to sit down and identify the problem areas (if any) and determine if this is the right fit for you. After all, there’s quite a bit of truth to the old saying:  “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”