Chiropractic and Sports

This section was compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Make comments or suggestions to   Frankp@chiro.org

Spinal Manipulative Therapy and Sports Performance Enhancement: A Systematic Review J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2017 (Sep);   40 (7):   535–543 Although most of the included studies (4 of 7) showed that SMT led to improved sports performance test results, the evidence is still weak to support its use with this aim. Therefore, despite the common contention of some athletes and sports-related professionals that SMT enhances sports performance, this review revealed that such a claim is not supported by current evidence. Spinal manipulative therapy may be a promising approach for performance enhancement, but it needs to be better and more deeply investigated.

Chiropractic Treatment and the Enhancement of Sport Performance: A Narrative Literature Review J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2010 (Dec);   54 (4):   210–221 This literature review sought to determine the extent of current information and evidence supporting the use of chiropractic care for the purpose of sport performance enhancement. Although many studies, ideas and theoretical frameworks have been postulated and discussed, it seems that at this time there is insufficient evidence to convincingly support the notion that treatment provided by chiropractors can directly and significantly improve athlete sport performance. The authors of the reviewed articles should be commended for their foundational work; collectively they represent the building blocks for continued and future research in this fascinating area of chiropractic. Additional research may or may not provide support towards a regular regimen of chiropractic treatment for competitive level athletes. Regardless of this, it would be prudent for the chiropractic profession to use qualifying phrases when reporting, via case studies, the anecdotal observation of athletic enhancement after chiropractic treatment. Until further research is undertaken it would be more accurate for authors to state that their observations of chiropractic treatment benefiting athlete performance, “tend to suggest,” or “may indicate,” that certain treatment techniques provided by chiropractors “may” indirectly affect performance in competitive athletes. It is sincerely hoped that the research in this area will continue, and that perhaps this review will stimulate new ideas and new directions for additional research.

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Updated 8-12--2019