Optimal Health for Triathletes

Optimal Health For Triathletes

Maintaining a healthy body isn't just about running, cycling and swimming. Body maintenance is a whole workout itself, requiring extra effort and energy that will allow you to perform at your maximum level and prevent future problems from happening. Many triathletes realize this while practicing proper nutrition and exercise, but most forget taking care of your central nervous system. After all, if you don’t take care of that, then your central nervous system will not take care of you!

As triathletes, we are all trying to shave seconds (and minutes) off our race time, focusing on speed work, strength training, transition time, and special equipment to make us faster. Too often, athletes overlook fine tuning the greatest equipment of them all – our bodies. More so than getting in those extra miles of running or cycling, paying attention to the needs of your body will help speed up your races by allowing your body to perform better. How does this happen? It happens by taking better care of your bodies and optimizing your health potential.

These days, a new model of health care is emerging that focuses on wellness and prevention strategies that optimize health and go beyond just body maintenance. For 109 years, the chiropractic profession has been providing a natural way for people to optimize their health. Sick and injured people have regained their health and others have improved their health to feel even better.

Chiropractors analyze the structure of the body, looking for misalignments in the spine. These misalignments, called vertebral subluxations, put pressure on the nerves that in turn inhibit the body’s ability to function optimally. These nerves control every function of the body, including heartbeat, breathing, digestion, and muscular contraction (movement)! When these nerves are irritated, they cause muscles to spasm. Spasm causes pain and inhibits function. Chiropractic addresses the specific nerves that are causing these problems.

Like a high performance bicycle or automobile, the human body must be balanced and in alignment to be at its best. If not, performance will be compromised and there will be an increased potential for parts to wear out and break down…including our bodies.

A research report published in the Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation indicated that chiropractic care may improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a 12-week period. The report concluded, "The subluxation-free athlete reacts faster, coordinated better, and executes fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.” Don’t we all want that?

The key to chiropractic success with athletes is a thorough understanding of the biomechanics of a specific sport and an emphasis on preventing and treating the cause, not just the symptoms. We understand body mechanics, why many problems set in, and what needs to be done. That can make a huge difference in the life of an athlete.

When you choose your chiropractor, find one that pays special attention to your overall wellness, not one that just deals with your injury or complaint. Chiropractors that focus on wellness will pay special attention to the vertebral subluxation and optimizing your health naturally. If you do have injuries, a wellness-based chiropractor with an athletic background tends to understand the nature of problems that are typical with runners, cyclists and swimmers.

Before you go to a chiropractor, ask if they are a wellness oriented chiropractor or symptom relief chiropractor. Ask if they run or bike, and/or if they understand triathlon lingo, like T1/T2/fartlek. Ask if they refer out and work with other health care specialists, like massage therapists, nutritionists, yoga or Pilates instructors, and/or physical therapists. You want a chiropractor that focuses on health and wellness in order for you to be at your best all of the time, not just on race day.

Athletes looking for the competitive edge don’t need to look beyond the framework of their own body. Remember, it is important to keep your spine in line so you can compete for a lifetime!

Triathlete and Chiropractor Dr. Pamela Stone is in private practice in Kennesaw, GA. She works with many athletes, pregnant women and children, allowing them to experience optimal health. She can be reached at 770-926-8746 or drpstone@mindspring.com