Recently, I had an amazing opportunity to tour the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, the flagship training center for the U.S. Olympic Committee and the Olympic Training Center programs.
Of course, a key component of training Olympic-level athletes is injury prevention and treatment. The Olympic Training Center has a sports medicine facility and the managing director, Dr. Bill Moreau, is a chiropractor.
While I wasn’t able to meet Dr. Moreau as he was traveling internationally, I was able to tour the facility and see the chiropractic adjusting tables lined up, ready to care for athletes.
The 32-acre training center is an incredible operation, and the leader of our group tour explained that only top-tier, “medal potential capable” athletes are selected to train there. This particular complex focuses on boxing, cycling (Olympic and Paralympic), figure skating, gymnastics, Paralympic judo, pentathlon, shooting (Olympic and Paralympic), Paralympic swimming and wrestling.
The facility is located on a former Air Force base that was sold to the U.S. Olympic Committee for one dollar in the 1970s. It provides housing, dining, training facilities, recreational facilities and other services for more than 500 athletes and coaches at one time.
Since the summer Olympics in Rio just ended, the training center was relatively empty during our tour. But all of the staff expressed pride in the accomplishments of U.S. athletes who participated in Rio, and the training center’s role in helping them compete at the highest level. Staff members explained that Olympic-level competition is so intense, and the athletes so accomplished, that there is very little difference in performance between those who stand on the podium to earn a medal and those who go home empty-handed. Training center facility staff is dedicated to doing it all can to help U.S. athletes gain every competitive edge possible — and I am certain that is why chiropractic care is part of the mix.
Chiropractic care has gained wide use among professional and amateur sports teams across the country. Experts estimate that 90 percent of all world-class athletes use chiropractic care to prevent injuries and increase their performance potential. Earlier this summer, I posted a story about a Seattle chiropractor who took care of the U.S. Olympic swim team while in Rio.
I see many athletes in my practice — of all ages and fitness levels. You may not be ready for the Olympics, but chiropractic may be able to help you feel better and move better as you compete in your favorite sport. Call our office today at 425-778-9600 for a consultation.
— Dr. Waldron