Chiropractic helps team win Championship

Chiropractic at the World Ice Hockey Championships The December 2010 issue of the scientific journal Chiropractic & Osteopathy published a study of chiropractic care being delivered at the World Ice Hockey Championships in Moscow. In this report the New Zealand team's chiropractor conducted a study to document the conditions and the treatment performed during the championship.

The study is one of the first to detail the scope of chiropractic in international ice hockey. The New Zealand chiropractor, who was acting as the primary health provider, documented the type, scope, and severity of conditions and the treatment provided for them. Ice hockey injuries most often occur through body contact, and all body parts and tissues can be injured.

The New Zealand Team players were diagnosed with injuries 50 times, with muscle, joint, and tendon injuries being the most frequent. Eighty percent of the injuries received 4 or less sessions of chiropractic care for injury management. Only two of the injuries were severe enough to require the players to stop training or playing during the competition.

Chiropractic care was performed 75 percent of the time at the training site. The time for the chiropractic care was between 11 to 20 minutes. Treatment was most often performed for joint and soft tissue injuries.

Ice hockey is a full-body, rough contact sport. The study documents the injuries and the chiropractic care provided for them at the international level. The care proved consistent with the recommended chiropractic management of athletic injuries. The study held during the 2007 World Ice Hockey Championships aids in determining the role of chiropractors as primary healthcare providers.

It should be noted that the New Zealand team finished first in Division III of the 2007 IIHF World Championship and were promoted to division II for 2008.