It’s no secret that there’s a long list of professional sports teams utilizing chiropractic treatments for their players–and NFL teams are no exception. All but one of the 32 teams in the NFL utilize the services of a chiropractor as part of the triage in managing and preventing injuries. Teams want their players healthy; they want to get their money’s worth. Longevity on the playing field is paramount, because for every year a player remains competitive, millions of dollars can be earned. Today, athletes, athletic trainers, and medical doctors understand the consequences of an injured athlete and have come to align themselves with the chiropractic perspective — treat the cause of the pain. An athlete on pain medication doesn’t solve the problem–and everyone from the athlete right up to the team owner know this. Players both past and present, such as Jerry Rice, Willie McGinest and Jerome Bettis, understand and experience first-hand the significance of chiropractic in a player’s career.
Below is an excerpt from NBC New York’s article on the New York Giants chiropractor, Dr. Rob DeStefano.
The road to the Super Bowl is fraught with neck spasms, aching legs and sore hamstrings. But when the Giants head west to Indianapolis, Dr. Rob DeStefano will be there to smooth out those pulled muscles and stiff necks. A member of the team’s elite medical staff for more than a decade, the Hackensack-based chiropractor is making his second trip to the Super Bowl with Big Blue. He was there when the 2007-2008 team brought home the world title, and says this team is cut from the same fabric.
“I’m just a piece of the puzzle,” he says. “The medical staff at the Giants is the best in the world, top-notch. We work together as a team on the medical side. All our egos are put aside. It’s about getting the player back on the field, however we can do that.”
Often, the doctors have less than two minutes to assess an injury, treat it and get the player back in the game.
“There’s a peril and a potential injury for each player,” says DeStefano. “If you’re a defensive back, it’s upper body because you’re hitting hard with your shoulders and neck. If you’re a lineman, a lot of it can be lower extremities because you’re pushing and the legs are prone to injury and hamstring issues.
“I have a very specific requirement that I fulfill,” he says. “They come get me if someone has a neck or hamstring or lower back or shoulder injury.”
They don’t have to go far to find him. He paces the sidelines between two posts so that the athletes can always spot him.
Sometimes he can treat them on the bench, but he also has a table on the sidelines at all times. The pregame is actually his busiest time – loosening up the players, getting them ready and making sure their muscles are functioning as they should be.
”The challenge is because they’re such elite athletes, we have to make sure they’re working efficiently,” says DeStefano. “And a lot of the treatments are not necessarily for major injuries. It’s more fine-tuning a machine to make sure it works well.”
“It’s amazing to be back and I’m excited to see what this one will bring, but if you allow yourself to get caught up in the hype, you can miss your purpose and what you’re trying to accomplish,” he says. “I’m just doing my part for the team, to go out there and win the game. I think they’re feeling pretty confident about that, but I don’t want to jinx it and talk about it beforehand. I’ll just say we’ll go out and do our best.”
Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic successfully treats atheletes with a wide range of conditions, from sports injuries such as Plantar Fasciitis, IT Band Syndrome (Runners Knee) and Tendonitis, to more chronic conditions such as migraines, neck pain, and a herniated disc. To read testimonials from some of Augusta’s athletes, visit our patient success stories section.
The Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic Blog is written by Dr. Mark Huntsman.
Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic is conveniently located off Furys Ferry Rd in Martinez, Georgia and provides quality chiropractic care to the Augusta, Martinez, and Evans communities. Visit our main website at www.georgia-clinic.com.
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