The Boston Marathon has long been heralded as one of the most momentous races to compete in, with the event attracting more than 500,000 spectators each year, making it New England’s most widely viewed sporting event. The event regularly attracts an average of 30,000 registered participants each year, with the Centennial Boston Marathon in 1996 establishing a record as the world’s largest marathon with 38,708 entrants, 36,748 starters, and 35,868 finishers.
This year’s winner Meb Keflezighi, marked the first US male to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years. He was also the oldest champion in 83 years. Meb is a graduate of UCLA where he won four NCAA championships competing for the UCLA Bruins track and field team. His noteworthy achievement can be attributed to his regular chiropractic care and the work that his chiropractor has done with him.
Speaking about Dr. Young following his victory, Meb said: “As an elite athlete, recovery and therapy is essential to staying healthy and competitive. I have seen Dr. Devin Young as my chiropractor for years and see him twice a week during training. His care has been especially helpful leading up to and including the Boston Marathon. I have been able to recover faster and easier after races. He is very knowledgeable and professional, and I am very thankful to have him locally to keep me healthy.”
Meb’s chiropractor, Dr. Devin Young, spoke with To Your Health Magazine about his patient’s racing secrets, and below is their interview:
Q: What chiropractic protocols do you employ between / before / after races (in-office) to help Meb perform his best and avoid injury?
A: I view the primary goal of any [chiropractic] adjustment as being the reduction of interference in the body. In the build-up phase leading up to races, that allows for maximum performance on race day. In recovery phase, it allows for optimum healing. I do use different tools at times, but it’s based on what he (or any other patient) needs at that moment, not based on before or after a race.
A: I did not attend the Boston Marathon. It would have been an amazing experience, to say the least! However, leading up to Boston, Meb had been training up in Mammoth. He had a red-eye flight from San Diego to Boston, and was driving back into town that afternoon. He asked me if there was any way I could meet him at his house – he had left himself just enough time to kiss his girls, pack his bags, and get adjusted. He went right from being adjusted to the airport!
I have been with him at other races, and it’s always chaotic because of media requests, obligations, etc. We usually end up in a cramped hotel room. I was with him in Houston in 2012 for the Olympic Trials. I checked him the evening before the race, which he of course ended up winning to go to the London Olympics. It’s become a routine now to get adjusted as close as possible to the race.
Q: What are the most common running-specific injury patterns you see, and how does chiropractic help minimize / prevent those injuries?
A: The most common injury I see is unexplained knee / hip / foot pain. These are often pains that have no real explanation, and [are] often slow in onset – something that has been slowly building. No trauma, no known injury. Chiropractic is amazingly effective with these situations, and can often resolve them quite well (depending on how long somebody has let it go).
Q: Do you work with any other athletes? If so, what sports are they involved in, and what protocols do you utilize that might be different from treating a runner?
A: I work with a number of athletes from a variety of sports. I work with jiu-jitsu athletes, ballet dancers, triathletes, and cyclists. I really don’t feel like I do anything different with them than I do with runners. I may have to pay special attention to a couple of areas, but it really comes down to removing the interference so their bodies can recover and be ready to compete at their highest level.
Jiu-jitsu involves a lot of grappling, so hands / wrists can be more involved. I also sometimes need to see [these athletes] more frequently because of the combative nature of the sport. Ballet dancers also have a lot of foot issues that are unique to them.
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At Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic, we have helped many Augusta athletes with not only sports injuries, but also assisting them with marathon training. You can contact our friendly staff at (706) 814-5053 to schedule a complimentary consultation, so that we can determine if you would be a candidate for our customized treatments.
Augusta GA Firefighter Rob’s Success Story for Marathon Training:
The Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic Blog is written by Dr. Mark Huntsman.
Augusta GA Chiropractor Georgia Clinic of Chiropractic provides customized chiropractic care to the Augusta GA, Martinez GA, and Evans GA communities. Visit our main website at www.georgia-clinic.com for a chiropractor in Augusta GA.
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