Chiropractors in Beijing Unprecedented presence of DCs on Olympic medical teams T Dr. Tim Marshall has worked with a number of Canada’s Olympic teams, including women’s gym- nastics, synchronized swimming and sailing; and has attended World Championships, Pan Ameri- can Games and Olympic Games as part of Canada’s medical team. He graduated from CMCC in 2002 and has a private practice in Toronto. Dr. Marshall can be reached at [email protected]. he 2008 Beijing Olympics were an historical event for our profession. This was true not only for Canada, where we saw eight chiropractors working in official roles with various teams, but even for smaller countries such as the Bahamas and the Philippines, where chiropractors were also members of their medical teams. Perhaps most impressive was that the United States had, for the first time, a chiropractor as its Medical Director for Sports Performance. When dealing with elite athletes, a mixed skill-set is critical to effectively treat the wide range of . . . neuromuscular injuries. The inclusion, by the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian national sport organizations, of so many chiropractors among the medical support staff highlights the status and credibility that our profession has earned among the sporting elite. No lon- ger is it just a few “pioneer” chiropractors who have earned their way into these highly regarded roles, but many more have gained the trust and credibility to be working with these elite athletes. Chiropractic treatments are being increasingly accepted and sought after, in this community, mainly because of the expansion of different integrated manual therapies that are regularly being employed by an increasing number of chiropractors. The development and utilization of soft-tissue techniques such as Active Release Ther- apy, Graston and others, and the combination with adjunctive treatments such as acu- puncture, Kinesiotaping or low intensity laser, have helped expand the types of injuries that chiropractors can effectively treat. When dealing with elite athletes, a mixed skill-set is critical to effectively treat the wide range of soft-tissue, articular, and neuromuscular injuries that are common in this population. THE CANADIAN MEDICAL TEAM In Beijing, the Canadian Olympic medical team consisted of approximately 45 health- care practitioners all working together towards one goal – the optimal performance and health of our athletes. Every appropriate medical specialist was represented on Canada’s 36 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | FEBRUARY 2009 www.canadianchiropractor.ca Tim Marshall, DC feature
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