In breathtaking and dramatic fashion, Olympians of the Salt Lake City Winter Games amazed the world by soaring to excel in awesome displays of human potential. Not surprisingly, Olympic athletes gladly utilize chiropractic to perform at their best. You can look forward to interviews that will appear in future columns.

In my lifetime, women's sports have gone from being non-existent, to being unusual, to now where women can freely exhibit their strength, athleticism and mental toughness, attracting sponsors and devoted audiences of all ages and both genders.

Yet, "athlete" describes not just Olympians, but also women and girls who participate in athletic activity for fun or to promote health, everyday athletes many of whom also gladly utilize chiropractic care to perform at their personal best. Both Olympians and everyday athletes comment that chiropractic helps them avoid injury, speeds recovery, improves energy levels and promotes a better body/mind connection that helps them make successful quality of life choices.

Chiropractic can make a difference for all athletes, and tirelessly, the WCA continues to promote and defend subluxation-based chiropractic, so that all who want the opportunity to perform to their potential can experience the benefits of chiropractic care.

Recently, I interviewed Ginger Southall, D.C, who helped develop the "Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity for Women" and was also published in the February 2002 issue of Triathlete magazine.

"Dr. Ginger," as she's commonly known, reports that it's important to recognize the female body's unique design and how the response to training can be different than a man's.

For example, the proportion of a woman's hips contributes to an increased Q-angle (Quadriceps angle), which is the angle between the thigh bone and lower leg. Without proper care, female athletes can experience an increased incidence of injury in the hip and groin area as a result of this broader pelvis.

Dr. Ginger educates all athletes to look beyond symptoms when they are injured and be properly evaluated to address the cause – identifying subluxations, which may result in muscle imbalances from the spine. The body may compensate for subluxations in back, hip, and/or leg muscles, resulting in disorganization that can weaken and limit performance, altering pleasure and personal accomplishment.

Dr. Ginger also was the former spa director and chiropractor for The Trump Spa in Palm Beach, Florida, where she discovered that some of the wealthiest people in the world did not know how to promote their health. Unlimited funds can't hide the limited results of drug-oriented care, nor the expense of a drug's side effects on a person's life.

Through information, access and experience, our culture is seeking a more body friendly view of health defined not by how many drugs or new parts money has been able to buy. The benchmarks of health are performance, being drug free, mental and physical energy, improved response to stress, ability to rest completely, proper recovery and the ability to make choices that improve one's quality of life. These benchmarks have also been associated as benefits of chiropractic care.

The New York Times reported that NBA players are refusing to take anti-inflammatory drugs (i.e. Vioxx, Indocin, ibuprofen and aspirin) because their use has been associated with kidney problems that have ended careers.

These drugs previously were used freely, frequently, and fearlessly, behavior that now haunts athletes as harmful results become undeniable. Disability or forced retirement can cost these star athletes millions of dollars and their place in sports history, so they have become their own advocates, as well as having lawyers, agents, etc. to protect their health and career longevity.

My question, who is the advocate for the young female soccer player, gymnast, runner, snowboarder, or college athlete when bottles of these common drugs are being passed around ? Clearly, women need to be their own advocates, girls need the care of adults, and all benefit from chiropractors who have so much to teach about health.

In closing, chiropractors don't simply adjust a spine, chiropractors adjust a person, and know the adjustment impacts that person's life.

A mom brought in her son who loved to run track, however escalating asthma symptoms had robbed him of this experience, sadly altering his life. The family started regular chiropractic care, making great progress.

One day, the boy walked in, tenderly took off his shoes and placed them under his table. I said, "Those look like special new shoes." Giving me the biggest smile ever, he showed off brand new running shoes! With chiropractic care, he could now breathe fully and was able to return to running track.

I encourage ALL athletes to try chiropractic care and have their own positive experience.

Last but not least, to all moms a very special Happy Mother's Day, and lots of love and health!