October 2008

Olympian credits chiropractic care

At age 40, Jeff Hartwig goes on record as the oldest member of the 2008 US Olympic Track and Field team, competing in the pole vault event. A two-time Olympian and four-time national champion, Hartwig holds the American indoor pole vaulting record and attributes much of his athletic success to chiropractic care.

"The first time I was treated by a chiropractor was akin to a miracle -- a much better option than simply using conventional medicine because my injuries healed faster and my whole body felt better," said Hartwig during an interview conducted a week prior to the Olympic events.

Just shy of his 41st birthday, Jeff is one of the three US pole vault athletes who competed in Beijing. He vaulted 18 feet, eight inches to become the oldest American to qualify for the Olympic team in his event. Hartwig finished 11th at the 1996 Games in Atlanta and went on to set the American record in 1998 at 19 feet, 9¼ inches.

"Without chiropractic care, I doubt that I would ever have been able to reach these levels or be able to train at such an intense level," said Hartwig.

Jeff was cared for by US Olympic Committee team chiropractor Ted Forcum, DC of Tigard, Oregon, one of four doctors of chiropractic who were part of the 62-member US Olympic health care team for the 2008 Olympic Games.

"Chiropractic fulfills a niche need, not only by treating injuries but also by aiding in recovery and positively impacting athletic performance," said Dr. Forcum. "Chiropractors promote active care and treatment with a commitment to healthy progression and rehabilitation."

Since the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, chiropractors have provided health care services to elite performers, and this year they assumed an even greater role in the integrated health care team, which includes medical doctors, massage therapists, and certified athletic trainers.

In addition to the four DCs who provided care to the US Olympic athletes, team chiropractors were present from New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, and China.

SOURCE: The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, August 13, 2008.