Utilization of Chiropractic Care at The World Games 2017: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

The purpose of this study was to report utilization of chiropractic care during The World Games 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.

A retrospective analysis was performed on treatment records. Thirty-five chiropractors trained in sports injuries provided care for athletes and non-athletes (support personnel) who voluntarily sought chiropractic care. Data included demographics (age, sex, role, country, and sport), category of anatomical regions treated, treatment modality (manipulation, myotherapy, mobilization, taping, and other), and participants' self-reported pain ratings.

A total of 1902 completed treatment forms representing 1902 encounters were included for athletes (n = 1238, 65%) and non-athletes (n = 664, 35%). There were 9385 individuals (athlete or non-athlete). Five hundred ninety of 3666 (16%) athletes and 422 of 5719 (7%) non-athletes received chiropractic treatment. Athletes represented 28 of 31 (90%) sports and 79 of 108 (73%) countries present. The thoracic spine was the most frequently treated spinal region (n = 846, 44%), followed by lumbar spine (n = 831, 44%) and cervical spine (n = 725, 38%). Frequency of treatment modalities was manipulation (n = 1610, 82%), myotherapy (n = 1522, 80%), mobilization (n = 607, 32%), and taping (n = 380, 20%). Acute injuries were more prevalent for athletes (61%) than non-athletes (35%), and athletes sought follow-up care (54%) more than non-athletes (36%). Overall, 89% of participants reported pain reduction immediately after treatment.

This article describes chiropractic care utilization at a multisport event as part of a health care team. The range of treatments included manipulation myotherapy, mobilization, and taping. Although a minority of athletes and non-athletes received chiropractic treatment, many participants reported pain reduction immediately after treatment.