Chiropractic utilization at the International Workers and Amateurs in Sports Confederation (CSIT) 6th World Sport...

To describe utilization of sports chiropractic treatment and injury statistics provided by Federation Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS) delegation at the International Workers and Amateurs in Sports Confederation 6th World Sport Games 2019 in Catalunya, Spain.

This historical case-series study analysed clinical encounters of participants seeking sports chiropractic services during the 2019 WSG event. Descriptive statistical data included: participant demographics, utilization rate (proportion of accredited participants who sought chiropractic treatment), frequency (number of treatment sessions per individual), conditions per sport, treatment provided, and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain intensity (0-10 scale) before/after treatment provided by the FICS Chiropractic delegation.

Of a total of 2566 participants, 406 adults (accredited athletes and non-athletes over 18 years who provided informed consent) sought treatment from FICS; the overall utilization rate was 15.8%. We collected 623 forms; 602 met the inclusion criteria (complete treatment records from consenting adults). The FICS delegation provided services at centralized locations servicing 9 of 30 available sports. Primary body regions treated were shoulder (13.9%), neck (13.6%), knee (10.7%), thoracic spine (10.1%), and lumbar spine (10.1%), representing 58.4% of all treatments. The remaining 41.6% included ribs, sacroiliac joint, extremities, and other regions. Treatment modalities included: myotherapy (38.8%), manipulation (34.3%), taping (15.6%), and mobilization (8.2%). Participants receiving chiropractic treatment reported statistically significant pain reduction (average decrease of 2.8 NRS points, p < 0.001, 95% CI: 2.6-3.0), though the contribution of natural healing processes and concurrent interventions cannot be excluded. Volleyball (49.6%), beach volleyball (49.4%), and tennis (49.1%) showed the highest utilization rates.

Participants receiving sports chiropractic treatment reported clinically significant pain reduction, with 90% experiencing immediate improvement. However, the single-arm observational design precludes definitive attribution to chiropractic intervention alone. The utilization rates varied by sport with volleyball, beach volleyball, and tennis showing the highest rates among sports with access to treatment centres. These findings provide valuable insights for future integration of sports chiropractic services at international sporting events.