Olympians Get Chiropractic Care

DCs Work as Members of National Health Care Teams

By Editorial Staff

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Although chiropractors were officially excluded from the 1996 Olympic Games host medical team (see the June 17, 1996 issue of "DC"), many DCs gave chiropractic care to Olympic athletes as members of national health care teams who treated the competitors. In fact, DCs have been at the Olympics since 1980; the U.S. Olympic Committee has included chiropractic in its volunteer sports medicine program beginning in 1986. FICS, the International Sports Chiropractic Federation, first applied for International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognition in 1989.

Among the chiropractors who treated Olympic athletes:

Dr. Steve Horwitz of Silver Spring, Maryland was a DC on the 44-member U.S. medical delegation. He said of the athletes eagerness to receive chiropractic care, "They call working with a chiropractor at competition 'getting a tune-up.' They always come back and tell me they feel it enhanced their performance."
Dr. Michael Reed of Grover Beach, California, was a medical liaison with the weight lifting venue. In the past, his work as a part of the International Weight Lifting Federation medical committee treating weight lifters has taken him to China, Indonesia, Turkey, and Greece. Dr. Reed reported that elbow hyper-extension and dislocation are the most common injuries for weight lifters.
Dr. Joseph Kansao, of New York City, was medical liaison for the fencing venue. He treated athletes for ailments with their ham strings, ankles, and injuries such as groin pulls and back problems -- "everything but harpooning," he joked. Dr. Kansao is also medical director for the New York Fever professional soccer team.
Dr. John Anderson, of Pell City, Alabama, treated the Bosnian athletes as a member of that country's health care team. The Bosnians he treated include a 10-kilometer speed walker, several swimmers, a wrestler, a kayaker, a table tennis whiz, and a sharp-shooter who can "put five shots in a bulls-eye in the space of a dime," Dr. Anderson said.
Dr. Gerry Provance, of Metrairie, Louisiana, was a treating doctor for the U.S. Decathalon team and a close friend of U.S. competitor Dan O'Brien.
Dr. George Billauer, of Marina Del Rey, California, provided health care to the U.S. Olympic Soccer team, often treating the neck and back problems common in that sport. Dr. Billauer also treated members of the U.S. World Cup Soccer team.