This is a question many people ask all the time. Even some Doctors (both DC and MD) don’t know the answer and some even will argue the point. Why? Both DCs and MDs are on sidelines of Professional Sports teams, share responsibilities at the Olympics and are working in the training rooms of Major Universities working side by side. What do they know that the average person doesn’t? The answer, each Doctor has a DIFFERENT job or responsibility, and when they work together, the Athlete heals faster.

I like analogies, so lets use one of my favorites, The Race Car. Sports Chiropractors are biomechanics experts and look to restore proper joint movement. Since muscles attach to bones, when there is an injury the joint will ALWAYS be affected. Our job is to look at this Kinetic Chain and restore the proper joint movement by “Adjusting” the joints  and opening up the fixations, much like the “Pit mechanic” will work with the car to get the power to the wheels and fine tune the alignment of both the chassis and the motor to make this happen.

Orthopedists are experts in fixing broken parts. When the injury involves a joint that can not be “adjusted” back into place, you need to call in the “repair shop” to fix the broken part. Both Doctors are needed since the “broken” part will affect the entire kinetic chain, much like a damaged wheel can affect the alignment of the entire car. The Sports Chiropractor keeps the alignment working while the MD makes the repairs. This will minimize secondary injuries and allow for a faster recovery.

Internists are experts in the internal workings of the body. Just as if you put bad “gas” in your engine or you got a bug in the motor, your MD/Internist is the expert in finding out the chemical changes and restoring the internal health of your system.

Physical Therapists are experts at balancing the muscles and retraining the body to return to play. Once the joint has been repaired (MD) and the joints have been balanced and the kinetic chain aligned (DC) the proprioception needs to be restored (PT). When the Sports Medicine team works in harmony the Athlete recovers faster and performs better.

Just like there are many members of the ‘Pit Crew” in an Auto race, there should be many members of your “healing” team to provide the care you need to get back to the field. There is a reason you see a “team” of Doctors at major events, it works!