Given the physical demands of the sport and its long, 162-game season, major league baseball teams are always on the lookout for ways to keep their players healthy and performing at their best. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that chiropractic care and professional baseball have a long history together. During the 1920s, the Yankees had a team chiropractor, Dr. Erie Painter, who traveled with the team during a time of four World Championships. In the mid-1940s, author Cash Asher wrote a story claiming that Yankee management had wanted it to be kept a secret so that no other team could steal their health advantage.
In more recent years, a growing number of well-known MLB players have gone “on the record” about how chiropractic care has helped them.
“Being introduced to chiropractic care has definitely helped my game. When you add it with a lot of the physical therapy exercises and the in-game exercises, I think it just prevents a lot of injury. I went through a lot of injury in my career, and the first time I actually was introduced to chiropractic care, it pretty much kept me on the field. It’s something that helps me feel much better when I’m on the field and off the field.”
-Cole Hamels
“I had issues with my shoulder and arm for a long time. I started seeing Dr. Filson this year. Since then, I have not had any arm problems. The whole team appreciates him and the work he did throughout the season. I know while being under Dr. Filson’s care, I was able to feel 100% while on the mound.”
-Jason Motte
“If I had my way Gil (Chimes, DC) would be with me every single day of the year. He didn’t travel with the team last year, but if he had, I wouldn’t have had that calf injury, or at least it wouldn’t have been as bad… You need to continue to tune it (your body) to make sure it’s perfect for every show or game or however you want to put it… When you think about all the anti-inflammatory drugs that are pumped into athletes’ bodies, it’s really sad.”
-Mark Teixeira
“I go to my chiropractor on a regular basis, because I want to prolong my career as long as possible. I see him about once a week, in between my training (sessions). By getting an adjustment once a week from him, I feel I can sustain my career a lot longer… Your body is being treated like it is supposed to be treated… I think it should be mandatory for athletes to see a chiropractor.”
-Barry Bonds
“Last year I found my Chiropractor and I have been seeing him ever since. I have been pain-free and feeling terrific. I swear by it. Now, it is just maintenance and keeping in line so the nerves don’t touch… I don’t feel that stiffness in the entire midsection anymore. I haven’t winced since I started this… The muscle relaxants weren’t working, the prednisone wasn’t working, nothing was working anymore. My legs were like jelly.”
-Wade Boggs
“I’ve found that it’s a great stress reliever to get adjusted. It takes away a lot of the tightness in the muscles… When you’re out there and you’re not feeling the pain, you’re obviously going to be a better player.”
-Jose Canseco
“Last year, we had tons of back problems [on the Yankees]. There is no way we could get back and ready for another season without chiropractic… Without chiropractic, I wouldn’t be able to play consistently throughout the season… Maintaining your health just leads to a better way of life for each individual. Chiropractic, specifically, can improve your posture, your circulation and just really benefit your quality of life in the long run.”
-Johnny Damon
