Softball season is over and now time for the next weekend warrior activity… Bowling. As a chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area we see lots of weekend athlete injuries. I was looking for some chiropractic articles on bowling which is very popular in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area. I came across the ACA’s relationship with the PBA and included some exercise tip which should help you get ready for the season!
After more than a decade in hiatus, the ACA Sports Council (ACASC) rekindled its professional relationship with the Pro Bowlers Association (PBA) in February 2014, when a contingent of ACASC doctors of chiropractic (DCs) attended to the medical needs of nearly 500 bowlers competing in the 2014 United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Masters held at Brunswick Zone Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick, N.J. In addition to making history, when Australia’s Jason Belmonte became the first bowler in nearly 50 years to successfully defend a USBC Masters title, the highly competitive and nationally televised event featured a field of 468 bowlers from 15 countries vying for $315,000 in total prize funds.
Chiropractic Services
Having worked numerous PBA competitions more than a decade ago, Dr. Ira A. Shapiro, a two-time member of the United States Olympic team medical staff, admitted his admiration for both the sport and its participants after being named one of the ACASC DCs to the Masters tournament. “It’s a wonderfully rewarding feeling to help these athletes overcome any number of injuries and then see them go out and dramatically increase their performances,” said Dr. Shapiro. “Since most of these bowlers are responsible for their own care, many of them came to us for treatment immediately after arriving at the lanes. Once the word spread, we were actively busy offering applications ranging from spinal manipulation and kinesiology taping to soft-tissue and cold-laser therapies to participants from all over the world.”
During the course of the competition, this support included working with the bowlers, who were in a minimum of three five-game sets and rolled as many as 1,000 balls throughout the week. As a result of competing in tournaments for years, many of the bowlers were very responsive to working with the sports chiropractors to alleviate chronic side effects of the overuse injuries that commonly accompany pain and swelling in the shoulders, forearms and lower back.
“The chiropractic services offered during the USBC Masters were amazing,” said Mike Fagan, PBA player representative and the current tour leader, who has competed or coached in more than 20 countries around the world. “The doctors were able to give the players much-needed help for all of their new, nagging and reoccurring issues. We were very grateful for the services provided and hope to have an on-site chiropractor at all of our future events.”
Joining Dr. Shapiro at the Masters were Drs. Len Ershow, Victor Dolan and William Bonsall, who not only actively worked to service the medical needs of the tournament’s bowlers but also alongside Dr. Shapiro worked with the other chiropractic professionals who were relatively new to the sport. Among these ACASC professionals were Drs. Veera Gupta, Robin Lin ster, Julie Scarano and Michael Stewart.
“After working the Pro Bowlers Tour 20 years ago in New Jersey, it was good to come full circle again,” offered Dr. Bonsall. “Dr. Shapiro and I were the only doctors with international experience treating professional bowlers. Subsequently, we worked with our fellow doctors to share our evaluations and treatment techniques related to the most common bowling injuries. Utilizing manipulation, Active Release Techniques, FAKTR, rock tape and laser therapy, the top bowlers all reached for care from us,” he added. “Watching the scores go up after treatment also quickly saw our utilization go up dramatically over the course of the five days.”
World Games
Prior to this event, both Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Bonsall were among 35 sports chiropractic specialists from 13 countries selected by the International Federation of Sports Chiropractic (FICS) to treat over 1,500 international athletes competing in 40 different sports at the 2013 World Games in Cali, Colombia. The World Games is held every four years for the sports federations, such as bowling, that do not compete in the Olympics.
“During the games, I was asked as president of FICS to meet with the heads of the Bowling Federation because they were so pleased with the treatment their athletes received from the FICS doctors,” said Dr. Sheila Wilson. “There was interest in working with FICS to provide care at future bowling events, specifically the Pro Bowlers Association tour in the United States. When FICS is contacted to provide sports chiropractors for a national event, we contact our member association for that country, in this case the ACA Sports Council, so their individual members can be used to staff the event.
“Drs. Ira Shapiro and Bill Bonsall from the ACA Sports Council were the DCs on the FICS team who worked with the bowlers in Colombia. I recommended Dr. Shapiro as the ACA Sports Council’s network coordinator for the PBA, and in return he has done an outstanding job organizing care at the events held so far this year. I’m very proud of the work FICS is doing to bring more events to our members around the world and of those members who always do a great job representing chiropractic in the United States,” added Dr. Wilson.
More PBA Support
As for the future, ACASC president, Dr. Sherri Lashomb, confirmed her association’s excitement about supporting the PBA once again. “The ACASC and FICS have a long history of working together to offer our members the opportunity to work various sporting events, both in the United States and internationally,” stated Dr. Lashomb. “This is a win-win-win situation for three organizations. I am very proud of all the doctors who provide chiropractic care for these athletes. I know the time and commitment that is necessary to volunteer at these events. Our members are to be commended for their dedication and service to the public and our profession.”
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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology
3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102
Woodbridge VA 22192
703 730 9588