Chiropractic at the World Games

We are proud to say our chiropractor Rainer Wieser was featured in the latest Anglo-European College of Chiropractic’s newsletter. Below is a copy of the post. You can download the whole newsletter here

In July 2013 Cali, Columbia played host to the second largest sports event in the world – The World Games.

Over the coming days, 4,500 world class athletes would be competing for medals in 36 sports, joined by their teams which would include nutritionists, physiotherapists and not forgetting the 35 chiropractors from 13 different countries on hand to treat and support them during the competition.

Two of these chiropractors were Rainer Wieser and Thomas Jeppesen. Thomas recalls: “The Colombians treated us no differently than the athletes and on the way to the Opening Ceremony we felt like celebrities, being stopped for photo sessions with the spectators all the time.”

The next day it was down to business. With the days starting at 6:15am and not ending until 10:20pm, there were some long but rewarding days ahead. On the first day Thomas was based at the Fin Swimming and Life Saving events, with treatment tables set up next to the competition pool in the medical area, meaning a steady flow of requests for treatment.

The pair spent the next ten days working in different areas: Ju Jitsu, Speed Skating, Dancing, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Trampolining and Aerobics. Athletes would present with problems ranging from suspected rib fractures to tight muscles. Thomas comments: “Working closely with the medical staff and doctors was an essential part of the experience. Sharing knowledge with the other chiropractors was invaluable. Many of the medallists had been on the chiropractic couches during the Games.”

The duo found that other volunteers were often flocking around the chiropractic areas at ‘siesta’ times, not to use the couches for a rest, but to find out about chiropractic and to try it for themselves.

Thomas summed up the event: “It was an amazing experience from the atmosphere in the stadiums, to the volunteers, to working with amazing people from around the world. Being part of a multi-professional approach to athlete care taught me a lot; patience, new techniques and approaches and also the importance of co-operation between different health professions. Combine this with travelling to an exciting destination and meeting happy and enthusiastic volunteers, you have an experience to cherish for a life-time.”

Rainer is an MSc Advanced Professional Practice graduate; he has become the first chiropractor to be accepted onto the University of Cardiff’s MSc in Sports Medicine, a fantastic achievement.

Thomas is a 1997 graduate, he has worked at several sporting events including the Bejing Olympics, he has also undertaken several post-graduate studies including various soft tissue techniques.