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 thought it was an interesting read.
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.”
3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102
Woodbridge VA 22192
703 730 9588
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