Naturopathic doctors can be key in providing top-notch sports medicine and treatment. NDs partner with athletes of all levels to attain and maintain optimal performance and recovery.
After suffering a sports-related herniated disc injury, Canadian Olympic rower Rachelle Viinberg turned to her team’s naturopathic doctor for a treatment plan.
Graduate, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
“I really believe her advice helped me recover quicker and better. My immunity improved. I recovered from workouts better. Overall, I was in a greater state.”
Not only did Viinberg recover from her injury, she and her team went on to win the 2012 Olympic Silver Medal in Rowing. Viinberg now uses her experience as an athlete, coupled with the tools she acquired in naturopathic medical school, as a naturopathic doctor.
Viinberg’s personal experience as an athlete with naturopathic medicine is becoming more and more common.
NDs are increasingly prevalent throughout sports medicine delivery. Both casual weekend warriors and professional athletes alike are turning to NDs for:
- Injury prevention
- Rapid recovery
- Nutritional support
- And to improve their performance
Athletes Seeking a Competitive Edge Tend to Ask: What are the Pros Doing?
Professional athletes are increasingly interested in naturopathic medicine for safer options to fine-tune their performance. It is no surprise, then, that Dr. Mark Strom was invited by the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals to join its medical staff.
Graduate, Sonoran University of Health Sciences
“It's a thrill to treat some of the most recognized athletes in the world. The [Cardinals’] management and medical staff saw that many of their top players were seeking treatment from different naturopathic physicians in the Valley, so they wanted to see what it was like to have a naturopathic doctor on staff and offer uniformity for the team. I predominately offered sports-specific nutritional IVs, which were very well received by the players.”
After his work with the Cardinals, Dr. Strom moved on to support the Arizona Diamondbacks MLB team as well.
Naturopathic doctors offer many therapies to help with training, optimizing nutrition and diet, injury prevention, and recovery.
Working with athletes is a significant part of Dr. Aaron Wong’s day at Butterfly Naturopathic in North Vancouver, BC. Dr. Wong believes that naturopathic medicine is the ideal fit for athletes on a quest for elite athletic performance through optimal health.
Graduate, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine - Boucher Campus
"As someone who works with athletes, I help them harness their life force, their will, and desire to reach the greatest expression of that potential. Sports offer the opportunity for self-exploration through mind, body, and spirit. Naturopathic medicine brings a holistic perspective on training, injury recovery, and long term health sustainability."
Masahiro Takakura, ND, DC, LAc has an unwavering passion for helping athletes. He is the founder and sponsor of Bastyr’s Sport Medicine Club (BSMC), and is also the first naturopathic doctor and chiropractor to travel and treat MLB players for a full season. He is currently the naturopathic and chiropractic consultant for the Seattle Mariners.
To learn more about sports medicine as a naturopathic niche, watch this webinar recording featuring Dr. Michael Bastien.
