Chiropractic student Stephen Goodwin proudly wears the medal he earned at the Pan American Games.
WSCC Student Competes in Pan American Games
Canadian Stephen Goodwin, a sixth quarter student at Western States Chiropractic College (WSCC), traveled to Argentina where he recently captured third place honors in the Tae Kwon Do competition at the Pan American Games.
Competing since he was 12, Stephen has racked up an impressive list of victories: first place in the 1994 Canadian Tae Kwon Do championships, second in the 1991 Pan Am Games, and third in the 1994 World Cup. But his champion status has taken its toll on his body: he has broken bones in his feet and injured his back many times. After one injury he sustained while training in Korea, Stephen sought help from a number of health care providers, and finally found relief through chiropractic care. This inspired him to pursue a career in chiropractic.
Stephen's current regimen consists of practicing five nights a week for two months prior to a competitive event, and three nights a week in the off-season.
In a recent Western States all-campus assembly, researchers Joanne Nyiendo, PhD, Western States professor of research, and W.H. Kirkaldy-Willis, MD, professor emeritus of orthopedics within University Hospital at the University of Saskatchewan, provided an overview of interdisciplinary and cooperative research.
Dr. Kirkaldy-Willis spoke about his practice of referring patients to a chiropractor for treatment of low back pain, and discussed the research on manipulative therapy he has conducted with David Cassidy, DC, a fellow research fellow with the department of orthopedics at University Hospital. He described how chiropractors are now working with the orthopedics, neurology, and rheumatology departments at the Royal University Hospital in Canada, and the neurosurgery department at University and City Hospitals. Dr. Kirkaldy-Willis also discussed how educational programs on back care are now emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches, as well as the work that Dr. Cassidy has done as a leader in the research center in University Hospital.
Building on the theme of collaboration between chiropractors and MDs, Dr. Joanne Nyiendo spoke on the 1993 feasibility study with Oregon Health Sciences University and its department of family medicine, the forerunner to the three-year, nearly one million dollar study funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in 1994. The pilot study, which looked at low back treatment by both chiropractors and MDs, was a feasibility test for the large scale, long-term HRSA study which examines the relationship between practice activities and patient outcomes.
Dr. Nyiendo also discussed the recent $150,000 challenge grant from the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research. The grant will aid the WSCC Center for Outcome Studies in establishing the infrastructure to support a multidisciplinary, practice-based research network.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
