During The 7th annual International Chiropractic Sports Symposium in London, May 26, 1993, the Federation Internationale de Chiropratique Sportive (FICS) presented its highest honors to two of its founding members, Noel Patterson, MIR, BSc, DC, and David Pierson, DC, CCSP.
The 140 FICS members and guests in attendance at London's Royal Aeronautical Society saw Dr. Patterson of Western Australia receive the FICS Gold Medal, an honor for lifetime achievement. Dr. Patterson is the immediate past president of FICS.
Dr. David Pierson of San Francisco, California, FICS executive vice president, was elected president and bestowed the "1992 Chiropractor of the Year" award for his significant accomplishments in international sports chiropractic. Dr. Pierson has worked as a sports chiropractor at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and as an Olympic team physician at the games in Seoul, South Korea in 1988.
The sports symposium sponsored by FICS in association with the WFC and the British Chiropractic Association, was held in conjunction with the World Chiropractic Congress. The sports symposium featured presentations by leaders in the field of international sports chiropractic on such topic as rehabilitation exercises, muscle testing, management of knee injuries, and hands-on sessions demonstrating shoulder manipulation.
Several FICS members were also elected to the federation's executive council: Gary Weddell, DC, CCSP; Suzanne Bisset, DC, CCSP, Lisbeth Lanto, DC (Denmark); Thomas Wong, BS, DC (Hong Kong); and Alyson Wreford, DC, CCSP (England). Bill Moreau, DC, CCSP, was appointed to head the FICS Education Committee.
FICS was founded in 1986 and only four years later had members from 48 nations, opening door for FICS that individual sports chiropractic association couldn't. The FICS bylaws provides each country with a senator, and it is the FICS senate that controls the federation. FICS continues its close working relationship with the only other truly international chiropractic organization, the World Federation of Chiropractic.
FICS is seeking recognition by the International Olympic Committee. FICS holds status as an international federation member (category B) of the International Council of Sports Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE). The ICSSPE, in turn, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
FICS continues to make strides in involving DCs in the role of sports physicians, receiving invitations to send team doctors to major sporting events from Beijing to Moscow.
As Dr. Noel Patterson has stated: "Sports chiropractic has by far the greatest potential to obtain excellent public relations for chiropractic..."
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?
