The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Board of Directors recently established a Sports Medicine Advisory Committee; the committee decided at the April board meeting that Minnesota high school athletes may now, before participating in high school sports activities, have chiropractic physicians perform their physical examinations. This decision recognizes chiropractors as primary care providers, while allowing thousands of Minnesota student athletes and their families greater freedom of choice in health care.
The MSHSL Sports Advisory Committee consists of nine members, including a doctor of chiropractic, each of whom will serve a three-year term. David P. Nowicki, D.C., of Minneapolis, was appointed as the board's chiropractic representative. In addition to Dr. Nowicki, the board will be composed of a general practice physician, an exercise physiologist, a certified athletic trainer, a nutritionist/endocrinologist, a registered physical therapist, a sports/education psychologist, and two permanent positions held by the major sports medicine health care providers for the MSHSL.
"We are very excited about this decision," said Dr. Nowicki, "For years chiropractic physicians have been performing complete physical examinations for all types of people -- not just athletes. This decision will have great impact on the availability of qualified personnel to perform these physicals -- especially in rural Minnesota where sometimes the only doctor in town is a doctor of chiropractic."
There are currently over 1300 licensed chiropractic physicians in Minnesota, making it the second largest primary health care provider group in the state.
