Olympic Speed Skater is Chiropractic Spokesperson

Derek Parra, a U.S. Olympic speed skater, should have a good shot for a medal in the 1,500 meters at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He previously won the gold medal in the men's 1,500 meters November 24 2001, at the World Cup in the Netherlands.

Derek made the 1998 Olympic speed skating team, but a technicality prevented him from competing. He is determined nothing like that will happen again. "I'm working pretty hard and gradually climbing the ladder," Derek says. "Over the past few years, I've been getting better and better. I'm starting to feel the comfort and the confidence on ice I had on inline skates." The fact he was a roller skater first, then an ice skater has both drawbacks and advantages. "I had so many habits from inline and roller skates that didn't apply to the ice," he says. "I got tired from scratching the ice and had to get off my inlines for a while so I could figure out the ice skates."

Derek is also a huge fan of chiropractic care. "I've always believed in chiropractic care. I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic," Derek explained. Derek is also an "endorsed" (spokesperson) athlete of the American Chiropractic Association.

Derek joins the large and growing list of Olympic and professional athletes who regularly depend on chiropractic care. Chiropractic care not only helps them in recovering from injuries, but because chiropractic removes interference from the nervous system, (subluxations) it allows the athletes to compete at a higher level. And at the Olympic or professional level, any extra advantage or edge in performance can make all the difference in the world.