Think FAST! Study Finds Chiropractic Care Maximizes Reaction Time
Article contributed by Dr. Eric Plasker, Marietta, GA
Watch out! Your reaction time in everyday situations can mean life or death. When you commute in heavy traffic, dodge a speeding baseball on the field, or rescue your squirmy toddler from tumbling down the stairs, you are calling upon your body’s reaction time. Now the New Zealand School of Chiropractic has confirmed that you can actually improve this essential reaction time with chiropractic adjustments.
The recently released study compared the performance of people who received chiropractic adjustments with people who merely rested. Results indicated remarkable improve-ment for the first group, which demonstrated a 14.8 percent quicker reaction time during testing. In comparison, the group that took a short rest improved their reaction time by only eight percent.
How do you measure up? Test your own reaction time with a yardstick. Ask a friend to hold a yardstick vertically from several feet above the floor. Place your fingers opposite the 18” mark, but do not touch the stick. Ask your friend to release the stick without warning. Try to catch the stick with your fingers. Note the inch mark where your fingers rest when you catch the stick. Subtract 18 from the number to see how many inches the stick fell before you caught it. Perform the exercise several times to get an average number. Compare your results with this table.
Note: Exercise taken from “Prof. Sprott's Wonders of Physics” pro-gram at the University of Wisconsin (http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/WOP/HomeExpPhys.html).
| Distance Dropped |
Reaction Time |
| 2 inches |
0.10 seconds |
| 4 inches |
0.14 seconds |
| 6 inches |
0.18 seconds |
| 8 inches |
0.20 seconds |
| 10 inches |
0.23 seconds |
| 12 inches |
0.25 seconds |
| 14 inches |
0.27 seconds |
| 16 inches |
0.29 seconds |
| 18 inches |
0.31 seconds |
Reaction time is important for athletes of all ages and com-petitive levels who want the extra edge to compete at the top of their game. In addition to reaction time, regular chiropractic care can improve your athletic performance in many ways. No wonder chiropractic is very popular among professional athletes in all sports. People are increasingly consulting with chiropractors about their health goals rather than just treating injuries.
Dr. Doug Miller, chiropractor for the Baltimore Ravens Football team, believes that chiropractic care remains a mi-sunderstood practice. He explains, “It’s not just about relieving pain from backaches and injuries. It’s about achieving optimum health.”
When was your last chiropractic visit? Are you a step be-hind or a step in front? Schedule your next chiropractic adjustment and speed up your reaction time like the pros.