rooting for the windigo

Sports have always been something I’ve enjoyed participating in, coaching, and watching. I’ve played baseball, hockey, and lacrosse competitively through college. When I played hockey in high school, I was pushed from behind into the hockey boards. From the impact, I had a fairly severe concussion resulting in light sensitivity, migraines, neck pain, and even nausea. This lasted for weeks and the doctors I went to offered me different medications and said it would just take time to heal. All I wanted was to feel better and be able to get back on the ice. One of my friends at the time asked me if I had ever been to a chiropractor before. And I answered, “no”. I had absolutely no idea what chiropractic was. I had nothing to lose at this point so I went to visit her chiropractor. The way this doctor explained the nervous system and how structural shifts affected the body, it just made so much sense with what I was dealing with. After a couple treatments I was feeling much better and after a couple more visits I was cleared to play hockey again. I went on to play hockey at graduate school and still play at the noontime hockey league at least once a week in Eagle River. I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made along the way and how refreshed I feel after getting off the ice after a skate. Hockey is definitely a stress reliever for me and also introduced me to chiropractic- if this didn’t happen, I honestly have no idea what I would be doing today. 


Most professional sports teams have doctors of Chiropractic on staff. Athletes have found that chiropractic care offers non-invasive pain relief and performance enhancement by addressing spinal misalignments that can impair overall body function. Unlike medications or surgery which have side effects, chiropractic adjustments reduce pain, improve flexibility, and improve athletic performance without negative side effects. Studies show that chiropractic care can increase performance by over 6% and improve hand-eye coordination by 30%. It's widely used by professional athletes, including NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL players, to prevent injuries and expedite recovery. Additional techniques that can go hand in hand with chiropractic care are assisted stretching, using stainless steel tools to break down scar tissue, cold laser therapy, and even electrical muscle stimulation. This can lead to faster healing, making chiropractic care essential for athletes at all levels.


Recently I’ve been given the opportunity to combine my love of hockey with my love of chiropractic to support the young athletes on the Wisconsin Windigo Hockey team in Eagle River as their team doctor. With my knowledge and personal experiences, I’m hoping to help reduce the number of injuries this year and help speed up recovery times for the athletes. I’m looking forward to supporting all of them from the bench and if you’re looking for something fun to do on some Fridays or Saturdays, head out to the historic dome in Eagle River to catch a home game. Just check their online home game schedule first. ​