Qualifications: Sports Chiropractor, Level 2 Running Coach, Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach, B Science (Anatomy), Master of Chiropractic. Dr GARY SMITH
Titled Sports Chiropractor
Level 2 Running Coach (Athletics Australia)
Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach (Australian Strength and Conditioning Association)
Level 1 Sports Trainer (Sports Medicine Australia)
WHAT IS SPORTS CHIROPRACTIC? Sports Chiropractic is a branch of Chiropractic for those practitioners with an interest and expertise in providing care for athletes and those who like to exercise, providing care in the management and rehabilitation of acute and chronic injuries, injury prevention/minimization strategies and optimising performance. Sports Chiropractors utilise a range of evidence-based treatment modalities and approaches. Depending on the individual and the situation treatments may include manipulation (adjustment), mobilisation, soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation and other movement exercise therapies, nutritional advice, strapping/taping and bracing, biomechanical analysis and other approaches deemed appropriate at the time. Sports Chiropractic is growing nationally and internationally and is well established at many world-level sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games and World Games. GARY SMITH (BIO)
Gary has had a passionate interest in all things sport since a very young age. Following his passion, he taught Health and Physical Education for 10 years, during which time he coached numerous runners, athletes and teams. Wanting to pursue his interests further he completed a Science degree (Anatomy), where he worked as tutor in Functional Anatomy during his final year, followed by a Masters in Chiropractic. Gary has now been in Practice since 1998 and has since undertaken further post graduate study. Gary completed the 3 year Internationally Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner Program, is a Titled Sports Chiropractor, Sports and Exercise member of the Australasian Institute of Chiropractic Education (MAICE- 2021) and is a member of Sports Medicine Australia. Over the years Gary has assisted in organising local Sports Medicine Australia seminars and has been the consultant Chiropractor with the Hunter Academy of Sport. He works with people of varying athletic ability and goals and has a developing clinical interest in master’s athletes and running. Coaching runners and other athletes, Gary is a level 2 run coach with Athletics Australia, a Level 1 Strength and Conditioning coach (ASCA) and is a member of The Australian Track and Field Coaches Association (ATFCA). He has recently had a Case study on managing knee osteoarthritis in a Masters level distance runner/ triathlete published in the Chiropractic Journal of Australia. Maintaining an active lifestyle, Gary is a keen runner, gym goer and an avid Hockey player where he has represented NSW at both Junior and Masters’ level. Gary takes the time to really listen, understand your goals and aspirations and then recommend the most clinically beneficial pathway to help you achieve these. RUNNING ANALYSIS AND CORRECTION
Running is one of the western world’s most popular recreational pastimes. In Australia it has been estimated that 3 million people who regularly run. While there is not one single way of running, there are more and less advantageous ways to run. When we start to increase distance, frequency or intensity too soon (poor load management), having running technique issues or lack of specific muscle strength, this can lead to problems, injuries or hinder progression. In our running analysis we look at how you run, what your training load is, what is happening biomechanically and neurophysiologically when you run. These sessions involve two-dimensional video analysis, graded orthopaedic muscle testing and training load appraisal. Based on this comprehensive appraisal we can then gain an overall picture of your running performance and make meaningful and personalised recommendations for improvement. Gait retraining (changing how you run) is now recognise as a valued treatment modality for injury, as a way to potentially minimise future injury and to enhance athletic performance.
