Behind the Scenes: Sports Chiropractic at the 2023 Canada Winter Games

In February 2023, Dr. Mike Hadbavny — lead chiropractor at Saanichton Chiropractic Group and Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences of Canada (FRCCSS(C)) — travelled to Prince Edward Island to serve as part of the official medical team at the 2023 Canada Winter Games. For two weeks, he provided on-site chiropractic care to young elite athletes from across the country competing in hockey, figure skating, alpine skiing, biathlon, and more.

This post shares what sports chiropractic care actually looks like at a national multi-sport event — and what that experience means for athletes in Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula who train and compete at a high level.

Dr. Hadbavny was out of the clinic from February 18 to March 7, 2023, providing full-time chiropractic coverage as part of the sponsored medical team at the Canada Winter Games in PEI. He worked with athletes competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), table tennis, curling, hockey, and other disciplines — each sport presenting its own distinct injury profile and physical demands. This was one of several national and elite sport events he has supported throughout his career.

What the Canada Winter Games Demands of Young Athletes

The Canada Winter Games is the country's premier multi-sport event for youth athletes — a proving ground where provincial and territorial teams compete at the national level, many for the first time. The physical demands are significant. Athletes compete in back-to-back events across a condensed schedule, often while managing travel fatigue, unfamiliar training environments, and the psychological pressure of national competition.

The 2023 edition featured a diverse range of disciplines, and Dr. Hadbavny worked across several of them. Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athletes arrive with cumulative neck, shoulder, and rib strain from years of grappling; the mat work, takedowns, and submission holds create a specific pattern of loading on the cervical spine and glenohumeral joints that requires a targeted approach. Hockey players present with hip flexor tightness, lumbar strain, and shoulder injuries from contact. Curling athletes — often underestimated in terms of physical demand — frequently deal with lumbar rotation strain, hip tightness, and knee issues from the delivery position. Table tennis competitors carry remarkable amounts of thoracic rotation strain and forearm overuse from thousands of high-speed strokes.

For a medical team, this environment creates a specific set of challenges: athletes arrive with pre-existing muscle tension and minor injuries from their competitive season, sustain new acute injuries during competition, and need to recover rapidly enough to compete again within 24–48 hours. Speed of assessment and the ability to provide immediate, effective treatment are essential.

The Role of the Chiropractor on a Multi-Disciplinary Medical Team

At events like the Canada Winter Games, chiropractors work alongside physicians, physiotherapists, athletic therapists, and other healthcare providers. Each profession brings a distinct scope of practice, and the chiropractor's role focuses specifically on the musculoskeletal system — the joints, muscles, and nervous system pathways that govern movement, force production, and coordination.

Pre-Competition Care

Before athletes compete, the priority is preparation: ensuring joints are moving freely, identifying areas of muscle tension that could predispose to injury, and optimizing nervous system function. Pre-competition chiropractic adjustments — particularly to the thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and lower extremities — help athletes access their full range of motion and transmit force through the kinetic chain efficiently. For hockey players, hip mobility and thoracic rotation are critical for skating power and puck handling. For BJJ athletes, cervical spine and shoulder mobility directly affect their ability to defend takedowns and execute techniques safely. For curlers, restoring symmetrical lumbar and hip mobility before a game directly impacts delivery mechanics and reduces injury risk.

Acute Injury Assessment and Treatment

During competition, athletes sustain injuries — some minor, some more significant. The chiropractor's role includes rapid on-site assessment to differentiate injuries that require imaging or physician referral from those that can be managed conservatively and allow return to competition. Soft tissue injuries, joint sprains, and muscle strains make up the majority of presentations. Manual therapy, soft tissue techniques, and supportive taping can often get an athlete back on the ice or slopes when appropriate.

Recovery Between Events

In multi-day events, recovery is as important as competition. Post-event chiropractic treatment — combining spinal adjustments, myofascial release, and targeted soft tissue work — helps reduce the muscle tension and joint stiffness that accumulates over a competition week. Getting athletes sleeping better and moving more freely the morning after a hard performance directly affects how they compete the next day.

Why Advanced Credentials Matter in Sports Chiropractic

Not all chiropractors have the training to work effectively in elite sports environments. The physiological demands, the pace of assessment, the need to work collaboratively within a medical team, and the understanding of sport-specific injury patterns all require post-doctoral training beyond the standard Doctor of Chiropractic degree.

Dr. Hadbavny holds a Fellowship from the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences of Canada — the FRCCSS(C) — which is one of the most advanced credentials available to chiropractors in Canada with a focus on sport and exercise science. He also holds the International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic (ICSC), a credential recognized globally and used by chiropractors working with national and Olympic-level sports programs. These credentials involve rigorous post-graduate study, supervised clinical experience in sport settings, and comprehensive examination — they are earned, not simply awarded.

For a full overview of how this training shapes the care provided at Saanichton Chiropractic Group, see our article on sports chiropractic and what the FRCCSS(C) credential means for patients.

Dr. Mike Hadbavny, DC — Sports Chiropractor, Saanichton BC

FRCCSS(C) ICSC DC — CMCC BPE — Brock University

Dr. Hadbavny completed his Bachelor of Physical Education at Brock University and his Doctor of Chiropractic at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). He subsequently earned his Fellowship in the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences of Canada (FRCCSS(C)) and the International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic (ICSC). He has provided chiropractic coverage at national and high-performance sporting events and brings that experience to athletes of all levels at Saanichton Chiropractic Group.

What This Means for Athletes in Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula

The experience of working with national-level athletes informs every aspect of how we approach sports injury treatment at Saanichton Chiropractic Group. The assessment frameworks, the treatment techniques, the understanding of training loads and recovery demands — all of that translates directly to the care we provide to local athletes, whether you're a competitive high school hockey player, a masters-level cyclist, a recreational runner preparing for a race, or a recreational skier dealing with a nagging hip.

High-performance sports chiropractic is not just for elite athletes. The principles are the same regardless of the level of competition: find the mechanical limitations that are predisposing to injury or limiting performance, address them efficiently, and build a plan that keeps you doing what you love with less pain and fewer setbacks.

Sports Chiropractic Services at Saanichton Chiropractic Group

Our approach to athlete care draws on the full range of services available at our clinic, coordinated as an integrated plan based on your specific sport, injury history, and goals.

Chiropractic Adjustments and Joint Mobilization

Spinal and extremity adjustments restore normal joint mechanics, reduce pain, and optimize nervous system function. For athletes, this means better movement efficiency, reduced injury risk, and faster recovery between training sessions. Visit our chiropractic services page for more detail on what to expect.

Registered Massage Therapy

Our Registered Massage Therapists work alongside our chiropractors to address the muscular and fascial components of athletic injury and overuse. Sports massage, deep tissue work, and myofascial release are all part of the toolkit. See our massage therapy page and our full guide to massage therapy benefits for athletes.

Shockwave Therapy

Radial shockwave therapy is an evidence-based treatment for chronic tendinopathies — conditions like patellar tendinopathy, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and rotator cuff tendinosis — that are common in athletes and notoriously resistant to conventional treatment. Shockwave stimulates tissue repair at the cellular level and is often combined with chiropractic and massage for best results. Learn more on our shockwave therapy page.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is used to manage pain, reduce inflammation, and support recovery in athletes dealing with acute and chronic injuries. It is particularly effective for conditions involving nerve irritation, muscle pain, and systemic recovery support. See our acupuncture page for more information.

Osteopathic Manual Therapy

Our osteopathic manual practitioner addresses the body's structural and fascial relationships using gentle manual techniques. For athletes with complex, multi-region presentations or those who haven't responded fully to other treatment, osteopathy often provides an important complementary perspective. Visit our osteopathy page for details.

ICBC and WorkSafeBC Coverage for Athletic Injuries

Athletes who sustain injuries in motor vehicle accidents or workplace incidents can access chiropractic and associated treatments through ICBC and WorkSafeBC. Our team is experienced with both programs. See our motor vehicle accident and WorkSafeBC pages for more detail.

Train Hard. Recover Smarter. Perform Better.

Whether you're preparing for a competition, recovering from an injury, or looking to perform at a higher level, Dr. Hadbavny and the team at Saanichton Chiropractic Group are here to help.

Book Your Sports Chiropractic Appointment →

See our fees and policy page for insurance and direct billing information, or read what our patients say.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sports chiropractor and how is it different from a regular chiropractor?

All chiropractors complete the same foundational Doctor of Chiropractic degree, but sports chiropractors pursue additional post-doctoral training in sport-specific injury patterns, athletic assessment, exercise rehabilitation, and performance optimization. Dr. Hadbavny's FRCCSS(C) fellowship and ICSC credential represent the highest level of post-graduate sports chiropractic training available in Canada. In practice, this means a more comprehensive assessment of how your sport's specific demands are contributing to your injury, and a treatment plan that accounts for your training schedule and performance goals — not just symptom relief.

Do I need to be an elite athlete to see a sports chiropractor?

Not at all. The majority of Dr. Hadbavny's patients are recreational athletes, active adults, and people dealing with musculoskeletal pain from everyday activities — not professional or national-level competitors. The sports-focused assessment and treatment approach is simply more thorough and functional, which benefits anyone who wants to move and feel better. If you play recreational hockey, run on weekends, do yoga, or work a physically demanding job, sports chiropractic principles apply directly to you.

What sports injuries do you commonly treat at Saanichton Chiropractic Group?

We treat the full range of musculoskeletal sports injuries, including lower back pain and disc injuries, neck pain, shoulder injuries (rotator cuff, impingement, AC joint), hip and groin strains, knee injuries (IT band syndrome, patellar tendinopathy, meniscal irritation), ankle sprains, and chronic tendinopathies throughout the body. Our sports injury page has the full list.

Is sports chiropractic covered by extended health benefits?

Yes — chiropractic care is covered by most extended health benefit plans in Canada, regardless of whether it is labelled "sports chiropractic" or not. The designation reflects the practitioner's training and approach, not a different billing category. Most plans cover a set dollar amount per year for chiropractic services. See our fees and policy page for information on direct billing and coverage.

How do I know if chiropractic is the right treatment for my sports injury?

If your injury involves joint pain, restricted movement, muscle tension, nerve irritation, or chronic tendon problems, chiropractic care is very likely to be beneficial — either as a primary treatment or as part of a broader plan that includes massage, shockwave, or rehabilitation exercise. The best way to find out is a thorough initial assessment. Learn more about what a chiropractor does, or contact us to discuss your situation before booking.

Written by Dr. Mike Hadbavny, FRCCSS(C), ICSC, DC (CMCC) — sports chiropractor and founder of Saanichton Chiropractic Group, Saanichton BC. Dr. Hadbavny served as part of the official medical team at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. For appointments or questions, visit our contact page or call 250-223-0200.