The Final Blog: Chiropractic for Endurance Athletes:
Learn About Diversified, Evidence-Based, and Athlete-Focused Chiropractic Care
If You Only Read One: How I Think, Treat, and Educate as a Chiropractor for Endurance & Multi-Sport Athletes
If you've made it through this entire blog series — thank you. You've taken the time to understand what Canadian chiropractic actually is, how we're trained, and why it matters for athletes.
If you're just landing here and don't have time to read everything — this is the one to start with.
This isn't about convincing you that chiropractic is magic, or that any single profession has all the answers. It's about sharing how I, (Dr. Keirstyn), think about injury, performance, and longevity — and why that matters when you trust someone with your body.
Because here's the truth: you don't need another practitioner who just treats symptoms. You need someone who understands what it means to be an athlete, who sees you as a whole person, and who's invested in keeping you in your sport for decades — not just getting you through this week.
First: Who I Am (And Why That Actually Matters)
I'm Dr. Keirstyn. I'm a chiropractor trained at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). I'm also an endurance coach. And before any of that, I'm a lifelong endurance athlete.
My athletic journey didn’t follow a straight line. I moved from dance and soccer, into competitive running, and eventually into triathlon — a transition that happened largely because I was getting sidelined by injuries (damn shin splints!) and needed a more sustainable way to train. Cross-training, strength work, and smarter load management didn’t just keep me in sport — they reshaped how I understand the body. Today, I’m still actively training as an endurance athlete, and that lived experience directly informs how I assess, treat, and educate the athletes I work with.
As I said before and like most athletes, I didn't get here injury-free.
I've been told to stop running.
I've been told "you're just built this way."
I've sat in appointments where I felt like a liability instead of a person with potential.
I've had periods where my athletic identity felt fragile, where I wondered if my body would let me keep doing what I love.
Triathlon, smart strength training, and learning how to manage training load didn't just make me faster — they made me more durable. They taught me that longevity in sport isn't about avoiding hard work. It's about doing the right work, consistently, with intention.
That lived experience — the setbacks, the comebacks, the grind of balancing training with life — shapes how I practice every single day.
I'm not treating you as a chiropractor who happens to exercise. I'm treating you as an athlete who understands what it costs to lose time to injury, and what it feels like to finally move without limitation.
My Education: What Canadian Chiropractors Are Actually Trained to Do
One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is that chiropractic education is short, limited, or focused narrowly on "cracking backs."
In Canada, it is none of those things. It consists of 8 years of schooling after high school.
4 years of undergraduate education (I got my Bachelor of Human Kinetics at University of Ottawa - go Gee-Gees!)
4 additional years earning my Doctor of Chiropractic degree at CMCC
At CMCC, that degree included:
Over 4,200 hours of classroom, lab, and clinical training
Extensive education in anatomy, biomechanics, neurology, orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, soft tissue function, functional movement assessment, rehabilitation, and exercise prescription
A full clinical internship year treating real patients under faculty supervision
This education trains us to:
Assess safely, systematically, and thoroughly
Identify red flags that require medical referral
Understand when chiropractic care is appropriate — and when it isn't
Work collaboratively within a broader healthcare team
Think critically about why pain exists, not just where it hurts
This is not guesswork. This is healthcare.
And here's what separates CMCC-trained chiropractors from some of the chiropractic stereotypes you might have encountered:
We are trained in evidence-informed practice. That means integrating the best available research with clinical expertise and patient values. It means I don't have a script. I don't treat everyone the same way. And I don't promise outcomes I can't deliver.
I know chiropractic does not cure diseases, fix systemic health issues unrelated to the musculoskeletal system, and I definitely do not tell you that you need to come in three times a week forever — that's not how I practice, and it's not what Canadian chiropractic education teaches.
How I Think as a Chiropractor (Who is Also an Athlete)
I don't look at pain in isolation.
When an athlete comes to me with knee pain, shoulder pain, or lower back pain, I'm not asking: "What hurts?"
I'm asking:
What does your training look like right now? (volume, intensity, frequency)
How's your recovery? (sleep, nutrition, stress, life demands)
What changed recently? (new coach, new shoes, mileage spike, competition schedule)
How does this pain affect your movement? (compensation patterns, biomechanics)
What are your goals? (racing next month vs. staying healthy for years)
What does this injury mean to you emotionally? (identity, fear, frustration)
Pain is rarely the problem. Pain your nervous systems alarm bells going off. It's your body saying: "Something here isn't working. Pay attention."
My job isn't to silence that signal. It's to help you understand what it's telling you, address the root cause, and build a plan so it doesn't keep happening.
That's why I don't treat every athlete the same.
And it's why I don't treat every injury the same.
A stress fracture in a 16-year-old dancer with disordered eating patterns is not the same as a stress fracture in a 45-year-old marathon runner who ramped mileage too fast. The tissue might look similar on imaging, but the why behind it — and the path forward — is completely different.
Context matters. The whole person matters.
How I Treat: What That Actually Looks Like
Chiropractic care at Endurance Therapeutics is individualized, collaborative, and athlete-focused.
Depending on the athlete, the injury, and the goals, treatment may include:
1. Joint Mobilization or Adjustments
Used when a joint isn't moving optimally and that restriction is contributing to pain or compensation
Not every patient needs this, and not every visit includes it
If it feels uncomfortable or unsafe to you, we don't do it. Period.
2. Soft Tissue Therapy
Addressing muscle, tendon, and fascial restrictions that limit movement or create pain
Includes hands-on work, myofascial release therapy (MRT), instrument-assisted techniques, or cupping when appropriate
3. Functional Movement Retraining
Teaching you what good mechanics look like for your sport
Identifying compensation patterns (weak glutes causing knee pain, limited hip mobility forcing lower back compensation)
Using video analysis, gait assessment, or functional movement screening
4. Rehab and Strength Progressions
Prescribing specific exercises to address weak links, improve stability, or rebuild capacity after injury
Not generic "do some stretches" — targeted, progressive programs
5. Load Management Education
Helping you understand training volume, intensity, recovery balance
Teaching you when to push, when to modify, when to rest
Building periodization strategies that prevent overuse injuries
6. Collaboration and Referral
If what we're doing isn't working, or if your issue requires a different specialist, I help you find the right next step
I don't operate in a silo — your care should work together, not in competition
There is no one-size-fits-all approach here.
And just as important: Treatment decisions are a conversation, not a command. You have full autonomy over your body. My role is to educate, advise, and support — not dictate.
Addressing the "Neck Cracking" Myth (Calmly, Honestly, and With Nuance)
I know some of you are here because you're curious about chiropractic, but nervous about certain techniques — particularly cervical (neck) adjustments.
Let me be direct: Your concerns are valid, and I take them seriously.
Here's what you should know:
Our education is built around safety first.
We are trained to:
Screen thoroughly for contraindications (conditions where certain techniques aren't safe)
Recognize red flags (vascular issues, instability, neurological symptoms)
Choose appropriate techniques based on the individual
Obtain informed consent before any treatment that is ongoing
Not every patient needs — or gets — the same treatment.
Some people benefit from manual adjustments. Some prefer mobilizations (gentler, non-thrust techniques). Some need soft tissue work and rehab exercises only.
If you're uncomfortable with a specific technique, we don't do it. There are always alternatives.
And if chiropractic care isn't the right fit for your injury or concerns, I refer you to someone who is.
The question isn't "Is chiropractic safe?" — it's "Is this technique appropriate for this person, at this time, for this issue?"
That's clinical decision-making. And that's what we're trained to do.
Why I Work With a Team (And Not in a Bubble)
I don't believe any single profession has all the answers. That is why I got into alternative health in the first place.
I regularly collaborate with and refer to:
Physiotherapists (advanced rehab, post-surgical care, complex cases)
Athletic therapists (on-field injury management, taping, acute care)
Massage therapists (deep tissue work, relaxation, maintenance)
Personal trainers & strength coaches (programming, periodization, performance)
Bike fitters (cycling-specific biomechanics)
Nutritionists & dietitians (fueling, recovery, eating disorders, RED-S)
Sport physicians (medication management, imaging interpretation, complex medical issues)
Orthopedic surgeons (when conservative care isn't enough)
Mental performance coaches & therapists (burnout, identity, stress management)
Athletes do best when their care works together, not in competition.
If I'm seeing a runner with chronic hamstring issues and they're also working with a physio on post-ACL rehab, I want to know what they're doing so we're not duplicating efforts or working at cross purposes.
If a swimmer's shoulder isn't improving after 6-8 weeks of conservative care, I'm referring them for imaging and potentially to an orthopedic consult — not keeping them on my schedule indefinitely because I'm too proud to admit we need help.
Ego has no place in healthcare.
Your outcomes matter more than my professional territory.
What the Research Actually Tells Us (In Simple, Honest Terms)
Research consistently shows that:
Ongoing, well-timed musculoskeletal care — whether chiropractic, physiotherapy, or other manual therapy — can reduce injury risk and improve function over time when combined with appropriate exercise, load management, and education.
Addressing movement restrictions early, before they create compensation patterns or overuse injuries, is more effective than waiting until something is severely damaged.
Managing training load and recovery intelligently — understanding the balance between stress and adaptation — prevents more injuries than any single treatment modality.
Many athletes benefit from maintenance or check-in care every 3-6 weeks, especially during high training or competition phases. This isn't because something is "out of place" and needs to be "put back." It's because small restrictions, fatigue-related compensation patterns, or early-stage overuse issues — when addressed promptly — don't become major setbacks.
That's not creating dependency. That's proactive care.
Think of it like this: You don't change your car's oil because the engine is broken. You do it because consistent maintenance prevents breakdown. The same principle applies to your body when you're asking it to run 50 miles a week, swim 20,000 yards, or compete in back-to-back tournaments.
My Philosophy: Education Over Dependence
Here's what I believe, fundamentally:
My job is not to fix you. My job is to teach you how your body works, why this injury happened, and what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
I want you to leave every appointment understanding:
What's wrong (and why)
What we're doing about it (and why)
What you can do at home (and why it matters)
When you should come back (and when you don't need to)
I want you to feel more capable, more informed, and more in control of your health — not more dependent on me.
If you leave my office thinking, "I have no idea what just happened, but I guess I need to come back next week" — I've failed.
If you leave thinking, "Okay, I understand why my knee hurts. Here's what I'm going to work on. I know when to push and when to back off. I feel confident I can manage this" — that's success.
Empowerment, not dependence.
The Big Takeaway: Why Athletes Trust Me
I don't treat athletes to keep them dependent on me. I treat athletes to keep them moving, informed, and resilient. I want them to learn from my mistakes and receive the treatment I have always dreamed of as an endurance athlete.
I'm not here to be your only answer. I'm here to be part of your team — alongside your personal training, your physio, your massage therapist, your training partners, your family.
My role is to:
Educate you about your body, your injury, your mechanics
Support your training by addressing restrictions and building capacity
Help you understand the signals your body is sending (pain, fatigue, compensation)
Be a resource when things aren't working, when you're confused, when you need a second opinion
Whether you're a runner training for your first 10K, a triathlete chasing Kona, a hockey player managing a busy season, a dancer navigating growth spurts, or someone who just loves to move — you deserve care that respects both your goals and your autonomy.
You deserve a practitioner who listens, who thinks critically, who collaborates, and who sees you as more than a diagnosis.
That's what I strive to provide every single day.
If This Resonated With You
If this series helped clarify what chiropractic care actually is — I'm glad.
If you're an athlete who's been told to stop training instead of being taught how to train smarter — you're not alone.
If you've been frustrated by practitioners who don't understand what it means to be an athlete, or who treat your sport like an inconvenience instead of part of your identity — I get it.
And if you're looking for care that blends:
✔ Education (you leave understanding, not confused)
✔ Evidence (decisions based on research and clinical reasoning)
✔ Athletic experience (I've been where you are)
✔ Collaboration (I work with your team, not against them)
That's exactly what I aim to provide.
Your Next Step
Book an athlete-focused chiropractic assessment with Dr. Keirstyn.
We'll talk about your training, your goals, your injury history, and what's currently holding you back. We'll assess movement, identify restrictions, and build a plan that makes sense for you.
No scripts. No one-size-fits-all protocols. Just honest, individualized care.
📍 Endurance Therapeutics | Oakville, Ontario
📞 905-288-7161 | 🔗 CLICK HERE TO BOOK
Optimizing The Endurance Athlete’s Mind, Body & Performance.