Parker Alumni Treats Olympians during Preparation for 2010 Winter Olympic Games

Parker College of Chiropractic alumni Dr. Walter Ford '97, provided chiropractic care to Olympians at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California as they prepared for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Parker Chiropractic News

(Dallas) — Dr. Ford’s interest in the U.S. team began six years ago when he wrote to the Sports Performance Medical Division of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) explaining his desire to serve as a chiropractor.

“It’s important for Olympic athletes to have a chiropractor travel with them because chiropractic completes the whole therapy for their body,” said Dr. Ford. “It’s such a team effort from everyone. There are always trainers, orthopedics, massage therapists, and other specialists. Chiropractors complete the treatment puzzle for those athletes.”

Photo: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games – Credit: Megan Cole

Dr. Ford felt honored to provide care to our countries Olympians. “It’s such a good feeling knowing that you’re a part of a great team,” said Dr. Ford. “Everybody puts forth so much for one goal and that’s to make the team as good as possible.”

Dr. Ford also provides chiropractic care to the Baylor Track and Field team, the NFL’s New England Patriots, and individual athletes in areas ranging from gymnastics to figure-skating. He is also the owner and president of Vitality Sports Medicine Inc., which is based in Plano, Texas.

“I have tons of pride as a Parker graduate,” said Dr. Ford. “It feels great to remember that I came from Dr. Parker’s college that was founded under his principles and philosophies.”

Dr. Ford thinks it’s important for current or future students to know that he wasn’t soaring above all the others in his class, but once he went out into practice he really made use of what he learned. “That’s a credit to how good the education at Parker is,” said Dr. Ford. “They knew how to get it out of me and once I went into practice it flourished because I went by the Parker Principles.”

Dr. Ford plans to be invited back to additional tournaments to care for the athletes and hopes to travel with the Olympic team in the future.

About Parker College of Chiropractic Located in Dallas, Parker College of Chiropractic is one of the country’s leading educators of healthcare professionals with an international student enrollment. Founded in 1982, this private, non-profit educational institution prepares men and women to become doctors of chiropractic. For additional information about Parker College of Chiropractic, visit the college’s website at www.parkercc.edu.