Devon Ackroyd, DC, MS-SSR, DACBSP, Cert. MDT, assistant professor at Logan University, recently served on the medical staff for the United States Archery Team (USAT) on the way to the World Cup 2024.
Dr. Ackroyd traveled to Pudong, China, and spent ten days treating the top-ranked male and female recurve and compound archers in the country.
“The experience was great. It’s always great learning a new sport, meeting new athletes, being in a new city and experiencing different cultures,” Dr. Ackroyd said.
Dr. Ackroyd is in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) medical provider pool – a group of medical personnel trusted by the USOPC and requested for various events, with different teams, throughout the year around the world.
While in Pudong, Dr. Ackroyd describes his days at the arena taking care of the athletes and sightseeing.
“We would go to qualifications in the morning and do pre-event treatment. In the afternoon, after the compound and recurve archery competitions, I would treat some of the archers at the arena and some in the hotel after,” Dr. Ackroyd said. “But at night, we got to explore the city.”
Dr. Ackroyd recalls the treatment primarily included taping, soft tissue and muscle work, as well as adjustments.
“The archers only shoot from one side of their body which I found made them a bit asymmetrical,” Dr. Ackroyd explained. “I saw similar areas of tension and pain in the athletes. Lots of elbow pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain and upper neck pain.”
In addition to working with the USAT, Dr. Ackroyd also serves as the team chiropractor for the United States Women’s National Ice Hockey Team and the UFL St. Louis Battlehawks.
“The world of sports chiropractic is all about the experiences you get traveling with the team and being with the team,” Dr. Ackroyd said. “Being part of a team is really what sports chiropractic is all about.”
Dr. Ackroyd is looking forward to the next opportunity he receives with the USOPC and hopes to one day work at the Olympic Games.