What I Learned About Peak Performance Treating Olympic Gymnast Sam Mikulak (And How It Applies to Every Ann Arbor Athlete)

By Dr. Tim Dehr, CCSP

When Sam Mikulak walked into my office years ago, he was already competing at the highest level of gymnastics — NCAA Champion, multiple-time national champion, and on his way to becoming a 3-time Olympian. Athletes don't only come to me because something is broken. They come because they also want to perform better.

That mindset shift — from "fix me when I'm injured" to "optimize my body so I don't get injured and perform at my peak" — is what separates elite athletes from everyone else. And after nearly two decades of working with everyone from Sam to over 50 current NFL players to NCAA athletes right here in Ann Arbor, I can tell you: the same biomechanical principles that help Olympians perform better apply whether you're training for the NFL or just trying to run a 5K without your knee giving out.

Here's what I've learned.

1. Your Body Doesn't Care If You're an Olympian — It Still Follows the Same Biomechanical Rules

When Sam came to me during his NCAA & Olympic training prep, the underlying issue wasn't different from what I see in NCAA athletes or recreational runners training around Gallup Park. The problem was the same: mobility restrictions causing compensatory stress on the spine.

Elite athletes just feel it sooner because they're operating at higher speeds, heavier loads, and tighter margins for error. But the fix is the same: restore proper joint mechanics through precise adjustments, then build strength and stability on top of that corrected foundation.

I've seen this pattern repeat itself hundreds of times:

• NCAA athletes with chronic hip flexor strains → tight thoracic spine limiting rotation → hips compensating
• NFL Receivers and Safeties with recurring hamstring pulls → pelvis out of alignment → hamstrings overworking to stabilize
• Ann Arbor marathon runners with IT band syndrome → foot pronation + weak glute med → IT band taking all the stress

Different sports, different performance levels, but the same fundamental principle: when one joint doesn't move properly, something else pays the price.

2. Strength Training Alone Won't Fix Dysfunction

This is the hardest lesson for athletes to accept, especially strength-focused athletes like football players and powerlifters.

You can squat 500 pounds, but if your L4-L5 vertebra is restricted and your pelvis is rotated, you're building strength on top of a dysfunctional movement pattern. That might work for a while, but eventually, something gives — usually a disc, a muscle strain, or chronic pain that won't go away no matter how much you rest or stretch.

I saw this constantly when I was working with athletes at the the Pan American Games (I was one of four students chosen to provide chiropractic support from Parker University). These athletes had incredible strength and flexibility, but when their spinal mechanics were off by even a few degrees, their performance suffered. 

The fix wasn't more reps. It was restoring proper alignment so their strength could actually translate to performance.

Same thing with the NFL players I work with. These guys are training 6 days a week, lifting heavy, doing speed work, film study — everything. But when a thoracic vertebra is locked up, it limits shoulder rotation. That affects throwing mechanics. That leads to compensations. That leads to rotator cuff issues or elbow problems down the line.

You can't strengthen your way out of a mechanical restriction. You have to fix the restriction first.

3. Recovery Between Training Sessions Is Where Performance Actually Improves

One of the biggest misconceptions about athletic performance is that improvement happens during training. It doesn't. Improvement happens during recovery.

Training breaks your body down. Recovery builds it back up stronger. But if your nervous system is stuck in sympathetic overdrive (stress mode) because your spine isn't aligned properly, your body can't shift into the parasympathetic state (rest and repair mode) it needs to actually recover.

This is where chiropractic care becomes a performance tool, not just an injury treatment. When your spine is properly aligned, your nervous system functions better. Your body recovers faster. You sleep deeper. Inflammation clears out more efficiently. You show up to your next training session actually ready to perform, not still recovering from two workouts ago.

I seen this with Olympians during their prep. Between training sessions, we'd work on restoring spinal mobility, releasing tension in his hips, making sure his pelvis was balanced. The goal wasn't just to prevent injury (though that was part of it). The goal was to help his body recover faster so he could train harder more consistently.

Consistency over time is what separates good athletes from great ones. And you can't be consistent if you're constantly managing nagging injuries or training through dysfunction.

4. Pain Is a Lagging Indicator — Dysfunction Shows Up First

By the time you feel pain, the problem has usually been brewing for weeks or months.

I'll give you an example. A high school soccer player comes in with knee pain. They've been dealing with it for a month. They tried rest. They tried ice. They're frustrated because it's not getting better.

I examine them and find:

• Their pelvis is rotated
• One hip has significantly less internal rotation than the other
• Their foot is pronating excessively on the painful side

The knee isn't the problem. The knee is just where the pain showed up because it's been compensating for dysfunction elsewhere in the kinetic chain.

Elite athletes understand this intuitively. They don't wait for pain. They pay attention to performance. If their vertical jump is off, if their sprint times are slower, if a movement that used to feel smooth now feels clunky — they address it immediately.

That's the mindset I try to instill in every athlete I work with, whether they're competing at the Olympics or playing in a recreational softball league here in Ann Arbor. Don't wait for pain. Pay attention to how your body moves.

5. Small Improvements in Mechanics = Massive Gains in Performance

This is where being a CCSP (Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician) matters. I've spent years studying the biomechanics of athletic movement — not just general chiropractic, but sport-specific demands and how the body adapts (or breaks down) under those loads.

When I adjust an athlete's spine or a specific joint, I'm not just trying to reduce pain. I'm trying to optimize the mechanical efficiency of that movement.

Here's the principle:

Your body is a kinetic chain. Force travels through it in predictable patterns. When one link in that chain isn't moving properly, the system compensates. That compensation might work for a while, but it creates inefficiency.

Think of it like a car with one tire slightly underinflated. The car still drives. You might not even notice it at first. But over time, it affects your gas mileage, puts uneven wear on your other tires, and makes the steering feel slightly off. Fix the tire pressure, and suddenly everything runs smoother.

Same thing with your body.

A hip that's missing 5-10 degrees of internal rotation forces your lower back to rotate more than it should. Your knee has to compensate. Your foot pronates differently. You're still running, but you're working harder to produce the same output.

Restore that hip mobility, and the entire kinetic chain functions more efficiently.

I'm not promising you'll run faster or jump higher (that depends on your training, genetics, and a million other factors). What I'm saying is: if a mechanical restriction is limiting your body's ability to move efficiently, fixing that restriction removes a barrier to improvement.

Whether that translates to better performance depends on what you do with that improved mobility. But you can't improve what's mechanically limited.

This is why elite athletes are so obsessive about mechanics. They know that when they're operating at the limits of human performance, even tiny inefficiencies matter. Not because one adjustment magically makes them better, but because proper mechanics allow their training to actually translate into performance.

For the rest of us? The principle is the same. You're just not operating at the same margins. But if you're training hard and not seeing improvement, or if something just feels "off" even though you're not injured, there's a good chance a mechanical restriction is the limiting factor.

My job is to find it and fix it.

What This Means for You (Even If You're Not Training for the Olympics)

You might be reading this thinking, "That's great for Sam Mikulak and NFL players, but I'm just trying to stay active without pain."

Here's the thing: the same principles apply at every level.

Whether you're:

• A desk worker in downtown Ann Arbor trying to run a 5K without lower back pain
• A parent in Ypsilanti chasing your kids around without your back locking up
• A high school athlete trying to make varsity
• A NCAA competitor trying to go pro

Your body follows the same biomechanical rules. When joints move properly, your muscles can do their job efficiently. When joints are restricted, something else compensates, and eventually, that leads to pain or injury.

The only difference between you and an Olympic athlete is margin for error. Olympians operate at such high speeds and loads that dysfunction shows up immediately in their performance. For you, it might take weeks or months before you feel it. But the underlying problem is the same.

How I Approach Athletic Performance as Ann Arbor's Only CCSP

My approach to sports performance is simple:

1. Identify the mechanical restriction
This might be a locked-up vertebra, a restricted hip joint, a pelvis that's rotated, or a foot that's not distributing force properly.

2. Restore proper joint mechanics through precise adjustments
I'm not just "cracking your back." I'm restoring specific ranges of motion in specific joints that are limiting your performance.

3. Build strength and stability on top of that corrected foundation
This is where corrective exercises come in. Once the joint is moving properly, we strengthen the muscles that support it so the dysfunction doesn't come back.

4. Monitor performance metrics, not just pain
Are you running faster? Jumping higher? Recovering quicker? Sleeping better? These are the markers that matter.

Why Being a CCSP Matters

I'm the only Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician in Ann Arbor. That's not a marketing line — it's an advanced post-graduate certification that requires specialized training in:

• Sports injury diagnosis and rehabilitation
• Biomechanical analysis of athletic movement
• Evidence-based performance optimization
• Sport-specific treatment protocols

Most chiropractors focus on pain relief and general wellness (which is great). As a CCSP, I focus on performance optimization and injury prevention through biomechanical correction.

That means whether you're training for the Olympics or just trying to play recreational basketball without your knee hurting, I'm approaching your body with the same level of precision and sport-specific knowledge I use with elite athletes.

Who I Work With in Ann Arbor

I treat athletes at every level throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Washtenaw County:

NCAA College Athletes:
When you're training at that intensity, there's no margin for biomechanical error. Small restrictions become big problems fast. My job is to keep you moving optimally so you can focus on your sport, not managing pain.

High School Athletes:
Youth sports are more competitive than ever. Whether you're trying to make varsity, earn a scholarship, or just stay healthy through your season, proper mechanics now prevent bigger problems later.

Recreational Athletes:
You might not be training for the Olympics, but your body still deserves to move efficiently. Whether you're running around Gallup Park, playing in an adult soccer league, or training for your first 5K, the same biomechanical principles apply.

Desk Workers Who Want to Stay Active:
Sitting at a desk in downtown Ann Arbor all day and then trying to work out creates unique challenges. I help office workers in their 30s, 40s, and 50s stay active without their bodies breaking down.

The common thread? Everyone moves better when their joints are functioning properly. That's what I focus on.

Ready to Move Better and Perform Better?

If you're dealing with a nagging injury, hitting a performance plateau, or just want to make sure your body is moving as efficiently as possible, let's talk.

I work with everyone from Olympians to NFL players to NCAA athletes to weekend warriors right here in Ann Arbor. The same principles apply at every level.

Call (734) 929-4523 or schedule online.

Performance Health Chiropractic
2330 E Stadium Blvd #3
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Friday – Sunday: Closed

We serve athletes of all levels throughout Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Washtenaw County.

Related Articles:

• Sports Rehabilitation in Ann Arbor
• Why Athletes Choose Dr. Dehr
• Chiropractic for NCAA Athletes

About the Author:

Dr. Tim Dehr is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) and the only CCSP practicing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has nearly two decades of experience working with elite athletes, including 3-time Olympic gymnast Sam Mikulak, over 50 NFL players, and athletes who competed in the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics. Dr. Dehr combines precision spinal adjustments with sport-specific biomechanical analysis to help athletes of all levels perform at their best and stay injury-free.