D.C. and M.S. in Sport Health Science student

“Sports Chiropractic Passion”

Today’s Faces of Life U profile celebrates Gainesville, Georgia native Kody Dills, who is dual-enrolled as a D.C. and an M.S. in Sport Health Science student. Dills’ earliest lasting life passion, tennis, proved to be the touchpoint that first landed him in a chiropractor’s office. Like many tireless athletes, chiropractic care became part of the routine to keep his body in top physical shape for competition. And as any healthcare professional worth their salt knows, patients often have to try several modalities before finding a care plan that best suits their needs.

In Dills’ case, he struggled early on with lower back pain and an injury from running cross-country that resulted in a hip flexor strain. He tried physical therapy but could not pinpoint any significant improvement. Turning to a chiropractor made all the difference, relieving pain in his lower back as well as improving flexibility and mobility in his hips and joints. Thus, Chiropractic proved to be his secret weapon and support throughout his high school athletic career, providing Dills with confidence to go for big swings on and off the tennis court.

As an undergraduate student, Dills attended Piedmont University as a B.S. in Applied Health Science major, as well as continuing his tennis career. However, his goals and his hopes hit a standstill when he began developing severe wrist pain to the point where he couldn’t even hold a racket. Consulting with an orthopedic surgeon, Dills appeared to be staring down the barrel of an expensive and extensive surgery if he wanted to continue to play. His chiropractor, however, proposed a more conservative approach.

“[My chiropractor] said, ‘Wrist surgery is not something you want to mess around with, especially [if playing tennis] your entire life. You’ll need your wrists. Let’s see what we can do here. And if that doesn’t work, then we can look at other options,” Dills said.

Dills received adjustments on his wrist and extremities and found his wrist issues were resolved without surgery, going right back into playing and finishing out the two years remaining of collegiate play that he had planned. For him, it was a resounding confirmation of what he already had felt, that there was immense power and purpose in Chiropractic that he wished to contribute to.

After he graduated from Piedmont University, Dills dual-enrolled at Life University in the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) program, as well as the M.S. in Sport Health Science- Sports Chiropractic concentration.

“I knew it was going to be a lot of extra work, but I wanted to put in that extra work because I think it is going to be a value to my career and my future patients if I have the knowledge of not only the chiropractic side but also exercise science in general – how the body works, different rehabs and therapies I can use for them,” Dills said.

He has found his classes in Sports Chiropractic, such as biomechanics and kinesiology, have been beneficial in not only furthering his understanding as a future chiropractor but also deepening his comprehension of “why certain things show up in the body, such as muscular imbalances and how these can result in injuries in patients.”

Sports Chiropractic is a field that continues to grow in prevalence and popularity, a field in which Life U is uniquely positioned to train chiropractors to work at the forefront. The ability to recover from injuries without surgical intervention is huge, keeping players in the game healthier and longer. Chiropractic care empowers optimal well-being and growth for athletes at all levels, and not just for the spine and the back.

Dills reports how he and other tennis players often present extensive shoulder and upper-extremity issues due to the repetitive nature of the movement of the sport. He noticed that by getting shoulder and extremity adjustments, he was able to heal and improve his game. Sometimes chiropractors can focus heavily on the spine and forget that “extremities adjustments allow an increase in range of motion.”

“Giving that extra boost can really allow your body to open up and be more free when you’re actually playing your sport. And, of course, there’s also the neurological benefits of just removing all interference within the body, allowing the brain to communicate with the muscles and extremities, the way it wants to without having that extra interference blocking signals,” Dills said.

At the moment, Dills is hard at work focusing on completing all coursework for his dual degree enrollment, as well as preparing for his clinical experiences that are quickly approaching.