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 ANTIGO, Wis. By Dave Koy “Health beyond imagination!” Isn’t that what we all dream of? At the Draeger Chiropractic & Laser Center in Weston and Antigo, their trained doctors and latest state of the art technology help patients turn that dream into a reality. “We try to provide our patients with the latest technologies and techniques to stay on the cutting edge of chiropractic treatment,” said Dr. Curt Draeger, founder and owner of the two facilities. “Our goal is to help them have a better quality of life.” The doctors at the Draeger facilities in Weston and Antigo see a wide variety of patients, from the elite professional athlete, to the person suffering from chronic pain, and virtually everyone in between. Dr. Draeger and his staff have helped hundreds of athletes, from high school and recreational athletes, to the most elite world-class competitors, helping them gain a unique advantage and maximize their body’s ability by increasing flexibility and range of motion, restoring joint movement, and much more. The knowledge gained from his work with world-class athletes has helped the Antigo native utilize the same treatment with his local patients, especially those with chronic neck and back pain. A man of strong faith, Dr. Draeger is quick to recognize God’s hand in his life, and his work. It was in 2003 that someone submitted his name to be one of forty chiropractors around the United States to help the U.S. Decathlon Team prepare for the 2004 Olympics. The decathlon consists of ten field and track events covering two consecutive days; 100, 400 and 1,500 meter runs, 110 meter high hurdles, discus, javelin throws, shot put, pole vault, high jump and long jump. “The Lord definitely opened some doors for me in 2003,” acknowledged Draeger, who was one of the two chiropractors chosen to go to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. It was during his time in Athens working with decathletes Tom Pappas and Paul Terek that he was inspired to create an exclusive treatment program he calls, Gold Medal Motion (GMM). Located in Antigo, Wisconsin, the Gold Medal Motion treatment facility and its exclusive program utilizes a variety of treatments focused on restoring full body motion. The father of five children, Dr. Draeger first recognized a need for such a program when his sons were competing in high school sports. “I was searching for a way to help compensate for their lack of height,” he explained. GMM provided the answer, and much more. According to Dr. Draeger, GMM is one of the most advanced chiropractic treatment facilities ever established, and is not available anywhere else in the world, “Gold Medal Motion goes beyond simply addressing areas of pain,” explained the graduate of Northwestern Chiropractic College. “We treat five strategic areas of the body: muscles, ligaments bones, nerves and joints. It’s when all five parts of the body are healthy and working together that an athlete excels.” Testimonies from athletes using the unique program attest to the success of Gold Medal Motion. Bryan Clay, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Decathlon Silver and Gold Medalist, is one of many world-class athletes to have received treatment at the Draeger facility in Antigo. “I’ve been all over the world,” said Clay. “I’ve never seen a facility like this one. I think this is going to be something that people get really excited about. They will want to come here and get some things done because I think it will really work!” Chris Boyles participated in the 2004 and 2008 USA Olympic Trials Decathlete. “I’ve never seen this type of technology and treatment regiment utilized with any athletes before,” said Boyles. “There are very few people I trust completely with my body, adjusting and working on me. Dr. Draeger is certainly one of them.” One of Dr. Draeger’s greatest delights has been the opportunity to work with Tom Pappas, 2003 World Champion and 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Decathlete. “I had nearly five years of straight shoulder pain where my shoulder always hurt to throw the javelin,” said Pappas. “The shoulder pain had been my Achilles heel. After just three days of treatment with Dr. Draeger, the pain was gone.” The two men continue to work together with an eye on the 2012 Olympics in London. Pappas hopes to become the very first athlete to have gone to four Olympics in the Decathlon. In addition to his work with Olympic Decathlon athletes, Dr. Draeger has been the treating doctor for players with the Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Cubs, as well as the U.S. Olympic Decathlon/Heptathlon Teams. Many of the innovative technologies and techniques Dr. Draeger has used with athletes he also uses on his other patients, helping them achieve pain relief like never before. “I believe all my patients deserve care worthy of an Olympic Gold Medalist,” he said. In addition to providing patient care at their two clinics, doctors at the Weston Chiropractic location are also available for work place evaluations for local employers. On-site evaluation of employees at their workstations can help identify problems, especially work areas that have reported a high rate of injury. A wellness program customized for each individual department is then presented to each employee. It was through his personal experience as a high school athlete, (football, wrestling, track), and the chiropractic care he received to alleviate his sports injuries that inspired the Antigo native to dedicate his life to the chiropractic care of others. In 1987 he and his wife Reva, founded the Drager Chiropractic and Laser Center, never dreaming that God had so many adventures in store for them. A plaque above the fireplace in the Draeger family home contains the Scripture verse from Joshua 24:15: “Choose this day who you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” For the past 22 years, Dr. Curt Draeger’s passion to serve both His Creator and his fellow man, has helped countless patients, throughout the U.S., escape the throes of chronic pain and realize a more enjoyable life. It’s what his team of doctors and staff at the Draeger Chiropractic and Laser Centers in Antigo and Weston refer to as, “Health beyond imagination!”
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