GAMES GLOBAL DATA
The impact behind the numbers.
Five editions of The World Games show sustained international demand for FICS sports chiropractic — across athletes, officials, medical teams, volunteers and more than one hundred participating nations.
documented treatments across five World Games editions
of accredited athletes used FICS care
competing nations had athletes use FICS services
of athlete treatments recorded improved pain scores
were assessed able to return to activity after treatment
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS
Sports chiropractic is being used across the whole Games environment.
FICS supports much more than competition-day athlete care. World Games data show demand from athletes, coaches, officials, judges, referees, healthcare staff, media and volunteers — with care spanning preparation, recovery, mobility and injury management.
Athlete healthcare
FICS teams support preparation, recovery, mobility and musculoskeletal care before and after competition.
Games workforce support
Officials, coaches, medical staff, judges, referees, media and volunteers also use FICS services during the event.
Equitable access
The delegation gives athletes from smaller teams and countries with limited medical resources access to sports chiropractic care.
Planning evidence
Utilisation data help FICS and sporting partners plan future medical coverage, venue access and integrated healthcare delivery.
FIVE EDITIONS OF THE WORLD GAMES
Demand has grown — and the evidence base has grown with it.
The charts below use peer-reviewed research where available for 2009, 2013 and 2017, and current FICS event reports for 2022 and 2025.
TOTAL TREATMENTS
Documented care per edition
ATHLETE UTILISATION
Share of accredited athletes using FICS care
THE WORLD GAMES 2025 • CHENGDU
A closer look at the latest Games.
TWG2025 was the first World Games where FICS sports chiropractors were positioned across every venue. Despite substantial travel time between locations, the delegation delivered 3,418 treatments.
1,125 athlete treatments + 2,293 treatments to non-athletes and volunteers.
20.31% of the 3,895 accredited athletes at the Games.
82 of 112 competing countries had athletes request FICS services.
1,037 of 1,125 athlete treatment records showed improvement.
ATHLETE CARE • TREATMENT MIX
What care was delivered?
Treatments often included more than one method, so percentages can overlap.
RETURN TO ACTIVITY
98.67%of treated athletes were assessed able to continue activity.
Less than 1% of athlete treatments required referral to another medical provider, reinforcing the importance of integrated multidisciplinary services when escalation is needed.
GLOBAL REACH
Care reached athletes from every type of delegation.
TWG2025 data show use by large national teams and smaller delegations. FICS specifically highlights the value of making healthcare available to countries that may arrive with limited team medical resources.
TWG2025 ATHLETE UTILISATION BY SPORT
Some sports used FICS services at especially high rates.
Percentages compare individual athletes treated with the number of accredited athletes in each sport.
WORLD GAMES REPORTS
Read the evidence behind the headline numbers.
Explore the full utilisation reports and published studies behind the World Games figures, including the latest Chengdu 2025 data and earlier research from Birmingham, Wroclaw, Cali and Kaohsiung.
CHENGDU • CHINA
Full FICS Sports Chiropractic Data Report
40 pages • event utilisation, athlete care, workforce care, countries and outcomes Open TWG2025 Chengdu Full Utilisation ReportBIRMINGHAM • USA
World Games 2022 overview
3,440 treatments • 25.72% athlete utilisation in current FICS reports Read TWG2022 Birmingham Chiropractic OverviewWROCLAW • POLAND
Peer-reviewed utilisation study
1,902 analysed treatments • published in JMPT Read 2017 World Games Chiropractic Utilisation StudyCALI • COLOMBIA
Peer-reviewed utilisation study
1,463 treatments • 18.1% athlete utilisation Read 2013 World Games Chiropractic Utilisation StudyKAOHSIUNG • TAIWAN
Injury surveillance report
1,514 treatments • 15.31% athlete utilisation Read 2009 World Games Injury Surveillance StudyFEDERATION-SPECIFIC DATA
Turning Games data into useful sport-specific insight.
FICS develops federation-level reports where analysis has been requested. These reports help International Federations understand service utilisation, athlete support and opportunities for future healthcare planning.
Lacrosse
TWG2022 Utilisation Report
Open TWG2022 Lacrosse Utilisation ReportTug of War
Tug of War International Federation (TWIF)
Open TWG2022 Tug of War Utilisation ReportFlying Disc
World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF)
Open TWG2022 Flying Disc Utilisation ReportWorld Lacrosse
World Lacrosse (WL) • TWG2022 Utilisation Report
Open TWG2022 World Lacrosse Utilisation ReportSquash
World Squash Federation (WSF)
Open TWG2022 Squash Utilisation ReportPUBLISHED RESEARCH
World Games data has contributed to the peer-reviewed literature.
FICS treatment records have supported published utilisation research across multiple editions of The World Games.
2009
Injury surveillance and utilisation
- 1,514 total treatments
- 15.31% athlete utilisation
- 94.14% of completed pain forms recorded immediate improvement
2013
Utilisation at TWG Cali
- 1,463 total treatments
- 18.1% athlete utilisation
- 86.9% reported immediate improvement
2017
Retrospective descriptive study
- 1,902 analysed treatments
- athletes from 79 of 109 countries used care
- 89% reported immediate pain reduction
Utilisation is affected by venue access, delegation size, familiarity with chiropractic care, event layout and the number/location of FICS doctors. The 2025 report specifically notes that travel time between Chengdu venues reduced effective athlete-contact hours.
FICS + THE WORLD GAMES
Data supports a long-term healthcare partnership.
FICS has supported the five most recent World Games editions covered in this dataset and maintains an ongoing relationship with the International World Games Association (IWGA).
Since 2021, FICS has held formal representation on the IWGA Medical & Anti-Doping Commission, strengthening direct collaboration around medical planning and Games healthcare operations.
WHY THE DATA MATTERS
Evidence informs the next event.
- Where healthcare coverage is most used
- Which groups need access
- How venue placement affects utilisation
- Where federation-specific support can grow
- How FICS integrates into multidisciplinary healthcare
FROM DATA TO DELIVERY
See how FICS puts the evidence into action.
Explore the International Games pathway or review the full utilisation reports behind the Global Impact data.