Dr Mecca Fayad has your back, literally, and has had the back of athletes, including NHL players, too!
Mecca took the time to chat with us about everything from becoming a successful chiropractor and working on pro athletes to how athletes at any level can keep playing and thriving in their sports.
MEET DR. MECCA FAYAD
Who is Dr. Mecca Fayad?!
Thanks so much for having me! I’m a small town girl from Northern Alberta (Lac La Biche) who wanted to help people. I wanted to be on the proactive side of healthcare rather than the reactive side.
I started my Instagram page five years ago as a place to create my own narrative about what chiropractors do. Everyone has had different experiences or heard different narratives about chiropractic… and it’s not always good. I wanted to use my Instagram page as a tool to educate people on what I do… That chiropractic is not all about the cracks. That we are skilled practitioners with lots of tools in our toolboxes. It was a way for me to combine my love for fine art (photography, music, video, fashion) with science and to show the world what chiropractic is to me.
How did your love for sports start?
When I moved to California for chiropractic school, I found myself in a sports hub. At any given time I could be at a Warriors game in Oakland, a Niner’s game in Santa Clara, a Giants game in San Francisco or a Sharks game in San Jose. And that’s not even including college games! I found myself in a sports Mecca and that is truly when I fell in love with the exhilarating feeling of being a sports fan.
When I moved back to Edmonton, I so missed being a part of the sports community. That’s when my allegiance to the Oilers began. That and a few of them have come into the office once or twice haha!
Can you take us through your journey as a chiropractor, from realizing you wanted to become one to becoming one of the best in Edmonton?
Well that’s a huge compliment, so thank you! I’d hate to be cliché but it really is about working hard to create a name for yourself. We live in a society where anyone can be anything. Getting the degree is not the hard part. Establishing your name in the community, that’s the hard part.
It takes a while, but what I learned is to do good work. It might not be the fastest way to establish yourself but that one person will tell another and that wife or husband will tell their work colleagues… and it continues to happen just like that. That’s how I built my reputation in this community. Truly by doing good work, having excellent interpersonal skills & by being passionate about my craft, never cutting any corners.
What’s the best part of working with a lot of athletes?
Working on athletes is like working on Ferraris. Even the smallest changes, like for example working on a hip flexor, make the biggest differences in their game. I also appreciate how athletes have a drive and determination to improve like no other. It inspires me to do better.
For those playing sports and staying active as adults, what are the best tips you have for taking care of our bodies (besides coming to you to work your magic, or course)?
To cross train! That means to do more than one activity. As a recreational athlete it’s likely you are going from a sedentary seated position to then the same activity. In your case it is hockey. So basically, sitting and hockey. That’s only training your body in two different ways. I think adding a pilates/yoga/tennis/HIIT class into the mix would help train your body in different ways therefore decreasing the likelihood of injury. Training your body in a variety of ways helps strengthen a variety of muscles/joints/ligaments.
Engage in active rehab (instead of just passive)… yes sure stretch… but more than ever there are some really cool rehab tools out there. From massage guns to home saunas that look like sleeping bags to scrapers to kinesiology tape, etc. Take advantage of the therapies you can use at home.
What advice do you have for others, especially women, who want to become chiropractors in the sports world?
It’s not going to be easy but nothing easy is ever worth it. I experience challenges on the daily but having a great attitude and never giving up is key. I often walk into a treatment room and someone will say “What will you be able to do for me?” (NOTE I AM 5’1) They’re quickly humbled the moment I put my hands on them.
Surround yourself with people who are at the top of their game… it will inspire you to push yourself to new limits.
If you could go back and talk to a young Mecca, what would you tell her?
Dream big, work hard.
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