The landscape of concussion care in Minnesota has expanded with Dr. Cody Rodewald, Lead Chiropractic Physician at ALIGN Integrated Health, earning advanced concussion certification through the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP™). This achievement places him among only four chiropractors in the state holding this specialized credential, signaling a significant advancement in accessible, specialized brain injury treatment for the Lakeville and greater Twin Cities area.
This development is important because concussion management represents a rapidly evolving and complex healthcare field that demands providers maintain current knowledge of evidence-based assessment, management, and recovery protocols. The ACBSP™ concussion certification is a competency-based program grounded in scientific literature and clinical best practices, emphasizing that effective concussion care requires mastery of concussion-specific knowledge and clinical decision-making beyond standard healthcare degrees.
The certification enables Dr. Rodewald to evaluate, diagnose, and manage concussions across diverse patient populations, including both athletes and non-athletes. This expansion of qualified providers is particularly relevant as concussion awareness grows beyond sports. "Concussions affect far more than just athletes," Dr. Rodewald noted. "They impact students, parents, professionals, and everyday people." His approach focuses on helping the community understand concussions and recover using evidence-based, natural methods that support the brain and nervous system.
The implications of this certification extend to healthcare policy and patient access. Several states, including Alaska, Arizona, and Ohio, have legislation recognizing ACBSP™-certified chiropractors as qualified providers for concussion diagnosis, management, and return-to-play decisions. While Minnesota hasn't yet adopted similar formal recognition, Dr. Rodewald's credential establishes a precedent for high-level, non-pharmaceutical, patient-centered concussion care in the region.
Through ALIGN Integrated Health, Dr. Rodewald provides individualized care plans rooted in current sports medicine and neurological research. This certification matters because it addresses a critical gap in concussion care availability, offering community members an alternative treatment pathway that emphasizes natural recovery approaches without pharmaceutical intervention. For patients experiencing concussions from various causes—whether sports-related, automotive accidents, falls, or other incidents—access to this specialized expertise can significantly impact recovery timelines and long-term neurological health.
The broader healthcare industry implication involves the growing recognition of chiropractors with specialized credentials as essential contributors to multidisciplinary concussion care teams. As research continues to reveal the complexities of brain injuries, having more providers with advanced training in evidence-based protocols becomes increasingly vital for public health. This certification represents not just an individual achievement but a step toward more comprehensive concussion care infrastructure in Minnesota, potentially influencing future healthcare legislation and insurance coverage for alternative treatment modalities.
