Playing hard is a way of life in Summit County. It’s rare to run into someone who’s not spending their weekends tearing though mountain bike trails, making turns down backcountry slopes or scrambling up a peak to catch a glimpse of the valleys below.

In that kind of environment, the occasional twisted knee or strained back is inevitable, and it’s good to have a team of skilled and experienced doctors nearby to help when things go wrong.

This year, Summit Chiropractic & Rehabilitation was voted the Best of Summit when it comes to getting the job done. For the practice, it’s helping patients return to their favorite activities that drives them.

“Our patients are the most active patients probably in a community in the country,” Dr. John Asthalter said. “We’ve got everybody from fully-sponsored Red Bull athletes, Olympians or people who are on their way to Olympics … and the kids here are incredible. Some are now moving into the Olympic realm, but these are kids that we’ve seen since they were middle schoolers. So our patient base is pretty unique.”

Dr. Ivo Waerlop began the practice in Frisco in the mid-90s before moving to Silverthorne and eventually to its current location in Dillon, 114 Village Place, Suite 302. The practice features three doctors and two massage therapists.

The practice certainly isn’t only for world-class athletes. In fact, Asthalter said it’s the wide range of services and expertise the practice offers that helps to set it apart. From targeted rehab strategies, diagnostic imaging, needle therapy, massage therapy and more, there’s something available to help with myriad conditions. The practice even offers custom shoe, boot and bike fittings to prevent future injuries.

“There’s nobody that has the breadth of diagnostic capabilities and different modalities in the county that do as much as we do,” Asthalter said. “In terms of chiropractic offices, we’re the most comprehensive.”

Asthalter said the award is a great endorsement from the community, but the best support comes from satisfied patients sharing their experience with others.

“The most powerful referral is somebody saying, ‘This is who I go to because they did this for me,’ Asthalter said. “… I think when you get a personal referral that carries a weight that can sometimes drive someone to take action.”

This story previously published in the Best of Summit guide. See complete results at SummitDaily.com/bestofsummit.