Why athletes end up here
Often, athletes who come in already have a good idea of what's wrong before they sit down: a hip that won't fully open during a golf swing, a low back that locks up at a certain squat depth, a shoulder that pinches on the last few overhead reps. What's often missing is someone who checks how your spine and pelvis actually move under the real demands of your sport, under load, standing and twisting the way you do on the course, the field, or the ice.
Sports load the body unevenly. Hockey players push off the same edge and rotate the same direction thousands of times a season. Golfers swing the same way every rep. Runners and lifters build the same pattern into their hips and low back, rep after rep. Over time that can leave one side tight, one side weak, and a joint or two that doesn't move the way it should.
Dr. Chris played competitive hockey through college and studied kinesiology at Iowa State. He asks about your training schedule because it shapes what he checks and how he approaches the adjustment, based on what your sport actually asks of your body.
What athletes tell us
- My low back tightens up every time I squat past a certain weight
- One hip feels lower or more rotated than the other
- My shoulder catches or pinches on overhead lifts or throws
- I cannot rotate my neck as far one way, and it is affecting my golf swing or my check over my shoulder on the ice
- My hamstring or groin keeps tightening up and stretching is not fixing it
- My low back or SI joint flares up after sprinting, cutting, or a hard practice
How Dr. Chris works with athletes
Dr. Chris uses Neuro-Structural Correction, specifically the Gonstead method. It is built around finding the exact segment that's restricted, instead of adjusting the whole spine the same way on every visit. That means motion testing, checking how your hips sit, and watching how you stand and move before he touches anything. A rotational sport like golf or hockey loads your spine differently than distance running does, and the exam reflects that.
On your first visit, he examines how you move and, in most cases, adjusts you the same day. X-rays are typically ordered that same visit through a nearby imaging center, so he can see the mechanics involved instead of guessing at them. Your second visit is the report of findings, where he walks you through what he found and what the plan looks like. If you have a competition or a heavy training block coming up, mention it before your appointment. How you feel in the day or two after an adjustment, whether looser or just different than usual, is worth planning around ahead of a game, not something to find out the morning of.
Questions people ask
- Will getting adjusted make me feel loose or unstable before a game?
- People respond differently. Some feel looser right away. Others notice more change over the next day or two. Because of that, Dr. Chris often recommends getting adjusted with enough time before a competition, not the same day, so you already know how your body responds before it matters.
- Do I need an X-ray before I can be treated?
- No. In most cases, Dr. Chris examines and adjusts you on your first visit. X-rays are typically ordered that same visit at a nearby imaging center, and he goes over the results with you at your second visit, the report of findings.
- Is this covered by insurance?
- Adapt Life is direct pay and is not in network with any insurance company. HSA and FSA cards are accepted. Pricing is given by phone, and first visits get $50 off.
- Can I still train or practice the same day I get adjusted?
- Often, yes, but it depends on what he finds. Some athletes are told to ease off one specific movement for a day, and others are not restricted at all. Dr. Chris will tell you what makes sense for your case rather than give a blanket answer for every athlete.