People ask me all of the time if I'm a chiropractor. Of course the answer is yes. But after they see that I don't just 'crack backs' all day, and that I spend up to an hour with each patient, they quickly realize that I am not cut from the same cloth as traditional chiropractors. We both call ourselves chiropractors, so how can the patient tell - before they commit to an appointment - what they're going to get?

One way to tell is to look at the doctor's credentials. In the chiropractic profession, there are quite a few different 'styles' and 'techniques.' We have physicians that were content in getting their doctorate of chiropractic degree, and then there are those who wanted to specialize even further. We have experts in nutrition, orthopedics, neurology, and sports medicine. I'm a part of the group that specializes in sports medicine.

When I went to chiropractic school, I was more influenced by soft tissue treatments and current rehab methods than I was adjusting patients. Don't get me wrong, I spent countless hours honing that craft as well. But coming from an athletic background, I routinely suffered from muscle strains, ankle and knee sprains, and collision injuries. I knew that just adjusting patients wasn't going to get the results that I and my patients truly desired.

So I set myself up in a sports medicine track. After graduation, I spent hundreds of hours gaining the necessary certifications that would allow me to call myself an expert in Sports Medicine. These certifications are not just a pay-to-use diploma on the wall. They are put on by the nationally accredited American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP). It's a rigorous, two-tiered system that produces the top sports chiropractors in the world. It's because of this organization that the Supervising Medical Director for Team USA is a sports chiropractor, and that some of the head clinicians inside the Olympic Training Centers are sports chiropractors.

Dr Dustin Nabhan, DC, DACBSP and Dr Bill Moreau, DC, DACBSP

When you see the credentials "DACBSP" (Diplomate of the ACBSP), you know you're getting someone who put in the time to become an expert in all things musculoskeletal. We're "hybrids" - a healthy mix of the athletic trainer, physical therapist, chiropractor, and orthopedist. For one patient we're taping for an ankle sprain, the next we're mobilizing a frozen shoulder, then rehabilitating someone's chronic lower back pain.

I get to evaluate and manage a number of different conditions every single day. And not only that, but I routinely see fast and cost-effective results for people who just want to get back to running, lifting, or just normal everyday life.

Are you getting positive one-on-one time with your chiropractor? Or are you in and out the door in 10 minutes? Is the doctor's approach a one-size fits all? Or is it custom tailored to your individual problem?

If it is your health problem, which would you really prefer - An expert that spends time with you, or someone who gets you in and out the door as quickly as possible? Its your health - its your choice.

Dr. Evan Kahn, DC, DACBSP

Why Your chiropractor's Credentials Matter