Dr. Sean Skinner grew up surrounded by chiropractic role models. He is a New York native with a home town of Seneca Falls, which also happens to be the location for New York Chiropractic College. Sure, these role models contributed to his favorable opinion of chiropractic, but it wasn’t until he learned more during his undergraduate studies, that his true passion for this profession developed.
After graduating from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science, he was confident chiropractic was the right career path. One word to summarize what drew Dr. Sean Skinner to Chiropractic is: fascination. He was captivated by the body’s ability to heal through manual therapy. Dr. Skinner shared, “The body has the ability to heal itself if you push it in the right direction, figuratively and literally.”
Pursuing this career path has led to a hugely rewarding career for Dr. Skinner. “The most rewarding part about being a chiropractor is seeing people heal from pain and injuries and get back to doing things they couldn’t do when they were in pain,” he explained. Feeling better truly allows our patients to live better.
When he isn’t busy helping our patients, he enjoys an active life with his family. It’s common to see them out and about, at the playground, walking their dog, Cooper, or enjoying a local hike. He also makes sure to hit the gym three to four times a week. It is also common to find him enjoying a game of golf or on the basketball court (reliving his glory days of high school and collegiate athletics!).
The variety within Dr. Skinner’s approach to wellness demonstrates something Dr. Skinner believes is hugely important for athletes of all levels, diversified workouts. He shared, “Diversified workouts are important for joint and spine health because the physical demands put on us every day are varied and having an exercise routine that includes different physical demands will give us a more well-rounded physical fitness.” We are proud of the excellent example Dr. Skinner is to the community and our patients, through the health and active lifestyle he embraces.
One key component of chiropractic that Dr. Skinner wishes more people understood is that it is an excellent conservative care option. This means that it allows people to address and treat conditions without the use of medication or surgery. Chiropractic is considered one of the safest non-invasive, drug-free treatments for back and neck pain, as well as joint pain and headaches.
So what makes for a good day in Dr. Skinner’s office? “When every new and established patient reports that they are feeling better and functioning better after their last treatment with me,” he shared. If you are eager to partner with a medical professional dedicated to true betterment of each and every patient, you need look no further than Dr. Skinner at our Roanoke Clinic located on Peters Creek Road.

A huge part of what we do as chiropractors is education. We always want to ensure our clients not only understand what they should do to optimize their wellness, but why they should do it, too. For that reason, we enjoy connecting with our audience through our wellness blog.
As 2017 comes to an end, we decided to take a look at all of the blogs we shared with you this year, from healthy hacks to stories about our wonderful doctors and patients. We hope you enjoy reflecting with us, on the most popular chiropractic and wellness blogs of 2017.

1. Arnold Schwarzenegger & Chiropractic – You may know Arnold Schwarzenegger for his roles in a variety of films, or for his tenure as the governor of California, but did you know he is also a huge proponent of chiropractic? Dr. Brooke was able to meet the legend himself earlier this year!
2. Welcome Dr. Roiketa Strand – We welcomed Dr. Roiketa Strand to the Tuck team this year! Growing up, Dr. Strand had a dream of becoming a Pediatrician or OB/GYN, but a life-changing moment caused her to pursue a career in Chiropractic instead. Take a moment to learn more about Dr. Strand and her story.
3. The Botetourt Chiropractic Announcement – We started 2017 off with a bang! We opened new office to serve the Bonsack, Botetourt, Northeast Roanoke and Vinton Communities. Exciting moves like this would not be possible without our supportive patients and community.
4. Welcome Dr. Flynn – We were lucky to add Dr. Anna Occhiuzzi-Flynn to our team this year! Her passion for serving others and strong sense of empathy makes her a great fit. However, the moment she knew chiropractic was her calling didn’t come as you may expect.
5. Dr. Ray Tuck Honored as Chiropractor of the Year – Wow, what an honor! We are thrilled that the Virginia Chiropractor’s Association honored our own Dr. Ray Tuck as the Virginia Chiropractor of the Year for 2017 by the Virginia Chiropractic Association.
6. Local Strongman Competitor Powered by Chiropractic – We are honored that Dr. Skinner and the staff at our Roanoke Clinic were able to serve Shanice and help her optimize her physical condition for training and competition. She competed in the Strongman Corporation North American National Championship last month!
7. Dr. Rathmann: A Strong Community Leader – Our own Dr. Jen Rathmann was nominated for the award of Accomplished Business Woman of the Year though the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about this much deserved honor and recognition!
8. Dr. LaBarbera’s Chiropractic Journey – Dr. A.J. LaBarbera is a second-generation chiropractor, and his father’s experience as a chiropractor served as his inspiration. His journey throughout this chiropractic career has been one filled with teamwork, leadership, and helping others.
9. Top Hiking Trails in Southwest Virginia – Just like the importance of chiropractic treatments as part of an overall wellness plan, regular activity should also be part of your routine. A great way to become more active is to get outside and enjoy nature by going on a local hike. So, we narrowed down some of our favorite hiking trails in our area.
10. Study: Too Much Sitting Can Be Deadly – A research review found that daily sitting for long periods of time can lead to negative health effects such as heart disease, diabetes, and even death. This information impacts so many of our patients, who have jobs requiring extensive periods of sitting. Luckily, we have a few tips to help reduce your risk of increased health problems.

We appreciate everyone who keeps up with our blog each week. We are looking forward to connecting with you in 2018!

The reality of the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape is that we must stay on top of quality and consistency of care–in addition to positive patient outcomes. While many things about healthcare are uncertain, one thing must remain steadfast: an unwavering commitment to excellence.
The famous thinker and philosopher Aristotle is credited for saying, “We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act but a habit.” At Tuck Chiropractic, we believe in consistency and always pushing ourselves towards increased clinical excellence and a superior patient experience.  Sure, we can self-evaluate, rely on introspection, and encourage each other towards continuous improvement. However, we find the most valuable information to be feedback directly from our patients.
Since patient satisfaction and feedback is paramount, we put our heads together on the most efficient way to get this feedback that would provide us with actionable data and arm us with information to refine our clinical and patient experiences, as needed. We created a succinct and short survey that is shared with patients over email and via text message–on average it requires 30 to 90 seconds to complete and provides us with a wealth of information.
We first launched this concept in the Bedford office and committed to a five-month pilot of the feedback program. That pilot study has recently concluded, and the end result is a new patient survey designed to equip us with valuable insights from the patients we impact each and every day. It allows us to know what we are doing that works incredibly well and the areas we can modify to better meet needs and exceed expectations.
The pilot was such a success that we decided to apply the process, concept, and procedure at all clinic locations in order to make sure our entire team–all nine locations and 60 employees–were on the same page. We got together for a lunch meeting at Amelia’s in Christiansburg and received a presentation from Dr. AJ LaBarbera. This presentation was a great opportunity to bring everyone together and plan for success with this survey procedure.
Not only did our training create the opportunity to inform our team about how we will use this performance measurement for betterment. It also gave us the time to pause and enjoy each other–as a team of professionals committed to positively impacting others with chiropractic.
Our doctors and staff are critical to a patient’s experience; therefore, they are invaluable. It is important that our commitment to excellence is focused not only on our patients, but our employees as well. Doctors give great care in a great environment, which leads to our overarching goal of great patient outcome.

When it comes to learning and doing—hands on experience is invaluable. At Tuck Chiropractic, we believe our doctors and chiropractors should carry more than just head-knowledge of the work they care about, but a confidence that stems from practical exposure, tactile training and a deep-seated understanding of the body’s structural functions.
Within our preceptorship program, we offer chiropractic students the opportunity to expand his or her general knowledge of medical treatments and experience chiropractic work in the field. This fall, we had the opportunity to work with Joe Jacobson, a current member of our preceptorship program at Tuck Chiropractic. Jacobson shared some of his biggest takeaways from this hands-on opportunity in the New River Valley.
“I first became interested in chiropractic during my final year of undergrad,” Jacobson said. “I knew I wanted to be in health care, but I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to pursue.”
Jacobson discovered his desire to serve others through chiropractic health care after looking into the field’s emphasis on preventative and natural treatment plans. Having gone to a chiropractor his whole life, Jacobson was no stranger to the benefits and relief of chiropractic care.
Jacobson explained a preceptorship as the last clinical rotation for a chiropractic student before he or she is licensed. Now, in the heart of his work at Tuck Chiropractic, Jacobson shares what an average day looks like in the chiropractic field.
“Usually I am observing and scribing for one of the doctors, but lately I have also been managing quite a few patients to help build my patient base and gain experience before I am licensed,” Jacobson said. “The most challenging part of my work is working on my patient interactions and explaining various conditions and procedures in words that make sense to the general public; the most rewarding part so far has been treating patients whose conditions are improving—seeing them start to feel better than they have in years is so rewarding.”
Jacobson began his journey to chiropractic care at Minnesota State University Moorhead for undergrad and Northwestern Health Sciences University for chiropractic school just a few hours away from his hometown in Frazee, Minnesota. Now in the final stages of his career, Joe Jacobson is preparing to launch into a lifelong quest of serving others in the natural and rewarding field of chiropractic health care. We are so proud of him!

Bridging the gap between book-based learning and hands-on experience is critical for emerging chiropractors. This is one driving reason why we enjoy the opportunity to provide preceptorship experiences for top up-and-coming chiropractors who are in their final quarter of school. We recently had the opportunity to work with Matthew Foster in a preceptorship capacity and the results were wonderful! He did an incredible job as he worked alongside Dr. LaBarbera in our Bedford Clinic, and will continue to pursue his dream as a successful chiropractor!
As a Bedford County native, the words “southern charm” succinctly describe the home he is proud to be from and dearly loves. With an appreciation for his roots, it only seemed logical that he would seek out a preceptorship experience in the place he calls home–with a team he had come to admire. Matthew shared, “I reached out to Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, specifically the one in Bedford because it is close to home and they are very renowned within the local community for constantly striving for success and reaching patient’s health goals.”
So what is a preceptorship anyway? Who better to ask than someone who has just successfully reached the finish line of such an experience! Matthew explained, “A preceptorship is an opportunity for a student who has excelled academically and met all of the requirements of graduation early to spend their last quarter under the supervision of a licensed doctor of chiropractic.”
We have a structured preceptorship program that provides clear expectations and experiences for students in a week-by-week format. Students learn about everything from medical billings and current health care guidelines to spending time on clinical rounds and directly supporting patient care. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits is the student’s ability to work directly with a tenured mentor in chiropractic.
The preceptorship program is an amazing opportunity for both the student and licensed doctor of chiropractic. As a chiropractic team, we find working with exceptional students, like Matthew, keep us energized and excited about what we do. They also keep us sharp as they approach chiropractic with a fresh set of eyes and ask really insightful questions.
While his high school education took place at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County, his current educational reality is Palmer College of Chiropractic, located in Port Orange, Florida. This southern city is located about 20 minutes south of Daytona Beach.  He hopes to make a significant impact in years to come!!

It is with a great sense of excitement that we announce the Virginia Chiropractor’s Association recently honored Dr. Ray Tuck, president of Tuck Chiropractic, as the Virginia Chiropractor of the Year for 2017 by the Virginia Chiropractic Association.
Dr. Tuck was surprised and humbled by the receipt of this award. “I’m glad to have the acknowledgement that what I’m doing is of value of others to rise to the level of receiving this award,” said Dr. Tuck. The ways Dr. Tuck serves and leads others with chiropractic is making a major difference and it all stems from his core belief. Dr. Tuck shared, “I do what I do because I believe in this profession and I believe in impacting others positively with chiropractic.”
While awards like this honor the recipient for a particular year, we all know it is the efforts expended cumulatively that distinguish the top in their field. For nearly two decades Dr. Tuck has been helping patients across the New River and Roanoke Valleys with chiropractic. During that time, he grew from a sole practice to now having nine clinics, led by twelve doctors and an even larger support team.
The team and locations of Tuck Chiropractic Clinic have also grown over the years and so has Dr. Tuck’s leadership within healthcare. Dr. Tuck is on the Virginia Board of Medicine, as appointed by Governor Terry McCauliffe, and also serves on the Board of Governors for the American Chiropractic Association. Dr. Tuck said, “in today’s healthcare system. Most of the things I do are about how can we bring chiropractic to very key tables to improve healthcare with other practitioners. In today’s world, healthcare is about a team approach.”
Speaking of a team approach, although this award singles out Dr. Tuck, true to his nature he can’t help but talk about the team when reflecting on this significant accomplishment. Dr. Tuck said, “I couldn’t be serving and leading if they weren’t at home taking care of our patients. They have also guided and influenced me just as much, if not more, than I have guided and influenced them.”
Please take a moment and join us in congratulating Dr. Tuck on this much deserved recognition and honor!

 
Doctor Roiketa Strand always knew she would be a doctor. As early as the age of four, her parents didn’t give her the nickname “Baby Girl,” “Pumpkin” or even “Sweet Pea, they called her “Doc” because of her nurturing spirit.  “I wanted everyone around me to feel better and it was just in my nature to help others,” Dr. Strand remembers. 
To a young Roiketa, that meant one day becoming a Pediatrician or an OB/GYN. Her parents were there every step of the way to support this dream. One day, her dad began steering her dream in a way they never hoped would happen. “My dad became like a vegetable. He couldn’t turn over in bed. He couldn’t feed himself. He couldn’t brush his teeth. He couldn’t do anything on his own.” Doctors told the Strand Family what families dread ever hearing about a loved one, but they refused to give up on him. Then, one chiropractic adjustment this changed his life, and hers, forever.
Dr. Strand’s father received his first adjustment in 2001. He immediately began to get movement back, and so began a road to recovery that he remains on today.  He is now handling his own personal hygiene, driving and exercising. 
After witnessing this breathtaking moment, Strand exclaimed, “Oh my goodness!! If this can help my daddy, then I want to be this type of doctor so that I too can help millions of people!” It was an eye-opening moment and so her chiropractic journey began.
By 2006, Strand completed her schooling, and she was ready to take on a career as a chiropractor. “I had my own plans for my life, but I knew I was destined to be a chiropractor,” Strand said.
That destiny took Dr. Strand from Georgia, to North Carolina, to our Tuck Chiropractic office here in Virginia. In just one short month on the job, Dr. Strand says she can already understand Virginia’s motto and she knows this is where she belongs. 
“They say Virginia is for lovers and it must be, because everybody I have met has been so full of love. From my Tuck Chiropractic Family, to the patients, to people I run into at Walmart, everyone is so full of love.” 
Dr. Strand says that while her first month in Southwest Virginia has been mainly full of new job and new home adjustments, she can hear the mountain’s many hiking trails and festivals calling her name. She plans to head outdoors the first chance she gets. 
“Moving here was an easy decision.” Easy, not just because of the natural beauty packed into every inch the eye can see. It was easy because it was a chance to give people the gift of life she was once given, in the first movements of her father. It was the perfect opportunity to pursue what has defined her from the start: making everyone around her feel better. 
 

Are you ready for some good news? Our very own Dr. Ray Tuck has been re-appointed to Virginia’s Board of Medicine by Governor Terry McAuliffe.
McAuliffe, appointed Dr. Tuck to the 18-member board for a second, four-year term. He will work alongside other statewide physicians on a panel to oversee competent patient care by licensing health professionals, enforcing standards of practice, and providing information to health care practitioners and the public.
At Tuck Chiropractic, we know that there is power in collaboration— internally amongst our team of chiropractors and also extended into the medical community at large. We honored to know that Dr. Tuck will be partnering with other healthcare professionals to protect the citizens of Virginia.  Dr. Tuck shared, “It truly is an honor to be named by the governor to this crucial board of esteemed medical professionals, and I look forward to representing not just the chiropractic profession, but our region as well.”
We can’t share good news like this without also celebrating the many people who make moments like this possible–our patients. Without your belief in our team, led by Dr. Tuck, and your willingness to trust us with your care, we would not have leadership opportunities like this. Thank you for being the reasons we do what we do–and the reason we love what we do! Your support for Dr. Tuck, and the rest of the Tuck Chiropractic team, is incredible.

We’ve asked our doctors for advice on how to get the most out of chiropractic care.

1. Come in With an Open Mind. This may be your first appointment, or you may be a seasoned patient. Nonetheless, come to your appointment with an open mind. Dr. Tiffany Grace Huffman from our Rocky Mount Clinic shared, “My best advice to new and prospective patients is to come with an open mind. Chiropractic care can treat a lot of conditions without invasive measures. Most patients present to us with pain in some area of their body. By allowing the nervous and musculoskeletal systems to function optimally, pain levels are reduced and function is restored.”

2. Be Clear About Your Issue and Goals. Be specific with the doctor as to where your pain is and what you ultimately want out of your treatment. Honesty and open communication are the foundations of trust between you and your doctor. A.J. LaBarbera of our Botetourt Clinic suggested, “When you consult initially with a chiropractor, or any physician or healthcare provider for that matter, make sure that they are listening intently to what your issue is and what your goals are. Also make sure when you are presented with a treatment plan, that they have your goals in mind and are accomplishing those goals with a care plan that doesn’t have any add-ons, gimmicks, or additional costs.”

3. Be Patient. Healing the body is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time. Dr. Lee Matthis of our Christiansburg Clinic emphasized, “A majority of our patients come in with a “repetitive use” injury. What this means is even if symptoms show up unexpectedly; they have often been building up for a longer while. As bad as we would like to have symptoms disappear as fast as they show up, the body doesn’t heal quite that fast. We usually see good relief within a few weeks of the onset of care.” Dr. Jeremy Keene from our Cave Spring Clinic echoed these sentiments “Do not get discouraged if results aren’t happening overnight as it is a process to correct most spinal conditions. If you follow through with your doctor’s recommendations, then positive results will occur and your goals will be met.” Dr. Tiffany Grace Huffman stressed, “Be patient! In most cases you didn’t get in this shape overnight, so it may take some time to fix the underlying cause of the problem.”

4. Follow the Doctor’s Recommendations. This one should be a no-brainer, but just a friendly reminder to always follow doctor’s recommendations for you; they are here to help you feel better so you can live better. Dr. Anna Occhiuzzi-Flynn from our Botetourt Clinic explained, “Follow your doctor’s recommendations. If you cancel your appointment due to feeling better or just due to things coming up in life, you will not have the foundation that your doctor has set for you. Most of the time, these problems have been there a long time, and they take time to stabilize. When your chiropractor gets you to a point of maintenance care, it is very important to stay on that maintenance schedule. We have found that the patients that stay on maintenance care are healthier and their spine is healthier.” Dr. Jennifer Rathmann of our Blacksburg Clinic added, “To make the most of your chiropractic care, ice or heat as instructed by your chiropractor at home. Keeping the inflammation down or the muscles relaxed can really aid in the healing process. Also, stretch and exercise as instructed. More is not necessarily better. Listen to your chiropractor’s recommendations as far as frequency of care.”

5. Stay Active After Your Treatments. A body in motion stays in motion. Take a walk or a bike ride. You will typically feel less pain after each treatment, so enjoy the increased abilities you will have. Dr. Jeremy Keene shared, “We want you to stay active after your treatments. A chiropractic adjustment creates mobility in the joints of the spine and activity helps facilitate more mobility within the spine, which in return will help decrease pain.”

6. Be Positive. Positivity has a dramatic effect on the outcome of treatment. According to a study from Rosalind Franklin University, people who spoke, or thought, positive things about their treatment or condition experienced a cognitive shift that transformed some of their behaviors. The positive affirmations allowed for those participants to have significantly lower levels of negative outcomes then those who thought negatively. Sean Skinner, of our Roanoke Clinic stated, “Most of the people we see on a daily basis are dealing with a significant amount of pain levels, so it can be hard to be positive. The patients that seem to get the best results are the ones that have a positive, optimistic outlook on their treatment. We try really hard to let the patient know that we will do everything we can for them. As long as they are confident in that and can stay positive, we will get them moving in the right direction.”

We are here to help you. Call us, or visit us at one of our convenient locations, to see how we can put together a customized treatment plan for you so you can embrace life and live pain-free! Feel Better. Live Better.

Life is full of opposites. Up or down. Left or right. Happy or sad. There are some things in life that simply should not be polarized or seen as mutually exclusive—chiropractic is one such example. In error, chiropractic is often seen as a direction of care that excludes other medical disciplines. Specifically, it is treated as if you much choose between chiropractic exclusively or not choose it at all—that is a faulty mentality. At Tuck Chiropractic Clinic we know that chiropractic does not have to be a hero or a zero when it comes to an individual’s care plan.
Chiropractic can serve in a complementary or alternative role within a healthcare plan.  Although it is best to avoid surgical procedures and choose a conservative care approach, there are times that surgery unavoidable and required for health or quality of life reasons. Patients who have had surgery should not feel that they have somehow opted out of chiropractic care by choosing or requiring surgery. In fact, chiropractic can be a helpful compliment to someone recovering from a procedure.
As the American Chiropractic Association shared on their website it is helpful for those within various medical disciplines too, “move past our differences toward a multidisciplinary cooperation and collaboration, we all stand to benefit.”
While this sounds great in theory, what can it look like in practice? Let’s take a look at a specific case, to bring these ideas of multidisciplinary cooperation to life within the context of kids and ear infections. Is very common for children under the age of 5 to suffer from acute infection of the middle ear, the medical term is “otitis media”. Common treatments include antibiotics and ear tubes placed during a surgical procedure.  
The conservative care approach for chronic ear infections in children is to first use chiropractic treatment in hopes of promoting drainage within the ears (the eustachian tubes) and thus avoiding antibiotics and surgery. While this is a great first approach and something we always recommend, we know that there are still times where ear infections do persist and tubes are indicated. In this case, chiropractic does not need to become a “zero”. Even after ear tubes have been placed chiropractic should be used to promote optimal drainage in the child’s ears.
The reality is, a health care provider is not the one living the life of the patient. It requires an empathetic approach to offer wisdom, expertise, and best practices for care but ultimately acknowledging the patient as the final decision maker about care. It takes teamwork and it takes collaboration to create a custom treatment plan that will best serve the needs of the patient.
Our doctors collaborate with each other, as well as additional physicians you may be seeing; we call this collective power. We know that you receive the best treatment when healthcare providers bring their experience together for your benefit. We know that when we stop positioning chiropractic in opposition to other medical disciplines and allow them to work cooperatively, great things are achieved for our patients—the maximum positive impact is felt.