Has your quality of life been affected because of back pain? You're not alone - Harvard Health tells us that almost 85% of people in the US have back pain so severe that they see a doctor at least once in their lifetime. Unfortunately, these problems often start small but end up becoming severe issues like sciatica. For active people and athletes, dealing with back pain isn't just compromising; it's life-changing.
And while many people will tell you that having a "back problem" is something you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life, that's far from the case. The good news is that seeing a chiropractor in Neptune can provide you with the relief needed to live a healthy, active life without giving up the things you love most, like sports and spending time with your family.
Of the millions of Americans who suffer from back pain daily, many have found long-lasting relief through the same chiropractic care offered at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness. But what exactly is chiropractic care, and how does it help?
Chiropractic care is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to overall wellness and healing that focuses on correcting issues with your musculoskeletal system. When performed by a licensed chiropractor, it can alleviate and even eliminate common problems such as:
To treat your conditions and help reduce your pain, chiropractors use time-tested, hands-on techniques to adjust your spine, neck, back, and other joints throughout your body to restore proper function, mobility, and alignment. Once your body is in proper alignment, it functions optimally, leading to improved overall wellness and health.
Unlike some sports rehab clinics in The Garden State, chiropractors from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness work with you one-on-one to develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific goals and needs relating to your pain and ability to live a normal life. Because our team takes a holistic approach to healthcare, we cover all aspects of your health and wellness when developing your chiropractic treatment plan. That way, we increase your chances of living a fulfilling life free of pain and worry about throwing your back out.
Seeing a chiropractor can quite literally change your life for the better. According to the American Chiropractic Association, in general, chiropractic therapy is a more effective solution for back pain than other treatments like addictive pain pills, surgeries, and yoga. When combined with services like physical therapy, occupational therapy, and acupuncture, chiropractic care may be the key you need to open the door to a pain-free life.
Contact UsSome of the many benefits of seeing a reliable, licensed chiropractor include the following:
Perhaps the most obvious reason to make an appointment with a chiropractor is for back pain relief. Some people only need to see a chiropractor when they have occasional back pain, such as when they wake up in the morning. Others, such as those who have been in serious car accidents, need regular chiropractic adjustments and therapies, which are often supplemented with techniques like physical therapy and acupuncture.
There are many causes of back pain that range from advanced conditions like having sciatica and herniated discs to everyday issues like poor posture and sleeping in a harmful position. Your chiropractor's job is to pinpoint the cause(s) of your back pain and build a customized plan to address your musculoskeletal conditions. Once that happens, pain relief follows shortly after.
At New Jersey Sports Spine & Wellness, we craft personalized chiropractic plans for every patient we treat, with the goal of avoiding harmful surgeries and addictive medicines.
If you've never experienced a headache in your life, you're exceedingly rare. Just about every American will suffer from a headache at some point or another. For some, headaches only happen occasionally and are not much more than an annoyance. For others, headaches evolve into crippling migraines that can affect quality of life, ability to work, and much more.
If you find yourself digging into a bottle of Aspirin or something stronger when you have a headache, it might be time to visit an NJSSW chiropractor.
Do you wake up in the morning feeling like you didn't sleep a wink the previous night? Do you have to take sleep aides like Ambien in order to drift off to dreamland? If you have chronic back pain, getting a full night's rest is easier said than done. From misaligned spines to improper sleeping posture, your chiropractor in Neptune can use manipulation therapy and other techniques to boost blood flow and align your vertebrae, so your body can heal itself and help you rest better.
One of the best things about seeing your chiropractor is that when your session is over, you often feel great. The pain relief feels phenomenal. When you're not in pain, you have a more positive outlook on life, and often enjoy better sleep, blood pressure, and even sexual relations. It makes sense, then, that chiropractic care has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, which promotes relaxation and improved mental health.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, we work with a long list of athletes who suffer from sports injuries and other problems that can manifest from being active. For professional athletes, having a trustworthy chiropractor to care for them is needed for their careers. But you don't have to be a pro athlete to benefit from chiropractic care. Ordinary people that enjoy active lifestyles can reap tremendous rewards through chiropractic care, such as improved range of motion and relief from compressed discs.
Whether you enjoy impromptu games of tag football or simply want to play with your kids, seeing a chiropractor can help you be healthy and active without fighting back, neck, and joint pain. That's especially true when chiropractic therapy is used in conjunction with acupuncture, physical therapy, or occupational therapy.ies and addictive medicines.
Your NJ Sports Spine & Wellness chiropractor in Neptune may use a range of techniques to restore function and alignment in your body. Some of the most common techniques our chiropractors use include:
Life has a habit of being unexpected. Sure, some surprises only hurt your bank account, like last-minute renovations in your home. But severe incidents, like car accidents, can inflict physical injuries that cause you long-term pain. These problems, like neck and back injuries, affect many Americans daily. Even worse, many hardworking people turn to risky surgeries and addictive pain medications, only to find themselves deep in a hole that seems impossible to get out of.
If you suffer from serious range-of-motion issues or you're in chronic pain, it's important to know that you have treatment choices. You don't have to put your health at risk to relieve your pain. One of the most successful non-invasive treatments offered for pain is physical therapy. The main goal of physical therapy is to restore movement and function to patients affected by illness, injury, or disability.
Physical therapists work with patients of all ages and abilities, from children to elderly adults, to help them overcome physical limitations and improve their quality of life. At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our physical therapists help treat a wide range of conditions, from neck pain and spinal cord injuries to back pain and arthritis.
Once our PTs have made headway, they will often use our chiropractic therapy to provide the patient with more relief. Having the option of both chiropractic and physical therapy is often very effective, because your chiropractor in Neptune can address nerve irritation and joint dysfunction while your physical therapist helps retrain your musculoskeletal system, allowing your body to heal faster.
Some of the biggest benefits of using physical therapy along with chiropractic care include:
Occupational therapy, or OT, is to help patients of all ages and abilities engage in activities of daily living, or ADL. Often, that means helping patients reclaim the ability to continue working, going to school, accomplishing day-to-day tasks, or other activities common to daily living.
Occupational therapy can benefit individuals going through many conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes, spinal cord injuries, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, and chronic pain. The end goal of occupational therapy is to help patients achieve the maximum level of independence and participation in their daily lives. If pain, discomfort, weakness, fatigue, or fear prevent you from participating in activities you love, an OT from NJ Sports Spine & Wellness could become the MVP of your wellness journey.
To give our patients the most complete pain relief and recovery options, our doctors and practitioners will often lean on the expertise of both a physical therapist and a chiropractor in Neptune. By working together, your PT, OT, and chiropractor can provide you with a comprehensive approach to total-body functionality, from your spine and joints to your mind and range of motion.
Some of the most common benefits of using OT with chiropractic care include:
Acupuncture boosts your body's functions and helps improve its ability to heal through anatomic site stimulation - usually called acupuncture points or acupoints. To stimulate these points, acupuncturists at NJ Sports Spine & Wellness insert fine, sterile needles into your skin. Most patients don't feel any pain as needles are applied. Typically, needles are left in the skin up to 30 minutes. After your session, it's normal to feel incredibly relaxed.
While some practitioners still adhere to traditional philosophies, modern acupuncturists take an integrative approach to the therapy. Today, professional acupuncturists use these techniques to stimulate your body's natural healing and pain-fighting processes. When coupled with personalized care from a chiropractor in Neptune as well as physical or occupational therapy, you can find real relief from the physical and emotional roadblocks holding you back. Some of the most reported benefits of acupuncture treatment include:
During an acupuncture session, you may feel a slight sensation of warmth or tingling at the needle's site of insertion. Generally speaking, acupuncture is painless and perfectly safe for you to consider. In fact, many practitioners and doctors recommend combining acupuncture with other treatment options like chiropractic adjustments.
Though acupuncture and chiropractic therapies come from different origins, both include non-invasive, holistic, and gentle approaches that don't require drugs to work. They also both facilitate total-body healing by addressing the underlying causes of your symptoms - not just the symptoms themselves.
Because acupuncture is known to release endorphins and improve blood flow, having a session prior to a chiropractic adjustment can be very beneficial. That's because, after acupuncture, your muscles are less stiff, more relaxed, and easier to adjust effectively. Over time, as you combine acupuncture and chiropractic therapy, you'll benefit from less inflammation and less pain as you heal from injuries or musculoskeletal conditions. That same truth applies to patients who undergo serious chiropractic adjustments.
At NJ Sports Spine & Wellness, our staff consists of licensed and highly-trained professionals, including specialists focusing on:
Every member of our team believes that the path to wellness and a pain-free life begins with customized treatment plans that cater to your needs and body. Unlike some chiropractors in Neptune, we do not treat on-the-surface symptoms with one-size-fits-all therapies. We do not rely on powerful pain medications to mask your pain or invasive surgeries that require weeks of recovery. Instead, we address the root causes of your pain so that we can help you live the happy, healthy life you're craving.
To achieve that goal, we'll conduct an in-depth evaluation to learn about your medical history. We'll also perform diagnostic tests and speak with you one-on-one to get a better sense of your needs. From there, we'll recommend the therapies that can give you a new lease on life and be there for every milestone you hit.
If you're fed up of living with the limits of pain and lack of mobility, we're here to help you break free. Contact our office today to get started.
Five-minute readAsbury Park Press0:000:14NEPTUNE - The first woman to serve as superintendent of schools for the Neptune Township School District has been recognized as the regional superintendent of the year by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators."I've been very fortunate, in that I am surrounded by really good teachers, really good staff and a really good (Board of Education), good colleagues. I have learned from all of them," said Tami R. Crader, who has called Neptune home f...
Asbury Park Press
NEPTUNE - The first woman to serve as superintendent of schools for the Neptune Township School District has been recognized as the regional superintendent of the year by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators.
"I've been very fortunate, in that I am surrounded by really good teachers, really good staff and a really good (Board of Education), good colleagues. I have learned from all of them," said Tami R. Crader, who has called Neptune home for the past decade. "I think the biggest thing I am proud of is our focus is really on instruction."
Crader represents a region that includes Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Union and Warren counties. Also chosen as regional superintendent winners along with her were Thomas G. Farrell from Brick and Jack Hurley from Rutherford. The three will be honored at the association's annual fall workshop in Atlantic City on Oct. 23.
Neptune Board of Education President Chanta L. Jackson said the board is “incredibly proud” of Crader and "this recognition is a testament to Dr. Crader’s exceptional leadership, dedication and unwavering commitment to our district's success."
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"Under her guidance over the past decade, we have seen incremental gains in student achievement and continuity and innovation in our educational offerings. Her visionary approach has not only elevated our district's standards, but inspired our board, educators and students to strive for excellence," Jackson said.
For example, the total number of Neptune's Advanced Placement students went up 3% since 2021 and percent of scores of three or more improved from 39.1% to 47.5% since 2017. Advanced Placement tests, which are graded on a scale of one to five, can give the student college credit.
"We met all of our growth targets in all categories," Jackson said.
Twenty-eight Neptune students this year received the Seal of Biliteracy from the state, meaning they can fluently read and write in two languages. Crader worked to make Neptune students eligible for the honor.
"Dr. Crader's introduction of the Seal of Biliteracy to the district in 2022 marked a significant step in promoting multilingual proficiency," Jackson said. "This designation not only celebrates linguistic skills, but also enhances students' appeal to future employers and college admissions by demonstrating their ability to communicate effectively in multiple languages."
Crader praised her predecessors David Mooij and Michael Lake, for setting her up with state-of-the-art facilities that could facilitate that instruction.
The focus of the last 10 years have been on curriculum instruction and support systems, she said.
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"I do observations of staff. I go in classrooms. I visit teachers, I talk to teachers, I meet with teachers. That is what I am very proud of." Crader said. "I was here for the first graduation of the early college program. The board helped me establish a director of social/emotional learning so that we could address mental health and those competencies."
The early college program is called the Poseidon program. Essentially, select students who are first-generation college attendees go through a combined Neptune High School and Brookdale Community College program so that when they graduate, they have an associate's degree from Brookdale and a high school diploma.
"That program was started with an endowment and so students don't pay for any of it," Crader said.
Neptune's administrative structure has been designed to support academic improvements across all subjects, as well as professional development. Due to this, the district was able to increase the number of students taking advanced placement and honors classes.
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Crader has devoted her life to education. "This is my 35th year in education. I started as a teacher in Howell," She said.
Crader taught fifth and sixth grades, as well as an afterschool writing course during her tenure at Aldrich School in Howell. She taught for 10 years before going into administration.
"The reason I went into administration was actually due to a supervisor I had in Howell. Her name was Bernadine Borowick. She has since passed away but she was an amazing supervisor," Crader said. "She had that right combination of helping you improve, building your confidence but really pushing you. I wanted to be her."
From there, she went on to be a vice principal and principal in the K-8 Marlboro district.
"I finished my doctorate and went onto Readington in Hunterdon County, and I was assistant superintendent of curriculum, policy and personnel there," Crader said.
Her career changed once she attended a superintendents' conference that works for equity and access to high-quality instruction for all students.
"That was an eye-opening experience. A lot of urban superintendents that were dealing with helping traditionally/historically marginalized students get access to high level courses," Crader said. "Policies that were more equitable, and that become sort of my calling. That was years into my career, but not too late."
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She said the biggest change she has witnessed in her career is the increasing demands made on teachers.
"There is such polarization, even trickling down into education, from the political fallout of the world, the country. There is even political fallout of curriculum changes brought forward in the last several years," Crader said.
She said there is a greater pressure on educators regarding their decisions because "it is not just 'both sides,' it is multiple sides."
“That works its way into education, and it makes it hard for teachers to make good decisions without drilling down to what the issue really is," Crader said.
The next step in the process for the three regional recipients will be the selection of a New Jersey candidate to participate in the National Superintendent of the Year Award. A committee of NJASA past presidents and former regional superintendents of the year will select the winner.
The selection qualifications for the state and national superintendent of the year include: meeting the needs of their students, demonstrated communication strength, a commitment to professional development and growth, and significant community involvement.
The association will announce the national superintendent of the year at its conference on education in March 2025
Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. @CharlesDayeAPP Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com.
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Four-minute readAsbury Park Press0:000:54NEPTUNE - The state Attorney General's Office said a woman was repeatedly harassed by her Neptune condominium neighbors, who called her a "Russian spy," and the case has now placed the condominium homeowners association in legal hot water too.Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights announced on Sept. 9 that Findings of Probable Cause have been issued after a resident living in a condominium at The Summit in Neptune off West B...
Asbury Park Press
NEPTUNE - The state Attorney General's Office said a woman was repeatedly harassed by her Neptune condominium neighbors, who called her a "Russian spy," and the case has now placed the condominium homeowners association in legal hot water too.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division on Civil Rights announced on Sept. 9 that Findings of Probable Cause have been issued after a resident living in a condominium at The Summit in Neptune off West Bangs Avenue harassed his neighbor on the basis of national origin and sex in violation of state law.
“There’s no excuse for the kind of discrimination described in this case, and there’s no excuse for the people in power who allowed it to continue,” Platkin said. “We’re putting tenants, homeowners and homeowners’ associations on notice: If you harass someone or allow someone to be harassed because of where they come from or their sex, we will hold you accountable.”
Tara Oliver, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, told the Asbury Park Press the finding means the state Division on Civil Rights has concluded there is a reasonable suspicion the state's Law Against Discrimination has been broken.
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The next step is a negotiation between the parties. If they can't reach a deal, the state might file a civil lawsuit against the people involved. If the defendants lose, they could be forced to pay $10,000 for the first violation and up to $50,000 per violation if they commit multiple violations over five years.
Attorney Karl Meth released a statement on behalf of the Summit at Neptune Condominium Association, stating “the Association has consistently taken and will continue to pursue appropriate and lawful actions to address the alleged harassment, including but not limited to the issuance of violation notices and the imposition of fines in accordance with its governing documents. The Association remains committed to protecting the rights and well-being of all residents and looks forward to the opportunity to resolve this matter through the conciliation process as mandated by the Division on Civil Rights.”
The complaint was filed in September 2023 by a woman who owned a condominium in The Summit complex. She alleged that Edward Leo, the live-in boyfriend of Donna Knepper, a neighboring condo owner, repeatedly subjected the complainant and her relatives to discriminatory and harassing slurs, threats and conduct since the spring of 2020 because she is a Russian woman.
The Attorney General's office concluded Leo harassed her in multiple ways, including: calling her a “Russian spy” while shining a flashlight at her; playing Russian music at a very high volume as the woman arrived home; repeatedly using profanity to insult her; taking photos of and videotaping the her property; wielding an axe in a threatening manner; throwing a beer bottle at her and her neighbor and then directing offensive statements toward her neighbors as they attempted to intervene.
The Division on Civil Rights found sufficient evidence to support a reasonable ground of suspicion that Leo interfered with the complainant’s right to access housing free from discrimination. The division also found sufficient evidence to support a reasonable ground of suspicion that Knepper, the owner of the property where Leo resided, and the condominium association were also liable for Leo’s discriminatory and harassing conduct.
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“No one should face the sting of discrimination or harassment anywhere, especially in or around their home. That’s why it’s so important that property owners, management companies and homeowners associations take effective action to address resident-on-resident harassment,” said Sundeep Iyer, director of the Division on Civil Rights.
The Asbury Park Press was unable to reach Knepper and Leo for comment.
Under the state discrimination law, landlords and condominium associations may be held liable for harassment if they know or should know about the harassment, have the power to take steps to end the harassment, and fail to take prompt action to end the pattern of harassment.
Knepper and the condo association knew about Leo’s harassing conduct, but did not take prompt and effective measures to stop it, according to the office of the attorney general.
In conducting its investigation, the Division of Civil Rights reviewed dozens of videos and photos from the complainant’s security camera and personal cell phone, spanning from 2020 through 2024.
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The condominium association did take some action to address Leo’s harassment, issuing 16 violation letters to Knepper between June 2022 and January 2024, as well as assessing $300 in fines against Knepper.
Leo’s conduct, however, continued to escalate, and the condominium association did not attempt to collect the fines against Knepper nor increase its fines or take other adequate action to discipline Knepper or Leo or curtail Knepper’s privileges as a member of the condo community while the harassment persisted, according to the Attorney General's office.
Charles Daye is the metro reporter for Asbury Park and Neptune, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Contact him: CDaye@gannettnj.com @CharlesDayeAPP