I'm here to give you the lowdown on LifeClinic Chiropractic & Rehabilitation and let you know if it's worth a trip. Maybe you've been thinking about seeing a chiropractor and you're unsure of where to start. Maybe you need physical therapy and you're curious about this facility. Or maybe you've just been struggling with aches and pains lately and you'd like to feel a whole lot better. I had a chance to visit LifeClinic in Bridgewater, New Jersey (inside of Life Time Fitness), and I want to share my experience with you. Strike that, I need to share my experience with you, because it was extremely eye-opening for me. Read on, you'll see.
Disclosure: I was invited by LifeClinic to visit a location of my choice in exchange for an honest review. And this is about as honest as you can get, people!
I struggled to find the right title for this post because it is so much more than just a review of a facility. As a blogger and writer, that's what I do, you know. I check out awesome places in New Jersey (and beyond) and then I share my experiences with you. But this one became more important to me than I thought it would, and it really made me look at myself differently. As a mom, I don't often put myself first. I'm sure many people out there can relate. The kids come first, the spouse, the housework, the job, the pets. You're at the bottom of the list and you push your own problems aside in order to take care of, well...everyone else. But I'm here to tell you to listen to yourself and your body, especially if you're hurting. If you take one small step in the process of self-care, I hope it's this one.
A Note from The Jersey Momma
Just to preface this review, I have Hashimoto's Disease. It's an autoimmune disorder where my body attacks my thyroid and leaves me feeling all kinds of weird symptoms, and at times, downright crappy. It's not a disease anyone would know I have (you certainly can't tell by looking at me), and sometimes I dismiss its severity. Last year I suffered from a terrible case of plantar fasciitis (and part of the reason why I had a torn plantar fascia was a story in itself. If you have Instagram you can read about that here). I struggled all year just to walk without feeling like a nail was being driven through my heel. Finally, after casts and boots and shots and tape and whatever else you can think of, I gave in and had a fasciotomy, a foot surgery where the fascia is cut to relieve tension or pressure. I suppose the surgery worked, but then it left me with other foot issues/pain, and still today it hurts to walk. Walking is the ONE THING I love to do. I walk well over 10,000 steps a day, including a daily 2 mile walk with my dog. So needless to say, I fell into a bit of a depression over it. LifeClinic had no idea about any of this when they reached out for me to come visit.
 |
About LifeClinic
So now that you know a little bit about me, let me tell you a little bit about LifeClinic. LifeClinic Chiropractic and Rehabilitation is a subsidiary of Life Time Fitness (but you don't need to be a member of Life Time Fitness to visit them). I'm borrowing these words right from the LifeClinic website so you can see what they're all about:
"LifeClinic addresses your pain symptoms so you’ll feel more empowered to move and do the things you love. Since 2007, we’ve been helping people recover from injuries or treat an underlying condition. Our chiropractors and physical therapists will develop a personalized treatment plan aimed at restoring your range of movement and improving your quality of life. Our holistic approach to treatment goes over and beyond simply treating your pain — we’ll help restore, maintain, and optimize your body’s overall function. To top that off, our state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with treadmills, squat racks, and pools to help you reach your fitness and mobility goals faster. Our services and treatment programs aren’t simply focused on addressing your pain symptoms. As your partner in recovery, we stay by your side to prevent the risk of re-injury or further complications. We are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals, and that’s why we lay the foundations to helping you achieve next-level performance.
We want you to look forward to every appointment so you can expect our services and adjustments to be comfortable and non-invasive as possible."
Sounds pretty good, right? But do they deliver? I have heard good things about LifeClinics all over the U.S, but I can only speak to my experience at LifeClinic in Bridgewater, NJ (inside Life Time Fitness) and my time with Dr. Roger Mitchell. Just to note, you do not need to be a member of Life Time Fitness in order to receive treatment at LifeClinic (although, I ain't gonna lie, Life Time Fitness looked pretty darned awesome). And bonus perk! If you are visiting a LifeClinic location, you can take full advantage of the Life Time facility even if you're not a member (meaning, you can use the Life Time facility on the day of your visit).
Visiting LifeClinic in Bridgewater
As I said above, when I set foot in LifeClinic, I was bringing a lot of baggage with me. I had a bad experience with a different chiropractor years ago, and I was suffering with aches and pains from being a writer hunched over my computer and phone every day. To top it off, I was struggling with chronic foot pain after surgery in November for a torn plantar fascia. But I tried to keep an open mind when I visited, and I was truly curious to see if they could offer me any assistance at all. Remember, I didn't seek them out- I was asked to come visit in exchange for a review, so a part of me saw it as divine intervention. I had been struggling with these issues for over a year now, and suddenly LifeClinic asked me to come visit. Well, I thought, why not? Let's see what they can do.
*It's important for me to note here that you don't need to have an injury to visit- there is a long list of conditions that they treat at LifeClinic, including but not limited to, headaches/migraines, arthritis, fibromyalgia, bursitis, back pain, neck pain and stiffness, knee and ankle pain, etc. You get the idea!
Meeting with Doctor Mitchell
I was greeted by an immaculately clean facility located inside Life Time Fitness (and I mean, spotless- I couldn't even find a fingerprint). I didn't have to wait long before Dr. Roger Mitchell ("Dr. Roger") came out to greet me. He led me into the office, and as he did so, he walked backwards in front of me, observing how I walked down the hall towards him. My podiatrist had never even done this, so I was secretly impressed.
Do you know that feeling of being in a doctor's office and they kind of rush you through your appointment? Or maybe they don't listen to you, or they dismiss your symptoms or your pain? Dr. Roger sat and listened to every single thing that I said. He took notes, he asked questions, he observed, then asked more questions. He knew what Hashimoto's Disease was, and he did not dismiss a single thing that I mentioned to him.
Dr. Roger checked my reflexes, range of motion, muscle strength and engagement (if you're wondering how this is performed, it's just done by lifting your arms/legs, touching your toes, squatting, turning your head, neck, checking resistance of your muscles, etc.) If you're worried that it will be weird to have someone checking your motion and reflexes, don't. It was a piece of cake.
Then Dr. Roger talked to me about my issues, what he believed to be the cause, and even addressed pain that I thought was unrelated to my back/spine/neck but was actually all connected. I can't express to you what it felt like to be validated, to finally find someone who was listening to me about my pain and issues and had treatment options for them. Then he offered me a treatment on my foot with massage and adjusting, as well as wrapping my foot with rock tape (which made me feel like an Olympic athlete). One thing that really stood out for me was that Dr. Roger said getting a client back to optimum health is a journey that they take together. He said he devises personalized treatment plans and works individually, one on one with his clients. You can book a free consultation to discuss your own issues and see for yourself.
Post Visit
It's only been one day since visiting Dr. Roger but today I was able to take my two mile walk with no pain. This is the best that my foot has felt since my surgery (I still have a long way to go!). I don't have anything to gain by telling you to take a chance and visit if you have the need or are suffering from an injury or chronic pain. I don't make a commission or receive any money for sharing these opinions with you. But I know that I put myself on the back burner for quite some time now, and it took this visit for me to understand that I need to take care of myself- that my health and the way I feel matters. And most importantly, getting back to my optimum health is not a journey that I have to take alone.
 |
| "There's hope!" says this momma. |
Stay Connected
If you want to learn more about LifeClinic, be sure to visit their website and find a location near you (they have locations all over the country). And if you happen to visit Dr. Roger at Life Clinic Bridgewater, please tell him The Jersey Momma sent you!
LifeClinic website: https://www.lifeclinics.us/
LifeClinic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeclinic.life/
LifeClinic on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeclinicUS
LifeClinic Bridgewater, NJ: https://www.lifeclinics.us/bridgewater-new-jersey-lifeclinic-chiropractic-rehabilitation/
