Doctors Alison Rodgers and Nicholas Bush are taking a crack at chiropractic care.
The couple began practicing in January at Etzl Chiropractic at 41 Dietz St. in Oneonta.
“I’m working as an associate, so I have my own patients and my own schedule, but I’m still out of the same office … and Nick is also an associate,” Rodgers, 25, said. “I’m from Oswego and Nick is from Otego, and we met in chiropractic school and started dating, so that’s how we ended up back in this area.”
Rodgers said becoming a chiropractor dovetailed personal and professional interests.
“I have always been really into STEM fields in general and, in undergrad, I pursued some biochemistry and then switched to biochemical engineering, and I knew I was close (to what I wanted),” she said. “I realized our school was an hour away from where I lived and I thought that was the perfect fit of still being a doctor, but getting to do something that doesn’t just involve writing a prescription and sending them on their way. Someone can walk in in excruciating pain and you treat them, and they walk out feeling great. It’s not always that immediate, but knowing I am helping someone get out of pain is what drew me into it.
“And, growing up, I played ice hockey, so I had my fair share of injuries and aches and pains,” Rodgers continued. “I grew up seeing a chiropractor, so I knew firsthand the patient side of how much it helps and what a big difference it can make, so that was a big influence, too.”
Rodgers said she and Bush approach patient care holistically.
“A really interesting thing about chiropractics is, there’s so many different ways to practice,” she said. “If you see three different medical doctors for your yearly physical, you’re going to get pretty much the same experience, where, with three chiropractors, you’re going to get three different experiences, which has its downsides and plus sides.
“I focus a lot more on motion and function, rather than just saying, ‘This bone is out, let’s put it back in,’” Rodgers continued. “It’s, ‘Let’s work on motion and addressing soft tissue complaints.’ A lot of the time, (chiropractors) adjust you and you feel great, but by the time you get to your car in the parking lot, it hurts again. In chiropractor school, they really harped on, ‘Don’t chase pain,’ which makes so much sense. You can spend years and years treating the back of the leg, but if the pain is the SI joint or a disc injury in their back, you’ve got to think of the patient as a whole. We’re much more than our pain and just a joint issue; we’re so interconnected, and that’s something that Dr. Bush and myself do that sets us apart from a lot of chiropractors, doing things like muscle work and stretching and exercise, and that helps us get longer-lasting results.”
That approach, Rodgers said, is resonating with their growing clientele.
“It’s been a lot of work trying to get your name out there and do what you need to do as far as networking goes, and building referrals, so it’s nice to see that rolling over into actual practice,” she said. “Business is picking up, and you’re seeing patients you’ve made feel better, and they tell a coworker and they tell someone. It’s nice to get that word-of-mouth, because that’s how people hear of you; it’s building relationships in the community.
“The majority of patients are definitely local right here in Oneonta, but we have people that do travel in from Walton and Otego and surrounding areas,” Rodgers continued. “One thing that is nice, especially with having three different doctors (in the office) is, I find I treat a lot of women. Personally, I feel more comfortable seeing female providers … and I’ve been treating a lot of women, which has been really nice, because I’m one of really few female chiropractors in the area and, with it being a male-dominated profession, it’s nice to be another option for women or parents bringing their children in. But, as far as demographics go, really anybody with a body can stand to benefit from chiropractic.”
Rodgers said she hopes to expand on that momentum.
“One area I’d love to get in to more is athletics, having grown up playing sports,” she said. “I do treat a few local college and high school athletes, but would love to eventually work with an actual sports team or organization.
“An extra long-term goal is owning my own practice and having my own clinic, wherever that may be,” Rodgers continued. “We just got started here, so it is really great to experience and just learn. There is so much to learn on the business side that you don’t get in school. Dr. Etzl has been so helpful, with getting our licensure and getting us in-network with insurance companies, so it’s great to have someone you can learn from, rather than going out and trying to figure it out on your own right away. We are accepting new patients and we have same-day availability, which people are absolutely blown away by, and we do accept pretty much every major insurance.”
For more information or to make an appointment with Rodgers or Bush, call Etzl Chiropractic at 607-431-9191. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.