Matt Devoe, DC (Empire City Chiropractic)

Reviews (1)

• Chronic back issues

  September 2018

  I’m sorry to hear of your troubles. I highly recommend continued chiropractic care but also maybe a slight change in outlook: this may not be something that is ever, simply, ‘fixed’ but something you manage for the long haul. As for a referral, I’ve been to good and bad chiropractors, and for the past ~4 years, a GREAT one: Dr. Matt Devoe of Empire City Chiropractic. Yes, he is worth the schlep to midtown (45th Street). He’s incredibly intuitive and a great communicator...He also just kind of has magic hands. With my own back problems, and with Dr Matt’s help, I’ve been able to identify that it’s usually not a single incident that causes tension/flare ups, but accumulated stress. 75% of the time, that’s related to sitting (which in my case is work-related); ergonomics are the real deal and Dr Matt is good at helping identify ways to improve the ergonomics of your home/work situation. In my case, he also recommends good stretches which, in conjunction with at-home electro stim (TENS), provide relief, if not prevent further tension/compression. Back to ergonomics: there was one single improvement I made, which was a game changer: I picked up a HAG Capisco chair. As chairs go, they are quite ugly but incredibly comfortable and encourage good posture/movement. It’s that continued movement which helps me reduce pain and manage the problem on an ongoing basis (in between adjustments). HAGs can also be very expensive, but I picked one up from Craigslist for $100. Laptops are also BRUTAL on the back (really the whole body), so if I have to work on mine for more than 30mins, I use it at a table, with a riser, wrist supports, and a full keyboard/mouse. Not the most convenient method, but still portable! I don’t know how people work hunched over a laptop all day...it just causes so much tension. I have a family member whose life was ruined by opiates prescribed for chronic back pain. That being a very risky treatment (which only addresses the symptom and not the cause, btw), I would encourage you to seek a more holistic treatment and outlook. It will no doubt require patience and a willingness to learn/adapt, but in my case it has been well worth it.