What Is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care is a hands-on, non-surgical approach to diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions — primarily those affecting the spine, joints, and nervous system. Chiropractors are doctors of chiropractic (DC) who complete four years of chiropractic college following an undergraduate degree, with a minimum of 4,200 clinical hours of training.
The foundation of chiropractic is the spinal adjustment — a precise, controlled force applied to a joint that has become restricted or misaligned. This restores normal joint mobility, reduces nerve irritation, and triggers a chain of beneficial effects throughout the musculoskeletal system. Modern chiropractic practice integrates spinal manipulation with soft tissue therapy, therapeutic exercise, and patient education for comprehensive, lasting care.
Chiropractic Services at Pittsburgh Physical Medicine
- Spinal adjustment & manipulation — precise, high-velocity low-amplitude thrust techniques to restore joint mobility in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine
- Extremity adjusting — shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle joint manipulation for extremity pain and dysfunction
- Graston Technique (IASTM) — instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization to break down scar tissue, adhesions, and myofascial restrictions
- Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) — high-energy acoustic wave treatment for chronic tendinopathy, calcific tendinitis, and stubborn soft tissue conditions
- Myofascial release — manual soft tissue techniques to release muscle tension and fascial restrictions
- Trigger point therapy — deactivating the myofascial trigger points that refer pain into the neck, head, and extremities
- Corrective exercise — personalized exercise prescriptions to reinforce chiropractic corrections and prevent recurrence
- Postural assessment & correction — identifying and correcting the postural patterns driving chronic pain
Conditions Our Chiropractors Treat
Dr. Foltz and Dr. O'Mara treat the full range of musculoskeletal conditions at our East Liberty clinic:
- Back pain — lower, mid, and upper back, including disc herniations and sciatica
- Neck pain — cervical disc issues, facet dysfunction, and tech neck
- Headaches and migraines — particularly tension and cervicogenic headaches
- Shoulder pain — rotator cuff issues, impingement, and AC joint dysfunction
- Hip and knee pain — joint dysfunction and soft tissue conditions
- Auto accident injuries — whiplash, cervical strain, and spinal trauma
- Sports injuries — from Pittsburgh's runners, cyclists, and athletes
- Work injuries — occupational musculoskeletal conditions
- Posture-related pain — upper and lower crossed syndrome
Why Pittsburgh Physical Medicine for Chiropractic Care
What makes us different: At most chiropractic offices, you see the chiropractor for a few minutes and an aide handles the rest. At Pittsburgh Physical Medicine, Dr. Foltz or Dr. O'Mara spends the entire session with you — every visit. Combined with our on-site physical therapy (Dr. Crockatt, DPT), we offer coordinated chiro + PT care under one roof that no single-discipline practice can match.
Both Dr. Foltz and Dr. O'Mara bring unique backgrounds to their chiropractic practice. Dr. Foltz, a University of Pittsburgh and Palmer College graduate, specializes in Graston technique and shockwave therapy alongside precise spinal adjustment. Dr. O'Mara's biomedical engineering background from RIT gives him a deeply analytical approach to movement mechanics and sports rehabilitation. Together, they cover the full spectrum of chiropractic patient needs.
