The doctors at Living Well Chiropractic are highly skilled in the detection and correction of spinal problems and In the development of long-term health.
Dr. David Shahar, DC, PhD
I have always taken great pleasure in helping my patients achieve their full physical potential, by relieving the pain and stress acquired in daily life. The core principle of chiropractic is to optimize musculoskeletal and nerve function, thus allowing the body to self-relieve pain and stress. I have seen many of my patients obtain immediate relief, and others progress over a few sessions as their bodies perform better. Seeing that has always been a source of wonderment to me. But soon I realised I could do much more for many of my patients.
From my teenage years, I always pushed myself to excel at sports and physical fitness which in turn led me to try and understand more about the human body, especially bones, joints and nerves. Naturally, as time went by I was drawn to research and a desire to help others. I qualified as a Doctor of Chiropractic in Los Angeles in 1998 and also completed the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians Programme a year later. While I am now an experienced chiropractor, I am also a researcher at the School of Health and Sports Sciences at USC, QLD. My research focus is on bone and joint decay. Manuscripts which I have authored has already been published in prestigious medical journals such as ‘Journal of Anatomy’, ‘Scientific Reports – Nature’, Spine and ‘Clinical Biomechanics’ to name a few.
My wife Valerie and I have always maintained a full-service practice, with our own x-ray machines, meaning we are able to do our own X-rays without sending patients away to have this procedure done. It also meant that over the years I was able to build an amazing reference library of patients physical bone and joint issues which I could study. With my commitment to clinical and theoretical research, it became evident to me that there was a poor posture epidemic with many implications and repercussions on human health and appearance. I soon realised that many of my patients’ problems could have been prevented, and for those who already had problems, many of their problems could now be reduced by simple, practical, and effective methods to improve poor posture.
If you would like to discuss pain relief, postural issues that you or any members of your family may have, or are just concerned about your children and the bad postural habits that they are forming in the new technological era we find ourselves in, please book a session to come and talk with me so that we can find better solutions and options for you and your family.
Dr. Valerie Shahar, Doctor of Chiropractic
People often ask why I chose to become a chiropractor and how come I am so compassionate?. At the young age of 19 I hurt my back badly when I slipped and fell at work. The memory feels like it was just yesterday. The pain was terrible and over the next few weeks, like many of my patient experiences, I thought the pain would get better. Instead it just got worse. At first it interfered with my dancing, but eventually it hurt to do just about anything, even simple activities such as putting on my shoes, getting in and out of the car, and anything that involved using my back. I had to do something. I was sent to a walk-in medical clinic where I was told I had a “pinched nerve” in my back, and to take painkillers for three days and the pain would be gone. I left the clinic frustrated because I didn’t want to take drugs that I believed wouldn’t really help me. I then remembered a chiropractor had helped my stepdad and brother in the past. After having a thorough exam, X-rays and an “adjustment” of my spine, I got relief and soon the pain was completely gone and I was able to use my back again. It worked so well, and I was so impressed that I went to chiropractic school myself.
It’s strange how life works, because now people come to see me with their back problems. They also come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder/arm pain, whiplash from car accidents, carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness in their limbs, athletic injuries, just to name a few. Several times a day patients thank me for helping them with their health problems. But I really can’t take the credit. What I do is perform a specific spinal adjustment to remove nerve pressure, and the body responds by healing itself.
I’m a graduate of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (1996). This means I have a Doctorate of Chiropractic, and have completed 7 years of study. After completing my degree I completed a postgraduate in Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician program and actively worked with local sports teams. During the pregnancy of my first son, I pursued my passion to care for pregnant woman and children and completed a second postgraduate course and certification in Pediatrics and am now a Fellow of the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association.
Being a chiropractor and helping people relieve pain and restore their quality of life is so rewarding, it definitely stands at the top with my most important job. That is being a mother to Adi, Maya and Eden, our wonderful children. Their journey as “chiropractic kids”, being adjusted regularly and making “natural” lifestyle choices since birth, makes a huge difference to them, and to our family.
It is the highlight of my 20 years as a practicing chiropractor, that I have been entrusted to take care of entire families, from tiny babies to pregnant mothers and the elderly. I practice with my husband Dr. David, who is a terrific chiropractor. Our assistants are Nina and Charah, and they are both lovely, efficient people. Our offices are both friendly and warm and we try our best to make you feel at home.
