MY STORY
My problem began way back in high school. I’ll never forget the day I did a power clean while training for my upcoming season of college football and felt a sharp pain in my lower back. As any 18 year old would do, I completely ignored the problem and proceeded to work concrete construction as a laborer for the rest of that summer.
Fast forward a couple years, I was a young man who could not stand for any length of time without back pain and was now having trouble lifting weights the way I could before. I was at Sac State at the time in the Kinesiology program and learning about the mechanics of the human body, but could not seem to help myself. Finally, I decided to see the physician at the Sac State clinic because the back wasn’t getting better. This experience was my first introduction to how conventional medicine handles back pain. The doctor was an older gentleman with a grumpy disposition, complete lack of empathy who looked at me for about 5 minutes then prescribed me with a bottle of pills and no further instructions. WOW! To say I was disappointed was an understatement. I got my prescription, then put the pills in my bathroom drawer and never took a single one.
Then, another injury…I severely sprained my ankle while playing basketball, to the point where I couldn’t walk. A friend of mine drove to me the closest Urgent Care center which PROMPTLY DENIED ME ACCESS TO CARE BECAUSE OF MY INSURANCE, even though I couldn’t walk. Then I was driven to the ER where I waited 6 hours in severe pain only to be seen by the doctor for 5 minutes and given an aircast and no further instructions.
At this point, I was livid with conventional medicine, although I understood that they save many lives every year and I have the utmost respect for medical doctors, I thought there really must be a better way to deal with musculoskeletal injuries like back pain and sports injuries. Though I was frustrated, I understood that the means they have for treatment is drugs and surgery and though many doctors mean well, they don’t have the tools that I needed. I figured Compassion would have been nice, but doctors are swamped with patients.
Fast forward a couple of years, I was still dealing with injuries and pain with my exercise. At this point, I was a pre-physical therapy student, but not digging the internships I was doing because at the time the physical therapy I was observing was very vanilla and very BORING! Again, I thought there has to be more we can do for people than give them the same four exercises. (as a side, the field of PT has evolved, and I regularly refer to GOOD PTs who do great work).
So in my searching, I finally came across Chiropractic. I was working with someone who had a cousin who was a Chiropractor, and she thought I should go check him out. Now, I had heard about Chiropractors and was in school for conventional physical therapy, so I had a lot of skepticism around chiropractic. A LOT OF SKEPTICISM!
I will never forget the first time I saw an adjustment; it blew my mind! Immediately I knew this is what I had been searching for to help myself and to help other people. The first time I was adjusted I was able to move better than I had since high school and I distinctly remembered that I was able to turn my head to my shoulder, something I was not able to do for a long time. I immediately contacted Palmer West Chiropractic College and began the process of becoming a Chiropractor because I wanted to help people the way that my chiropractor was helping people…and me:)!
Since my introduction to Chiropractic, I have had the great pleasure of working with thousands of patients with back pain and other ailments. Given my own experience, I have a complete picture of what it takes to get people off the infuriating treadmill of back pain. My problems have inspired me to put thousands of hours of my own time and energy into developing complete programs for people who want the great benefit of living life with less pain. It is my mission to help as many people experience the changes that I have undergone in my body and mind and to help people move like they are young again.
- Bear River High School 1998
- Sacramento State University 2004
- Bear River High School 1998
- Palmer College Of Chiropractic West 2007
- Licensed by California
Dr. Sandy Bell, D.C. is from Grass Valley California where he grew up and went to high school and developed a love for athletics. He was a co-captain of his high school football team and an all-league offensive lineman. He then moved on to college at Santa Barbara City College where he was an honorable mention on the defensive line despite being one of the smallest linemen in his league. Dr. Bell graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sacramento State with a degree in Kinesiology. Due to his passion and love for sports Dr. Bell then went on to Palmer West Chiropractic College where he could study sports medicine and become an expert in injury and sports care. He is a family man, married to his beautiful wife and they share a passion for the outdoors and traveling with their little daughter and Golden Retriever Moose (who you may find lounging around the office).
Awards:
- Valedictorian Palmer West Chiropractic College
- Sports Council excellence in on field participation
- CCA award for service to the Women’s Wellspring Shelter in Oak Park for dedicated service to the ladies there.
Certificates:
- Full body Active Release Technique certified
