What we treat.
How we treat it.
Why it works.

The most common complaint in musculoskeletal care — and the most mismanaged. Back pain rarely starts in the back. It starts as a compensation pattern that finally ran out of capacity. Low back pain, SI joint dysfunction, disc herniations, degenerative disc and joint disease, sciatica: all of these have a mechanism upstream of where they hurt.

We identify the structural and movement patterns driving the load into the area, release what's held, restore what's inhibited, and give you a clear protocol for what comes next. If you've had injections, imaging, PT, chiropractic, or surgery that didn't hold; that's exactly when to call us. More on back pain & sciatica →

Cervical mechanics are upstream of more complaints than most people realize. Neck restriction doesn't just cause neck pain — it's a primary driver of headaches, jaw dysfunction, shoulder referral patterns, and arm symptoms. Fix the cervical mechanics, and a surprising number of downstream complaints resolve with it.

Whiplash in particular is chronically undertreated. The initial injury disrupts cervical and upper thoracic mechanics in ways that compound over years if the full pattern isn't addressed early. Post-concussion presentations frequently arrive with an undertreated whiplash component; the neurological symptoms get attention while the cervical and upper thoracic mechanics that took the same impact get left behind. We address both. More on neck pain & whiplash →

Shoulder conditions are among the most mismanaged in musculoskeletal care — not because they're complicated, but because they're being looked at wrong. The mechanism is almost never where the shoulder is. Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), rotator cuff tears, impingement, and calcific tendinopathy are typically driven by cervical mechanics, thoracic restriction, and scapular dyskinesis — not by a shoulder that spontaneously decided to fail.

We use Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) for calcific shoulder and chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy that hasn't responded to other treatment. It's one of the best-evidenced interventions for these specific presentations and was part of Dr. Cohen's work at the Olympic Training Center. More on shoulder pain →

Hip and SI joint dysfunction is one of the most common root causes we find in patients who came in for knee or back pain. The hip is the load transfer center of the body. When it's restricted or inhibited, everything above and below it compensates, and eventually something gives.

Knee pain is rarely a knee problem. It's a load transfer problem — from the hip, the foot, or both. We find where the chain broke. Patellofemoral syndrome, runner's knee, IT band issues, meniscus irritation: these are all compensation outcomes. Treating the knee alone is why knee pain keeps coming back. More on knee pain →

A sprained ankle that keeps re-spraining isn't bad luck; it's a stability pattern that never got corrected the first time. Plantar fasciitis that doesn't resolve with rest and stretching has a load driver somewhere in the chain above it. The foot is where the kinetic chain meets the ground. If it's not working right, nothing above it is either. More on ankle & foot pain →

Jaw dysfunction is one of the most underreferred conditions in chiropractic; it's also one of the most satisfying to treat. Cervical mechanics drive TMJ more often than people expect. Most patients are surprised it's even on the menu. Most leave surprised it resolved faster than anything they tried before.

If you've been told it's stress, fitted for a night guard, or referred to a dentist who couldn't find a structural cause; there's a good chance the driver is in your neck, not your jaw. We work closely with dentists in the Bay Area — and receive referrals from them — precisely because the cervical component of jaw dysfunction sits outside their scope. More on TMJ & jaw pain →

Most headaches with a musculoskeletal component are driven by cervical restriction, suboccipital tension, or upper thoracic mechanics. They feel like head pain. They're neck problems. Treating them with medication manages the symptom. Treating the cervical pattern removes the source. More on headaches →

The ProActive diagnostic system was built on a training field — literally. Dr. Cohen has worked with Team USA athletes at Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, Southern California, and upstate New York. He has provided field support at the North Face Endurance Challenge and Western States 100 — two of the most demanding endurance events in the world. He's worked CalFire during wildfire operations and provided care at refugee camps in Rwanda, hospitals in Uganda and Hyderabad, and a Red Cross field clinic in Mexico. That experience doesn't stay on the field. It's the diagnostic standard applied to every patient.

Whether you're a competitive athlete, a weekend warrior, a runner trying to stay consistent, or someone who just wants to keep doing the thing they love — the diagnostic approach is the same. You don't need to be elite to deserve elite-level assessment. More on sports chiropractic, running injuries, and Hyrox training.

Sitting is a loading pattern. Eight hours a day, five days a week, your body is running a postural compensation program — and eventually it sends a bill. We don't just treat what hurts. We evaluate the workstation mechanics and movement habits creating it.

eSports and competitive gaming produce real repetitive strain injuries — wrist, elbow, shoulder, and cervical — that respond well to the same treatment used for traditional sports injuries. We don't laugh at this. We treat it.

The conditions above aren't the whole list; they're the most commonly searched. Here's what else comes through the door.

Not sure if your situation fits? Call or text (415) 762-8141. If it's not the right fit, we'll tell you and point you somewhere better.