Little Silver Family Chiropractic Has Soldiers Backs

On April 16, the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC) teamed with a U.S. Army Community outreach program Army OneSource to provide free chiropractic care to returning veterans who served us so valiantly in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

The result, the “Healing Hands 4 Heroes Program,” commits member doctors to not only treating returning veterans free of charge, but also to bringing notoriety and understanding to the multitude of challenges soldiers face in fighting for their country.

In June, Little Silver Family Chiropractic & Dr. Kosta Linardakis joined the ranks of practices eager to participate in the program and give back to the men and women who were deployed several times overseas.

In agreeing to participate in the program, Dr. Linardakis echoed the program’s mission, saying, “I am trying to bring awareness to the cause so people fully understand what soldiers are doing for this country. They don’t get enough credit in the media. Providing the chiropractic care is my way of giving back and thanking them.”

In honoring their commitment, participating chiropractic physicians must treat soldiers for a minimum of 60 days as well as take online Continuing Education Units. These courses or CEUs instruct doctors how to fully understand and treat the stresses and injuries that arise from military service.

Carrying incredibly heavy backpacks, not sleeping well and experiencing the psychological traumas of war can cause both physical and emotional pain. Veterans experiencing feelings of depression, irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness and alcohol abuse, among countless other maladies, may benefit from the chiropractic care offered.

Dr. Linardakis explained how soldiers can recover with treatment:  “Chiropractic aims to help the body get pain free and stay healthy without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractors work to correct misalignments or “subluxations” of the spine in order to relieve things like pressure and stiffness, ultimately improving range of motion and insuring that the body works at its optimal level both mentally and physically.”

As a strong model organization with a recently redefined scope of practice, the ANJC was a great launching point for this type of program. Hopefully, in the future, other states will develop equally powerful associations capable of teaming with similar, altruistic government initiatives.

In the meantime, Dr. Linardakis and the other participating chiropractors hope to spread the word of this amazing program. Veterans deserve to not only feel their best, but also to know that many Americans are proud of their service and grateful for their sacrifice.