YOU know it: whether you are married to or dating him, or you ARE him! Choosing the right doctor can be the difference between a chronic ache each time it rains and living the dream of playing shortstop for just one more year- one more year… 

I taught kickbox fitness classes for about 9 years, and had apparently torn a muscle in my back pretty early on. But I ignored it, just iced it when it hurt, and ended up years later with a visible, painful knot of scar tissue that could no longer be ignored. I saw 4 different sports medicine doctors in as many years. After months of treatment, it was always the same story: they would be able to relieve the pain for a week or so using the typical treatments, but I was basically told to live with it, take Aleve, see them twice a week with a $30 copay for the rest of my life- NOT. Then along came Dr. Nagel… 

His wife actually led me to him- she attended my fitness classes and noticed my discomfort. She told me I should see her husband, he could definitely help. Since I figured it couldn’t get any worse, I gave Dr. Nagel a shot. In just about 4 ½ months, the pain and the lump- were gone. GONE. I couldn’t believe that the discomfort I’d been living with all day every day for years simply wasn’t there anymore! This is starting to sound like an infomercial... 

The difference was his methodology- ART- (Active Release Techniques) and a very innovative & effective treatment called the Graston Technique®. I won’t bother explaining either (like I really could, geez!) all I know is that it works. It’s often performed on professional athletes who constantly tear and re-tear the same muscles, have overuse soft tissue injuries, and need to be back to 100- no – 110% as quickly as possible. Since Dr. Nagel is the team chiropractor for the Washington Capitals, he’s quite in tune with the physical as well as the emotional recovery that athletes and fitness professionals fight through- weekend warriors included! I won’t lie- it was painful progress. If he wasn’t actually making that lump of pain go away, I would have dreaded my appointments. And, it didn’t hurt that he is easy on the eyes… what? I’m married- not dead!

Anyway, he knew how to treat my specific injury according to my lifestyle needs- he didn’t reach into his textbook and follow a treatment formula for “scar tissue build up near scapula.” Dr. Nagel listened to me. He asked about my daily activities, if I worked on a computer, what I wanted to be able to do that I couldn’t do now, or had pain while doing. All of this determined not just how he would treat my problem, but how he would be able to keep it from affecting what I wanted to in my everyday life.

I was able to teach fitness classes- without pain- 5 months later, and although other factors made me decide to move away from kickboxing- (bad ankles- you’ll see my surgeon’s review if I’m walking again by May!) simple things like typing, lifting, sleeping- were no longer activities to just tolerate- they became and effortless part of my day.

But you don't have to have a sports-related issue to benefit from a visit to CHHC Sports Medicine; there are many other services that Dr. Nagel provides. For example, Olga Sharova of OlgaYoga offers private yoga instruction here as well- a huge benefit (in many cases) when it comes to speeding up your recovery. Dr. Nagel's website gives you a clear idea as to whether he can “fix what ails ya.” But if you’ve tolerated discomfort and pain with no success from different doctors- give him a call. There’s a difference in his care, technique, follow up, and most important: results.  

As an active 30-something, I know that it only takes something as simple as trying to impress your son with a slide into home or wow your daughter that you can still do a cheerleading jump to land in a doctor’s office for months of treatments!  Save yourself the frustration of searching for a doctor that can get results… Dr. Nagel at CHHC Sports Medicine~ 

Passes with Flying Colors!    

www.drdoug.biz

Dr. Douglas Nagel (Certified)
46960 Cedar Lake Plaza, Ste. 150
Sterling, VA, 20164
(703) 444-7613

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4238 Wilson Blvd, Ste. 2264
Arlington, VA 22203
703-778-2880