Young Chiropractor Aims to Keep Urbandale Moving

When Chris Janning was looking for a place to open his chiropractic practice, Urbandale seemed to be a good fit.

"It seems like an active, healthy community," said Janning, who grew up in Carroll, Ia. and got his training at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport.

From its recreational youth sports leagues, to its network of parks and trails, to fitness classes for seniors, Urbandale seemed like the city for his Life in Motion Chiropractic practice.

Chiropractic for the Family

Janning envisions a holistic practice for the whole family: "I want to be a source for active healthy families, to help people with an injury get their life back, but also to help keep others moving."

Surprisingly, chiropractic isn't just for the middle-aged to older patients, who may be suffering from sedentary lifestyles, back problems, or injuries due to overexertion.

"Our bodies are designed to be moving all day and there are a lot of desk jobs," he said. "It's the way the world is right now."

The most common symptoms of stresses from sedentary desk jobs are headaches or neck pain.

Janning said he can help clients with basic ergonomic adjustments, tips and exercises they can do to strengthen back muscles or correct rounded shoulders.

"There's tons of things you can do right at your desk," he said.

Low back pain is one of the most common complaints chiropractors hear.

Not Just Manipulations

Chiropractic adjustments can help, but helping patients make lifestyle changes is more effective and that's what Janning would like to focus on with his patients.

"They do the adjustment as the drug they're used to taking for relief," he said. "It's part of the treatment plan, but it's not the whole treatment plan."

Janning works with clients' diet and nutrition, exercise, stress, and posture as part of a treatment plan.

He also can work with children, who may have posture issues or curvature of the spine or may need a chiropractic adjustment after a fall or injury.

He also can help older youth involved in athletics to strengthen muscle groups that will improve their performance.

Weekend athletes also are common visitors to chiropractors' offices and seniors can be helped improve mobility despite arthritis, muscle weakness, or old injuries. 

"Anyone who notices a decrease in their lifestyle, we try to help them get back to what they're doing," he said.

Janning himself is active in mountain biking and rode RAGBRAI a couple of years ago. He and his wife, Ali, set up a booth at the Bike Expo in downtown Des Moines last month and are reaching out to various sports and recreation organizations. 

Jannings currently shares office space with Anderson Family Chiropractic. He opened his practice in November