Sports chiropractic care for runners, lifters, weekend athletes and anyone who trains — built around how you move and what you’re training for. Same-day appointments are often available — a doctor is in the office six days a week.
Book NowAt The Shift Chiropractic, we see runners, lifters, weekend players and people getting back to training after time off.
Whether you’re lifting heavier, running farther, or getting back to a sport you used to play, a visit starts with your training: what you’re doing, how much, and what changed before something started bothering you.
Care is delivered by Dr. Ben Glass and Dr. Irina Velichko — both see sports visits. Dr. Ben sees patients Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 am and Saturday mornings, in English and Spanish. Dr. Irina sees patients Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in English and Russian; her focus is shifting to the extremities (shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle and foot), which is where many sports problems show up. Which doctor should I see?
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Sports chiropractic looks past the sore spot to how you move. At The Shift, Dr. Irina Velichko and Dr. Ben Glass look at your training load and at the joints above and below the problem, as well as the area that hurts.
That means asking why the shoulder rotates short, why the hip compensates, why the knee complains in the last mile. Answering those questions is most of the work.
Every session is specific to the patient in front of us. A runner doesn't need the same assessment as a CrossFit lifter, and neither gets a one-size-fits-all adjustment protocol.
Runners, including many who run Lake Merritt, often come in with the same short list: a knee that complains late in a run, a tight hip, an ankle or foot that limits mileage. For runners, the assessment looks at hip, knee and ankle mechanics, your training load and recent changes, and your footwear, as well as the spot that hurts.
The office at 8th and Broadway is about a 12-minute walk from Lake Merritt BART. Dr. Ben starts at 7:30 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is in Saturdays from 7:30 am to 1 pm, so a visit can fit around a morning run. More in our guide to running and chiropractic care in Oakland.
Wondering whether ice and rest are enough after an injury? Read why Oakland athletes don’t just ice it and rest.
You don’t have to be a competitive athlete. People who come in for sports care include:
Hip, knee and ankle mechanics, training load and footwear.
Shoulders, hips and the thoracic spine under load.
Pickleball, basketball, soccer, tennis — the sports people play on the weekend and feel on Monday.
Teens and adults rebuilding after a sprain, strain, or surgical recovery.
Anyone experiencing reduced range of motion, chronic tightness, or a body that feels stuck.
We meet you where you are — whether that's recovering from a strain or working toward your next personal best.
Problems athletes commonly bring in. Each one gets a full assessment first, and you’ll be told if it needs someone other than a chiropractor.
Impingement, strain, and reduced overhead range — common in lifters, swimmers, and throwing athletes.
Including tennis and golfer’s elbow. Repetitive-use strain, assessed along with the shoulder and neck as well as the arm.
The hip, pelvis and lower back take part in nearly every athletic movement, so we check them even when the complaint is a knee or a shoulder.
Patellofemoral pain, IT band issues, and meniscal irritation common in runners and court athletes.
Foot and ankle problems that limit training volume and often indicate an issue higher up the kinetic chain.
Not injured, but not progressing? It’s worth checking how your joints are moving under load.
Not sure if your issue qualifies? Book a consultation — we'll tell you honestly whether chiropractic is the right tool for your situation, or whether you need a referral somewhere else.
Your first visit usually runs up to an hour. It covers your history and your training, a movement assessment and neurological screening, and a conversation about what we found before any adjustment.
Care combines precise adjustments, soft tissue work (myofascial release, as part of the visit) and specific drills to do at the gym or at home. You’ll get clear guidance on what to keep doing, what to change and what to pause. Follow-up visits are shorter.
Dr. Ben is in Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 am and every Saturday 7:30 am–1 pm; Dr. Irina is in Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call or text (510) 858-5370, or book online, at our Downtown Oakland chiropractic office, 435 8th Street #203.
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Feel the Shift:
Your history, your training and how you move, before anything is adjusted.
A runner and a lifter don’t get the same assessment or the same plan.
Specific drills and training changes you can start the same day.
Whether you're training for something specific or just want your body to stop getting in your way, sports chiropractic at The Shift starts with listening to what you’re training for, and what’s getting in the way.
Schedule AppointmentChiropractic care built around how you train: your sport, your training load and how you move, along with the area that’s bothering you. Visits combine assessment, adjusting, soft tissue work and specific exercises.
No. Runners, cyclists, lifters, weekend players, people returning from an injury and people who just feel stiff all come in for sports care.
Shoulder and rotator cuff pain, elbow and wrist strain (including tennis and golfer’s elbow), hip and low back problems, runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis and ankle problems, among others.
It depends on what the assessment finds. You’ll get specific guidance on what to keep doing, what to change and what to pause, and why.
Yes. Dr. Ben Glass starts at 7:30 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays and is in every Saturday from 7:30 am to 1 pm.
Either. Both doctors see sports visits. Dr. Ben Glass sees patients Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 am and Saturday mornings, in English and Spanish. Dr. Irina Velichko sees patients Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in English and Russian; her focus is shifting to the extremities: shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, ankle and foot.
We don’t bill insurance directly. You can use HSA or FSA funds, and we can provide a superbill if you’d like to submit for out-of-network reimbursement yourself. Some employers offer wellness benefits that can help cover chiropractic care. Check with your HR team.