Shephard Clinic Of The Chiropractic Arts

I’ve been going here for a few years now, and Dr Shepherd is the best chiro I’ve been to. I also like that he actually doesn’t ‘pop’ your back like most chiro’ do. They took X-​rays before and after three months. You could already tell a difference in my scoliosis.
Sometimes they’re running behind but it’s worth the wait. They also have a patient appreciation day, where you bring in can foods that they donate. I enjoy supporting a great cause, and it helps when your instance doesn’t cover you for chiropractic service.
They have parking which is awesome for the area. If you’re new in the area and need this service I definitely recommend it.

I began seeing Dr. Shephard last December 2014 based on the description of his controlled force technique on his website. I have osteoporosis and was recovering from a broken hip and surgery the spring before, resulting in a total hip replacement. Though I had seen a regular chiropractor for almost 15 years, I was concerned about continuing with regular adjustments given how fragile my bones were and the instability of my new hip. So the low impact idea made a lot of sense to me.
I wasn’t disappointed. His controlled force was very gentle but very effective. Within a couple of visits, my back was rebalanced and tender spots had vanished. Best of all, he noticed that my leg length was uneven and took an x-​ray that showed my right hip quite elevated and a leg length difference in which the right leg was a full inch longer than the left.
This finding was quite significant because, in the six months since my surgery, I had asked my surgeon and my physical therapist several times about what felt like a leg length difference. Such a difference is fairly common after hip surgery. But they both denied any significant difference, so I went my lop-​sided way as I trained myself to walk again.
However, when Dr. Shephard took an actual x-​ray, rather than just trying to measure the legs, the difference was pretty striking. He continued treatments to rebalance me and recommended that I have an extension added to the sole of my left shoes. That extension was a full ⁷⁄₈ inch. Now I can walk comfortably without the low back pain and strain that imbalance had caused. In fact, my back has responded so well to his treatments that within a few months, I was able to get adjustments on as «as needed» basis.
In addition, he recommended a colleague of his named Josh Kernen, a physical therapist at nearby Bridgetown Physical Therapy. Kernen designed a routine of exercises to help rebuild the bone density of my spine and hips and worked with me in tandem with my chiropractic treatments. A recent bone density test showed significant gains surely due in part to the exercises. So Dr. Shephard’s recommendation was key to improving my osteoporosis.
Dr Shephard is very knowledgeable and does a thorough check of bones and muscles and ligaments with every adjustment. He listens carefully and respectfully to me and is always compassionate about any pains I might be experiencing or any questions I might have. The staff at the front desk are equally pleasant and respectful, which isn’t always the case in many doctors’ offices. And it’s great fun to see how the skeleton in the front hall is dressed on any given day! Sometimes it’s in a football jersey and sometimes dressed up for Halloween.
I would enthusiastically recommend Dr. Shephard to anyone looking for an excellent chiropractor. But, most especially, he would be essential for anyone with osteoporosis or other conditions affecting the bones, or for anyone who is elderly, or anyone recovering from an injury, accident, or surgery.

I have been wanting to write a review since I started seeing Dr Tomaino several weeks ago. I guess I just wanted to spend time thinking about all the things I wanted to include.
I’ll start with the front desk staff. I have never been to any clinic or medical facility with this level of perfection when it comes to professionalism. I’ve always wondered why so many amazing doctors employ unfriendly & unprofessional support staff. This is the first place I haven’t had to wonder that, or feel uncomfortable in the waiting room (not that I’ve ever «waited» longer than 3 seconds). The girls at the front desk greet me and everyone else immediately whether I’m walking in or walking back from treatment. No matter what they are doing (and they are always busy), they always look up, smile and greet me. I see Lexi the most often, and she is such a perfect balance of friendly and professional. I believe that healing starts in the front room and the support staff is a big part of the healing process. It’s so important to start off positive! So, thank you Lexi!
When I first started seeing Dr Tomaino, I was in a lot of pain. I had severe lower back, shoulder, and neck pain and could barely stand up and walk. I had injured myself and my pain was acute. He was so gentle, kind, and effective! And punctual! I’ve never had to wait– it’s crazy! I have improved with every single treatment which is awesome because pain is so annoying to live with.
I am so grateful to everyone who I’ve come into contact with there. I have to include the massage therapists– wow. They are so good at what they do. Punctual, effective, and kind.
The bottom line? Everyone here is amazing. The team is a good one. Everyone seems to enjoy what they do and so they are positive and that definitely affects the patients and treatments.

After years of wrist pain and weakness from a work injury I visited Dr. Gerhart, his gentle treatments really fixed my pain, and quickly. I trust Dr. Gerhart with my treatments and I haven’t felt this good in a long time.

On my second visit to Dr. Shephard’s office, he brought in X-​rays he’d taken on my first. He is an affable gentleman with an engaging smile, but he knew I suspected his news would not be good. I’d been having upper back and neck pains for some time, and they’d been growing significantly worse.
My upper vertebrae, it turns out, have degenerated, probably from a backwards fall down a flight of stairs about 10 years ago. The curve of my upper spine, at the neck, did not continue on a normal, healthy arc, but shifted forward, which probably influenced my bad posture, and my pain. Putting on my humor-​as-​defense-​mechanism movie voice, I asked, «Can you fix me, Doc?»
He said that he could, but that I’d have to be careful about how I lived my life moving forward, and that I should never again have my neck manipulated manually, in the traditional chiropractic method.
It’s difficult to imagine the devices Dr. Shephard uses as anything other than the child’s plastic ray-​gun or super soaker they resemble. I’d first been exposed to them about six years ago by my chiropractor in New Orleans who used them along with manual manipulation, so perhaps I was less skeptical than I typically am.
While I can’t speak for everyone, what I can say is this: We decided to start me out on a twice a week regimen of visits for three weeks. We just finished the second week, and Dr. Shephard said, «Let’s go to once a week. Take a week and a half and see how you feel.»
I feel better than I have in months. My posture is better, my neck pain all but gone. I’m hugely grateful to this man who doesn’t insist on too many visits (as many in the field are known to do) to secure more payment. Not that he has to: this guy is busy!
In spite of his being very busy, I feel treated personally and personably. We chuckle over a variety of topics as he works his space-​age devices up and down my spine. Lexi, his receptionist, is pleasant, attentive, and professional, something that’s becoming more and more difficult to find in Portland these days. The prices (I don’t use my insurance) are reasonable, and the results in my case have been quickly, and positively, noticeable.
As I was getting ready to leave his office this past Friday, Dr. Shephard recounted something he told his son on the morning he was to begin life as a firefighter: «If you’re in a situation where you have a choice between greater risk and lesser risk, choose the lesser risk.»
This is exactly the sort of philosophy you want your chiropractor to have.

I wanted to write this review in hopes that it might help someone else. About 20 years ago I had two neck surgeries as a result of multiple car accidents. The surgeons inserted bone plugs between my C4 & C5, then C5 & C6 vertebrates along with a titanium plate to stabilize the neck. After the surgeries I had the traditional rehabilitation, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, and the state deemed me disabled. Basically saying there was nothing more they can do for me.
My children were young and I had to care of my family. I didn’t take advantage of any state aide, worked, and continued as an ordinary citizen. The pain was in check until recently. Maybe because I am older and my body isn’t able to cope with the back pain and changes that were happening for the worst. I had pain that radiated from the middle of my back on the left side all the way to the top of my head, down my left arm, and down to my toes. On many occasions my left foot would spasm and lock until the spasms subsided.
For mother’s day last year, my husband gave me a massage. The massage therapist, Nicole, sensed something was wrong with my back and convinced me to see Dr. Scott Shephard of Shephard Chiropractic Clinic in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Shephard was named 2008 Chiropractor of the Year by the Oregon Chiropractic Association. The first thing he did was take x-​rays of my back. It turns out I had a curvature of the middle of my spine. Interestingly enough, it was a 3 dimensional rotation of the spine. We discussed my concerns because of the the surgeries and plate in my neck. Dr. Shephard decided not to use the traditional chiropractic adjustments. He used a treatment called ArthroStim Therapy.
This is the research I found about the therapy. It helps alleviate neck, back, and extremity pain. ArthroStim is a non-​invasive, drug-​free pain management technique that is an alternative to some surgeries. In fact, most people get relief using these machines following ineffective drugs, injections or physical therapy. The cause of neck and back pain vary from person to person, but it usually comes down to three different types of tissues, they are separated into bone, nerve, and muscles. The ArthroStim is a unique instrument that delivers multiple, low amplitude thrusts producing 12 – 14 thrusts per second which matches the same frequency in the sensory motor cortex. Matching the same frequency causes inhibition of motor activity and muscle relaxation. This matching frequency causes decreased muscle spasms, facilitates healing, and bombards and confuses the central nervous system, thus reducing the overall pain level. The impulse on the bone increases the joints range of motion, breaks joint adhesions and reduces inflammation. The frequency of treatment also helps align the bony structures to increase optimal biomechanics.
Some people prefer the use of these tools for their adjustment, because it is more gentle than the traditional Chiropractor manual adjustment and also do not like to be twisted or turned during normal adjusting protocols. The ArthroStim also work well for people that are extremely acute and can barely move, such as post auto injury. This is a lower impact therapy that people can respond to better. These tools are also great and safe for children and seniors, as the lower force reduces the chance of post-​adjustment soreness.
I made the commitment to make my back better. There was nothing to lose and everything to gain. We decided on a weekly treatment. At about the 6 month mark, my foot stopped spasming and the radiated pain to my head was gone. It’s been almost a year since I first started the treatments and the pain is almost gone. It is isolated to the middle back, and at times only feels as if it’s in knots with no pain. I know and feel I am getting better. I am standing straighter. For people going through chronic back pain, this is a wonderful treatment. But as with all good things, time and patience is required. I am so amazed by how I feel. Thank you Dr. Shephard for all you do.
Mei

Dr. Shephard is the best chiropractor! I know everyone says that about their own chiropractor; however, I truly wish they would give him a try! He has a technique that is amazing! He uses some tools that are not evasive and they WORK! Please give him a try.
I would also like to mention that my son was a patient of Dr. Shephard. My son was born with bilateral hip dysplasia. He was not diagnosed as an infant. He lived a life of pain from bone on bone and no joints in his hip sockets. Dr. Shephard was the only person who could help relieve this pain. My son was extremely shy! He loved and respected Dr. Shephard! My son passed away. I can never thank Dr. Shephard enough for helping my son!

I have now been to Dr. Shephard for three separate ailments over the last two years. Each time, I have thought to myself before hand «there is no way a chiropractor can do anything about this». The first time I had pregnancy related SI dysfunction. I later had pelvic girdle pain. I was almost unable to walk and had been to PTs with no improvement. After the first session, both times, I was significantly improved.
Still, I am always a skeptic and not super eager to believe those tiny little tools (it’s a different technique than most chiros use) that don’t feel like much of anything could make such a huge difference.
Most recently I had a hip problem that bothered me for about 6 months. Often I had trouble walking or sleeping. After 2 PTs over 6 mos, I thought «maybe I should try Dr. Shephard.» I got in two days later and haven’t had a bit of pain in the two weeks since then!

The most amazing place ever. I have had sciatic pain in my low back for years, after a few months of coming to Shephard Clinic the pain is gone and I have been abe to get back a normal 25 yr olds life. I can not recommend Dr. T enough, and the entire staff are always so helpful and willing to work me we I need it. This place really is as good as it gets.

Dr. Tomaino is the Sultan of Subluxation. I actually was downtown at work and in terrific pain. I called around for the nearest chiropractor, as my chiro was in Beaverton but I worked in the Pearl. I was able to get in right at the end of the doctor’s day. The results were fantastic. The pain relief was immediate, but within a half dozen visits the pain never came back again. He showed me what was going on with my spine on the x-​rays and what he planned to do to get me back to optimum health. Needless to say, my chiropractor is now in downtown Portland, and I still go to him even though I now live in Yakima, Wa. I couldn’t recommend Dr. Tomaino highly enough. He’s a friendly chap but at the same time totally professional and the same is true of his office staff.

Well, I hadn’t been to a chiropractor in ages but my husband was needing to go and I noticed I was having a dull lower back pain and I wasn’t able to sit for a long period of time before my body would natually want to lean into a more comfortable position. My mid/​upper back was also very tight. It had been getting progressively worse over time.
Anyway, so I find Shephard Clinic through a google search and make an appointment. I read their technique is not the same as I remember it. I remember the «cracking» of the back. I actually liked the «cracking» and was so bummed to find out they didn’t do that. Karen, one of the receptionists, said if I really want them to manually adjust me, they could. I didn’t want to be the whining patient so I just went along with it. Come to find out, my pelvis was twisted and was the reason for my sitting issues, and my neck is curved the wrong way making my upper back work harder to hold my head up. Interesting.
Controlled Force Technique is neat and it works. It looks like a funny looking drill and it feels like someone is jackhammering your spine (in a non-​invasive, painless to me, way). There is also another gun type device that massages and delivers a sort of light therapy. At first I thought, really? Is that it? But… So far, so good. After the first visit I think Dr. Tomaino knocked my pelvis straight again… At least I can sit properly with no pain. I didn’t know how off I really was until I got fixed.
I don’t know about the neck issue yet. I will have to wait until I take new x-​rays to really be sure. In the mean time, I’m trying to train my muscles to get used to using good posture. Dr. Tomaino is also working on an old ankle injury of mine. He’s great. We’ll see what happens. I still really want someone to crack my back though…

I was a skeptic of chiropractic medicine until I went to Shephard Chiropractic Clinic. I had been to a few chiropractors, one of whom caused me some sort of injury! Not all Chiropractic methods are created equally.
When I started seeing Dr. Shephard it felt like I had a dorsal fin growing out of my back right above my shoulders. Every week the discomfort grew until it was an outright pain; then the pain began to grow. Some days it was debilitating. My wife was a regular with a similar practitioner in Keizer named Herb Freeman. She finally convinced me to go see Shephard who was close to my school (Portland State).
I wanted so badly for him to use a more violent technique to just make the pain stop. Instead, the clinic practices Controlled Force Technique which I have come to believe is significantly better than what many other chiropractors practice. It took a couple visits for the pain to decrease; a couple weeks for discomfort to decrease. Soon, I was ready to take on the world again!
Now I visit the clinic every six weeks or so for regular maintenance. I am pretty hard on my body as an extreme athlete. I credit Dr. Shephard and Dr. Gearhart in the same clinic with keeping me injury free and thank them for fixing what damage I have done in my crazy life.
The staff is as gifted as the chiropractors. I have gotten into several conversations with them about school, management, even nutrition with Mrs. Shephard. I love them all and wish they were closer.
I drive from Tillamook just to see the talented professionals at Shephard Clinic.

The staff at this clinic is professional and very friendly. Dr. Shephard is a magical back wizard! The other doctors are excellent too.
If you don’t like the old school «cracking» chiropractor, then I suggest this clinic is for you. This clinic uses a different, non terrifying controlled force method of dealing with your spine. Its wonderful! I’m so much more relaxed and calm with this method of chiropractor ery. My back is so much better now.
The massage therapists are very good at what they do too.
All in all, going to this clinic has been a very positive and good experience. I am very glad to have Dr. Shephard as my chiropractor.

I’ve gone here twice, and sad to say I will be back for a lot more work. (Sad for my wallet). I have a curved spine and my back is pissed. I have been to other chiropractor’s and he is by far the best. I feel confident that Dr. Shephard knows what he’s doing, and he’s good at it. He received an award in 2008 for chiropractor of the year, so, pretty much enough said.