Alex B Callister, DC

I dealt with back issues for the majority of my adult life after an incident when I was a child. I went to many Chiropracts (one which I visited for 3 times a week for a year) with no persisted success.
Alex Callister was able to identify the issue, and gave me exercises to do at home — all with the goal of needing to see him less. He quicly and successfully made a huge improvement in my daily life, and I highly recommend him.

He’s knowledgable and knows what he’s tlaking about

I was recommending Alex to a friend who hurt her back and realised I had not praised him on Unilocal yet. Last year 1 week before a trip to Germany I hurt my back so bad i couldn’t sit without pain. The women at community acupuncture on 24^th recommended him. He was amazing and got me able to sit for 12 hours without any pain in the space of a week. Total miracle worker! He is the best. Very gentle with no cracking. He focuses on movements to get your body back aligned in place.

Really positive experience. In april of 2014, i hurt my shoulder and ankle pretty badly. I saw some orthopedists on the other side of town who seemed intent on shots and surgery. I felt like I needed another opinion, so I came here.
Generally speaking, I have found chiropractors to be of varying quality, but Dr. Callister was golden (He was also in my insurance network.) He understands the functional anatomy of athletic bodies, and how they can go wrong. He showed me exercises to do, and performed adjustments that helped. In just a few months he took me from worried I was broken to ready to compete in a major rugby tournament in Australia. Couldn’t recommend him enough.

Dr. C is ‘the man’. I have been to chiropractors and acupuncturists for back spams for years and then I was referred to Dr. Callister who woke me up to the various ways that I am putting pressure on my spine and he gave me tangible and practical exercises that strengthened my core and changed my posture. My back is 100% better and I sincerely appreciate the time and effort he has taken in getting me healed and I enthusiastically recommend him.

Don’t bother calling this office if you’re in need of attention quickly.
Not only does no one answer the phone on Thursdays (brilliant if you’re in a medical field), but they would not schedule me any sooner than 3 business days later even when I mentioned I have a pinched nerve in my back and can barely sleep or make it through a work day.
Compassion is clearly not a value of this practice.
I have seen Dr. Callister before and he’s a good guy and a good chiropractor. Unfortunately that simply doesn’t cut it.

My experience of chiropractic wasn’t positive nor negative, I just hadn’t seen one in a long time and because of the strong recommendation from colleagues, I decided to give him a try.
I really like his approach. He gives me exercises to do after the treatment and gives me some time to do them at home, then he assesses the progress, as well as the challenges and modifies the exercises accordingly.
I’ve been treated by physical therapists, too and they are also effective, but my sense is that they’re more suited for specific sports injuries, rather than the pain caused by misalignment as you age. I have issues on different parts of my body and his knowledge on human body always helps me reduce the pain.
He is always optimistic, but never gave me unrealistic expectations. He also reminded me that body needs sometime to heal. He is a big man, with a big voice and a big heart!

This review is long over due. I’ve been seeing Dr. Callister for well over a year now. Maybe two? What brought me to Dr. Callister was a work related shoulder injury. My left shoulder was so inflamed I couldn’t move it without pain. It was so bad that I couldn’t work. I had a knot in that area that just grew and grew. By the time I found Dr. Callister the knot felt like it was the size of a golf ball, maybe slightly larger. After the first visit, the knot shrank, and I FINALLY felt relief in my shoulder! We scheduled weekly visits to work on the shoulder. He gave me exercises to do at home to help heal the injury, and strengthen the surrounding muscles to help prevent future injuries. His advice didn’t end here. When I went back to work he gave me tips on how to work to prevent future injuries, and how to work to strengthen the smaller muscles surrounding the shoulder. Every time I saw him I updated him on how I was doing, and told him about any struggles I was having with work. He always listened intently, and showed me another way to perform my job that caused me little to no pain. With Dr. Callister’s help I am able to work at 100% again.
So impressed with how Dr. Callister took care of my shoulder, I now go to him for any other bodily ailments. Knee problems, back problems, Dr. Callister is the first person I think to call. He doesn’t just fix you with an adjustment, but he tells you what’s going on in your body that’s creating the problem, and tells you how you can help fix the problem. This last part is the reason why I love Dr. Callister so much. You know he isn’t one of those doctors that tell you to keep coming back just so he can take your money. He genuinely wants to see you get better.

I don’t trust chiropractors… but meet the man that blew that misconception outta AT&T Park! I was getting my Nadal on and playing a sick game of tennis three weeks ago. I’m not sure what happened but I think I pinched a nerve. What I wanted to do in my head didn’t really translate to real life (Jeez…Rafa makes it look so easy!). Anyway, I self-​diagnosed on Web MD (it was either a pinched nerve or cancer) and waited a couple weeks. Well, 3 weeks later, I still had a lot of pain. My coworker was speaking accolades about her chiropractor. She would come in looking 10 years younger and just rolls into the office with a burst of energy! Finally I caved in and asked about her guy…
It was low and behold, Dr. Callister! The last chiropractor I met was when I was a teenager and he told me that if I didn’t go to his office and get adjusted, that I would end up in a wheel chair by the time I was 20. I mean I did meet him at a farmer’s market which is a little shady… but still!
Anyway…I call and the sweet Eileen checked my insurance and scheduled my appointment within 2 business days. I got nervous because I roll up to this gorgeous building and all I could think about was the rent they must be paying and how they must take advantage of poor customers (I’m so jaded!) BUT it wasn’t the case at all! They are so up front with their pricing, there are no surprises! My insurance covers everything!
Dr. Callister was there bright and early and he took his time (more than an hour) for my first consultation. He pinpointed the pain, and gave me exercises to do while at work and at home. It turns out, it wasn’t quite a pinched nerve. And Dr. Callister was able to go through an extensive examination to localize my pain. He even gave me a pop quiz just to make sure I knew my new stretches! THEN he «Mr. Miyagied» my shoulder pain. I’m already so much better! I can’t wait to play again (I clearly need a tennis instructor… any recs?)
So how did all this pain start, you ask? I’m a terrible tennis player. I think my forehand in tennis is equivalent to a granny shot in basketball.
They even have a massage therapist and acupuncturist! All in all, a wonderful experience!

I feel guilty that it has taken me this long to write a review of Dr. Callister. I’ve worked with him off and on over the past 2 years for some lower back issues and I can honestly say he is the best chiropractor I have ever seen. I look forward to each visit, as seeing him is less like seeing a doctor, and more like seeing a friend who has your best interests at heart. Dr. Callister asks pointed questions, listens intently and really pinpoints the reasons why discomfort exists.
I still remember one of my early visits, where Dr. Callister sat down with me and my MRI and showed me how to read the film. He described what I was seeing, showed me what the different shaded areas meant and what I needed to do to get to a better state. I was so impressed that he took the time to do that. Additionally, a few months ago when I had a particularly bad lower back spasm, I had called and left a message on a Saturday afternoon. Dr. Callister called me from the car on Sunday while he was out with his family and helped guide me through some steps I could take until he could see me.
Each visit comprises discussions of pain points, stretching/​exercise, work, travel and humor. Dr. Callister manages to glide effortlessly through those topics and be completely genuine about all of them.
I wish there was an option to give 10 stars. Dr. Callister deserves it.

There should be a different term entirely for the type of «Chiropractor» who sees people for a quick snap, and tells them to come several times a week for a long time, and the gems like Dr. Callister who really take time and care. (If he tells you you need frequent visits temporarily, it’s cause it’s his authentic assessment of you as a unique person.) But he’s much more likely to emphasize your own self care /​stretching, which he’s an excellent guide in.
His work, and heart, are top quality. He helped my knee heal from an injury. His back /​neck adjustments /​trigger point touch is amazing, but he does more than the back.
I’ve been to a lot of chiropractors, even worked for one in the past. There’s much truth to the rumor of chiros who try to pack as many people in as possible, get them in and out and scheduled for next appointment. Dr Callister really takes his time, and is also fair with pricing. Highly recommend.

Back pain is nothing to laugh at. I recently had my first major back flare up and while it was hilarious how I was hobbling around like an old woman, as soon I started laughing at myself waves of pain would shoot all over my body. Point proven.
I’d seen Dr. Callister in the past for minor alignment issues but this back pain was a whole new beast. I was able to make a same day appointment with him and a few days after my visit I was pain free.
He was able to pinpoint the source of the pain quickly, perform some adjustments for immediate relief and give me simple exercises to perform at home to fully recover.
I especially appreciate how informative he is when describing the issue and making a diagnosis. He doesn’t talk down to patients and I have always come away knowing a bit more about my body.
The office is conveniently located in FiDi and his receptionist is very nice.
Dr. Callister is great chiropractor. Informative, Respectful & Efficient.

Dr. Callister is the most knowledgeable chiropractor I’ve ever been to, and I’ve had some great chiropractors. His ability to pinpoint what might be causing pain is quite impressive. And while at first I was skeptical of the very simple exercise and stretches he gave me to fix my problem, I saw results quickly.
He can be a little verbose and gives a lot of information at once. I think he’s aware of this tendency, so he is patient about repeating things if you need him to do so to help digest the wealth of information provided.
The front desk woman (Irene? I think) is very sweet.

I’ve really enjoyed working with Dr. Callister and his office of acupuncturists and body work specialists for the last six months.
I’ve had chronic lower back issues for the last 15 years and have been visiting various chiropractors, PTs and orthopedists over the last year trying to narrow down and fix the issue. I’ve been told what’s wrong, and deduced some things, but not until I met with Dr. Callister did I finally start to make progress on making my back feel better.
First off, I agree that the walls are a little thin, and you can often hear Dr. Callister talking in the exam room (he has a really, really loud voice) and it’s often unreasonably warm in there, but those are the only complaints I have.
Secondly, it’s really important to take control of your medical care. When I first met with Dr. Callister, I made sure to cover everything. And I mean, everything. I started from college, detailed all of the exercises I do on a regular basis, when the pain started, how I aggravated it, what made it feel better, each of the things that I had done to treat it to that point (even lots of things I didn’t think were important), why I had chosen his office (he was close, got good Unilocal reviews and took my insurance) and what my goals were. I didn’t skip a thing. And I think that has really helped tailor my care at his office allowing him to be very clear on what I’m trying to accomplish (being able to run long distances) while respecting that I had already done a lot of work on this already and I had been able to eliminate a lot of possibilities.
One of the things I like about him as well is his scientific-​based approach to care. I know that sounds silly, going to a doctor and not getting a scientific approach, but a lot of doctors I visited either assumed they knew what the issue was, or were happy to refer me elsewhere if they didn’t find it the first time. Dr. Callister focused on one course of action until it became clear that wasn’t working, and then went to another that had really positive effects. Sure, I had to do the «homework’ in order to make things stick, but I really found some relief and even though I’m not fully healed, I’m in a much better place than I was when I first went to see him.
In that office, they can also schedule appointments for a bodywork specialist (Mark Valderrama, who is fantastic and will beat your muscles into a pleasant submission) and an acupuncturist (Diana Vuong) if your insurance covers it (and even if it doesn’t). Located right downtown in the financial districtu, and with night appointments that start as late as 6pm, and morning ones starting at 8am, it’s convenient even during the middle of the day.

Dr. Callister is amazing! Nothing but good things to say about him! After doing extensive research for a chiropractor, I decided to give him a try since he had only 5 star reviews. I had seen a chiropractor a while ago who was equally amazing, but then I moved. I had seen a couple mediocre ones since then, but never one who I felt was actually improving my back/​health instead of just «maintenance» adjusting to keep the pain at bay.
Dr. Callister gets your whole history and listens to your concerns and even your hypothesis’ instead of just waiving them off like you don’t know what you’re talking about. He tells you everything he is going to do before he does it and what to expect so you’re not taken by surprise. He is very friendly as well, great bedside manner. My boyfriend had never been to a chiropractor before and was a non believer, but he loves this doctor as much as I do; and is realizing the dull pain he’s lived with and become accustom to is not natural or something that he has to continue living with. The parking situation isn’t ideal, but that’s the financial district for you. His office is very professional and inviting. He’s a great chiropractor and I highly recommend him.

I’ve had nothing but a great experience seeing Dr. Callister.
During my initial visits, we discussed the right level of anatomy and started with light stretches and exercises. After doing these at home and seeing Dr. Callister every couple weeks for a couple months, 9 months of knee/​IT band pain have pretty much vanished. I am back running long distances at great speeds. I wish I would have visited sooner!

Dr. Callister provides an excellent service! His chiropractic skills are second to none. He is the most knowledgeable chiropractor I have ever been too. More importantly is his incredible ability to explain anatomy and kinesiology to me in a way that I can understand. He educates me on the steps and exercises I need to do to stay healthy. My appointments are full of information on how I can help myself when I am away from his care. He encourages self-​care and does not schedule unnecessary appointments.
Besides his incredible skills, Dr Callister is easy to speak with and creates a welcoming atmosphere to discuss any concerns or topic that comes to mind.

If you are looking for a great chiropractor, who you can get treatment from on a lunch break, before work, etc. in the financial district of San Francisco, Alex Callister is a phenomenal choice. He is the best chiropractor I have received treatment from. He’s very attentive and thorough. He explains everything extremely well and gives you exercises to do at home, like a physical therapist. Unlike a physical therapist (or the ones I have encountered), the exercises he suggests are extremely helpful!
He is very good at doing adjustments and alleviating pain from affected areas. After each appointment, I have experienced a great deal of relief from pain and discomfort in my back and neck. More importantly, I am no longer experiencing numbness and twitching in my left arm and pinky finger. I went to a physical therapist and two doctors about that, none of whom helped alleviate this problem or any of my pain. After going to Alex Callister, I no longer have any numbness or twitching. In addition, because of his clear explanations I understand why those symptoms occurred in the first place.
He also helped me find alternative ways of working out at the gym that no longer hurt my back and neck. For example, abdominal workouts (crunches, situps, etc.) started to become impossible due to pain in my neck and back when doing those exercises. I told Alex Callister about this and he immediately showed me alternatives to the traditional abdominal exercises that I was doing. After putting his suggestions into practice at the gym, I no longer experience neck and back pain when working on my abdominal muscles.
He truly goes the extra mile and I firmly recommend him as a top notch Chiropractor. Oh! When I went to a spine specialist and mentioned Alex as my chiropractor, he immediately recognized his name and said that his impression of Alex Callister was that he was one of the best chiropractors on the «spectrum of chiropractors» — coming from a spine specialist, who does spinal surgeries… I thought that acknowledgement carried a great deal of weight.

I found Dr. Callister on Unilocal because I was looking for a place close to my office. I’ve since moved but have kept Dr. Callister as my chiropractor even though i have to commute over an hour to get there.
It is no surprise to me that he has 5 stars rating on Unilocal because he’s great! Irene — the front desk manager is also wonderful. She is really helpful to get me an appointment whenever I need it, and Dr. Callister is always so thorough. The office is just a friendly environment in general.
The best part about Dr. Callister is that he is really easy to talk to, he explains things well and his goal is to empower his patient to be healthier and need fewer visits to see him. Isn’t that what we all want in a chiropractor?
He’s also pretty smart when it comes to the whole-​body health. I had been having headaches at work — was under a lot of stress and everything was going downhill. Back, neck, shoulder, arm pain. He gave me an adjustment that got things heading in the right direction, he also asked me an interesting question — «Do you chew gum?» In fact, I do. Quite a bit actually, and when I’m stressed probably more. He suggested I cut the gum out for a while because the jaw was tight and probably the culprit for the headaches and neck aches. I was really impressed by his ability to really figure out what the problem was and get me back to healthy as soon as possible.
I recommend Dr. Callister as the best chiropractor I have ever visited. I have gone to about 6 or 7 over the years, and he tops the list.

WOW.
Yesterday I called Alex out f the blue after almost 2 years (I moved to Los Angeles from SF). In the move I apparently damaged my spine, and subsequently herniated two disks. That hurt has led to over a year of almost constant pain, up and down from bed rest to being ok, back to bed rest. It has been a confusing, frustrating, painful, and depressing year dealing with Chiropractors who could not help, three different doctors at Kaiser who were so unbelievably ineffective I am shocked, hanging upside down on an inversion machine until my head feels like popping, getting swelling reduction shots in my spine, and having to take pain medication just to sleep. I have not danced in 6 months, and pretty much all of life is at a standstill.
For some reason it did not think to call him, I guess because I live in another city and why would I expect someone who can’t even treat me to do anything? Well, I was sure foolish. I called Alex, left a message, and he called me back 2 minutes later. He listened to everything that has happened over the course of the last year, everything I have been told, and all of the treatments I have tried. We spoke for over an hour, as he talked me through the whole issue. He gave me the straight story on «Spinal Decompression» and how the Chiropractic community sees it, and even suggested I find a Chiro down here in LA that can implement the methodology that he would treat me with if I was up in SF. Our hope is that I can avoid spinal surgery.
All this because he cares about me. He is not getting anything from taking the time with me, he just wants to make sure I am back to normal. The guy cares, is committed to his patients, and gives you the straight story with no BS or fluff.
Let me give you a bit of history of being Alex’s patient and why I trust him so much. A few years back when we started working together, I fell off a motorcycle at 60 mph and fractured two ribs and literally shattered my collarbone. After seeing the surgeon and getting his opinion on the next steps (putting in a plate to hold the collarbone together while it healed), I called Alex to ask him. Surgeons want to do surgery they say, so I wanted to find out what Alex thought. Almost verbatim he said what the surgeon told me. He knew everything the surgeon knew, and put it into words that I could understand. I was impressed with his depth of knowledge, and his matter of fact explanation of what I needed and what I could expect.
Over the course of the next 6 months as I healed, the pain was ever present but low, and I got used to it, not realizing how much it was affecting me. I got Physical Therapy but I was still living half a life. Once the bones fully mended at month 8 or 9, I went to see Alex, and in one visit my pain was reduced by about 85%. I couldn’t believe it, it was like the sun had come out for the first time in months. Within about 4 weeks he had me back to a range of motion in my arm that I had not been able to obtain before, and he had me working with his in-​house massage therapist who helped to break up all the scar tissue and allow the muscles to move properly. Now I have no limitations from that accident at all, and it was Alex that ushered me through.
Basically, his treatment was to the point, effective, and solved all the issues I was dealing with. I came away with a full understanding of the issues I was facing, and the knowledge to be empowered to deal with them in the future.
I have been Alex’s patient for about 5 years, and I have to say he is the best Chiropractor I have had. I have worked with a bunch of different ones over the years, as I have lived in many different cities for work. I have dealt with really bad to really great, but none of them are as great as Alex.
I get apprehensive when I don’t have a full understanding of what is wrong, and what the treatment is doing to solve it exactly. I like to understand the reasoning, biology, and science behind the physical issue and the treatment, and Alex is the best guy I know for explaining to me exactly what is happening in details I can understand. I feel if I know the mechanics of what it is, I can feel all the more comfortable with where I am and what we are doing to get me to where I want to be.
Thank you Alex, I look forward to getting through this Disk Herniation and seeing you next time I’m in San Francisco.