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Meet Dr. Scott Stachelek

The Doctors Said Drugs and Surgery Would Help

Dr. Scott StachelekDr. Scott was always an athlete, playing sports in high school and college and often suffering from aches and pains along the way. At the time, his solution was to do more push-ups and “get over it.” Then one day after completing his Marine Corps training to go overseas, he was riding his bike when his back locked up and he couldn’t get off, having to fall sideways into the grass. This happened just three weeks before he was supposed to leave.

Not able to stand up straight, he went to battalion aid station where he was prescribed ‘grunt candy’, 800 milligrams of Motrin. While the medications made him fall asleep, he woke up feeling just as bad. The doctor gave him more pills and the same thing happened. Coming back the third day, he was given muscle relaxers. That didn’t work either. So he was sent to the larger base hospital.

Striving for Relief, Naturally

After an orthopedic examination, Dr. Scott was told he was a great candidate for surgery, his last resort. “I walked out of the hospital that day trying to figure out how I was going to get well.” Feeling hopeless, his next solution was to have his buddies over to straighten him out “John Wayne” style. This desperate attempt left him in even more pain.

Soon, a neighbor saw him outside and asked if he wanted to join him for a trip to the chiropractor. Not knowing what a chiropractor did, he asked, “Well, do they know anything about backs?” His neighbor explained what chiropractors did and as he trusted his neighbor, Dr. Scott visited the chiropractor.

Dr. Scott’s chiropractor was a former body builder who sat down and explained the chiropractic story to him. Following an assessment, he received his first adjustment and felt better immediately. However, just 20 minutes later, his back returned to the significant spasms. Encouraged by his 20 minutes of feeling better, Dr. Scott was adjusted the next day and then the next, steadily feeling better. Not wanting to interrupt his care over the weekend, he asked the chiropractor, “Whatever it takes, how can I get adjusted”. The chiropractor met him on both Saturday and Sunday and by Monday, he began to feel like a Marine again.

“I told my chiropractor, Dr. Mike, that I was going to go for a run. I wanted to see just how well I was healing and I wanted to test my personal theory on recovery compared to what my previous coaches and doctors had told me in the past.” Expecting to be told “No don’t exercise”, Dr. Scott was told that it would be a great idea to “go push your body and we’ll recheck your spine when you’re finished.” Completed elated that his chiropractor was more concerned about his performance than simply covering up his pain, Dr. Scott asked Dr. Mike to tell him more about Chiropractic and the correlation between a properly aligned back and his entire health.

Able to recover in time, he went overseas with the Marines deploying to the Middle East and Somalia. When he returned from his second deployment, he decided to leave the Marine Corps and become a chiropractor.

“I always believed that medicine was all about sickness and sick care. I always thought that if you did the right things, you could have great health, naturally.” He just didn’t realize that there was an entire profession based around the philosophy that health comes from within. Dr. Scott realized that health isn’t just about feeling great, but maximizing daily performance.

Just like his chiropractor, he believed that the body is intelligently designed and functions as a whole, rather than as a group of parts. “That began a whole new journey.” Making the decision, as recommended by his chiropractor, to attend Life University in Marietta, GA,.

Arriving at Life University with a passion to become a sports chiropractor, his wife’s pregnancy changed everything. Dr. Scott remembers making the birth plan with his wife, organizing a perfect delivery and expecting everything to go as planned.

In the birthing center, his wife had a prolonged and physically demanding labor, and at delivery their son swallowed fluid and went into emergency distress resulting in immediate transportation to the NICU. Transported to the NICU his son stabilized, however his oxygen level was stuck several percentage points below what it needed to be at such a critical time. Dr. Scott called his chiropractor to visit them in the hospital and Dr. Cheryl came into the NICU and adjusted his son. Then this happened.

“I remember hearing this unforgettable cry come from my son. Colin stopped screaming almost right away, looking calm and great. But right there in the NICU, the machine he was on just began ringing with alarm warnings. Not knowing what the heck was happening, we put him back in the incubator and waited for the nurses.”

The nurses did a great job assessing Colin and finally they decided to shut off the alarms and reboot the machine. His son was fine; actually he was way better than fine. The measurement of his oxygen went from 2% points below to slightly above normal so fast that the machine, sensing an error, sounded the alarm. The adjustment removed the disturbance from his nervous system and allowed Colin’s ‘normal’ to return to it’s default of health. The path of less oxygen being delivered throughout his system is blessedly a very scary unknown as Colin has grown up into an intelligent, athletic, thriving college man!

Becoming a Pediatric and Pregnancy Chiropractor

His son’s experience made Dr. Scott go from wanting to be a sports chiropractor to wanting to take care of families and children. Graduating in 1998, he is proud to welcome you to True North Chiropractic, The Watering Hole For Wellness. A Values Driven Community United By A Commitment To Achieving Their Highest Potential. After becoming a father, now Dr. Scott is passionate about helping families discover exceptional health, specializing in pregnancy, pediatric, and spectrum-based care.
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A Life Lived for Family

Outside of True North Chiropractic, Dr. Scott remains an active athlete, outdoorsman and amateur farmer. He lives in Stafford, VA with his wife of 20 years, Joanna, and his two children, Colin and Madeline. His family of foodies enjoys being a member of a CSA food co-op and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He is a former Infantry Officer in The United States Marine Corps and a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute.

Dr. Scott enjoys supporting local charities such as Azalea Charities’ Aid for Wounded Warriors, ACTS, and Mt. Ararat’s mission work.

Professional Achievements

  • The Family Practice Chiropractor of the Year
  • The Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year
  • Founder and past president of the Health and Wellness Business Council for the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Chairman of the Board for The Prince William Health Partnership
  • Alumnus of Leadership Prince William (Class of 2013)

Are you ready to become part of a values driven community united by a commitment to achieving their highest potential? Contact us today and learn more about how our services and friendly team can help you make exceptional wellness the norm in your life!


True North Chiropractor | (703) 580-8388