A Comprehensive Chiropractor Approach For Headaches To Foot Pain

Most people think chiropractic equals adjustments. Our chat with Dr. Telfair from Telfair Chiropractic flips that assumption and replaces it with a clear, practical approach to pain relief that’s built around soft tissue work, progressive rehab, and patient education. If you’re dealing with back pain, neck pain, headaches, or stubborn foot, ankle, knee, or shoulder pain, you’ll hear how he evaluates compensations that drive symptoms and then rebuilds strength so the results last.

We also dig into shockwave therapy and why it can be a useful conservative option for certain conditions, plus the lifestyle pieces patients often overlook like sleep-wake cycles, nutrition, muscle gain, and healthy weight loss. Dr. Telfair explains why he adjusts only when it truly fits the person in front of him, and how a “teacher first” mindset changes the entire patient experience. The big goal is long term outcomes: feeling better quickly, learning what’s happening, and staying active without becoming dependent on constant visits.

Along the way we clear up common misconceptions about chiropractors, training, and what modern chiropractic care can include, especially in Florida. If you’re in the Sarasota area and searching for a chiropractor who prioritizes independence and real function, this conversation will help you ask better questions and choose care that matches your goals. If you found it useful, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s in pain, and leave a review. What’s one pain problem you want to solve for good?

Transcript

Welcome To Good Neighbor Podcast

SPEAKER_00 0:00

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Virginia McConnell.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast Live. Are you in need of a chiropractor? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Dr. Telfair, with Telfair Chiropractic. How's it going?

SPEAKER_01 0:29

It's good. Yeah, how about yourself?

SPEAKER_02 0:33

I'm good. Thank you. Thank you. We're excited to learn about you and your business. Can you tell us more?

A Different Kind Of Chiropractic

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Yeah, so uh I'm I am labeled as a chiropractor. That is what my degree is in. Um I've had patients tell me that I should have a separate title because uh what I do does not exactly fall within the traditional lines of what people think of chiropractic. Um my practice is more so focused on um I take a meticulous soft tissue approach, so I do a lot of like muscle release techniques, so I kind of unwind compensatory patterns that cause pain or asymmetries in the body. And then I'll rehab the body um appropriately, so just kind of like a PT approach in that regard, but progressive PT. Um so just uh you know, strengthening weak muscles and whatnot. And then from there, uh sometimes if you know we might do some regenerative medicine, such as shockwave, uh, best conditions for that are like foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain, shoulders, um, but you can use it for just about anything. Uh anything less than six centimeters deep, technically speaking. Um, and then I also do a lot of lifestyle nutritional consultations. Uh so you know, think like sleep-wake cycles, how to you know increase um muscle mass, how to lose weight quicker, stuff like that. So I definitely give a lot of consults on just lifestyle uh advice, generally speaking. Um, so yeah, I mean anything from like headaches to foot pain to back pain or you name it, um, I kind of I am capable, more than capable.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

All the pains.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

Yeah, all the pains and and even some internal stuff, but I I do limit that to uh yeah, I I'm picky about what I do internally, I suppose.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

Okay,

From Athlete To Conservative Care

SPEAKER_02 2:15

all right. And how did you get into this business?

SPEAKER_01 2:18

Um, so I was a athlete my whole life, and um, I was a basketball player, an avid basketball player. I was invited to play at a D2 level, and I, you know, I had my injuries, and and the people that helped me the most were chiropractors. And um, and then I went to college, I was gonna study pre-law because that's what my father does, and I had a sure-shot job out of that, but I wasn't so fascinated by it. So I decided to start studying medicine as a recommendation from an advisor, and um, I ended up interning with a chiropractor in Tampa, and at that time I thought it was all adjusting. Um, but this gentleman did a lot of regenerative medicine. A lot of stuff that I do now was was uh call it encouraged by what he did, you know. Um, so that's my approach is much more comprehensive, a lot more um all uh all inclusive than just adjusting. I probably adjust maybe two or three out of ten people I see, and that's because they want it, not because I feel like it's the perhaps the optimal thing for them. Um, so yeah, definitely a different approach. But um so yeah, that's what got me into it. Sorry to get off on that little tangent. But um, I went an intern with him and I fell in love with just kind of conservative care. Um, so yeah, my model is just uh try to help people in a conservative, uh least invasive fashion possible.

SPEAKER_02 3:40

Okay, great. It's like so what are some misconceptions or myths in your industry?

Misconceptions About Chiropractors

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Oh, there's there's quite a few. It's uh I could I could talk for hours on that, but I'll keep it brief. So, first one is that chiropractors are just trained to adjust. Second is that we're not real doctors. Uh, third is um we're trained, you know, our schooling is short, you know, that kind of thing. It's like I went to school for eight years to get my degree. Um, it was not short, it was very intensive. Like undergrad was one thing, but uh my doctoral program was was intensive. I mean, I was taking roughly 28 to 30 course credits per uh 15 weeks, and you do that for 10 sets, 10 terms. Um, and that was kind of like so the curriculum is definitely vigorous, especially at the school that I went to, they really emphasize diagnosis and management. Like I learned just as much about internal medicine as anything. I would say I learned more internal medicine than musculoskeletal in some ways. At least that's what I took away from the program. Um, because I also have a vast interest in that stuff, but and internal stuff is significantly more complicated in some regards than external, such as musculoskeletal. Um, so yeah, I would say those are, I mean, yeah, we're trained in Florida, we're allowed to diagnose, treat, draw blood, do urine analysis, I had to do um, you know, extensive examination processes. Uh in Florida, I'm a primary care physician. I can practice as a primary care. Um, I choose not to do that because it's hefty. There's a lot to do, especially in this population. A lot of people have a lot of comorbidities, they're already managed, and and I don't want to step on anybody's toes or you know, get outside my my focus and what I'm best at, which is musculoskeletal care. So um yeah, that's kind of a brief little tangent on that. And also the fact that people think that uh because we were founded on adjusting and it was a bit it was very philosophical in terms of the advent of chiropractic, um, they think that it hasn't advanced since then, which was a hundred plus years ago. And that's like saying that MDs haven't advanced since a hundred plus years ago when they were leaching people and electrocuting and doing lobotomies and stuff of that nature. So it's like, of course, everything's advanced. It's like we progress constantly, you know. So it's an interesting thing. There's a lot of misconceptions, I would say. But um yeah, I would say that's my answer to that.

SPEAKER_02 6:08

Okay.

Word Of Mouth Growth Strategy

SPEAKER_02 6:09

All right. And we know marketing is the heart of every business. Who are your target customers and how do you attract your patients?

SPEAKER_01 6:18

Um, so that's yeah, that's a good question. I do mostly word of mouth. Um, mostly word of mouth. I'm a solopreneur, so I don't have a ton of capital to throw. I don't exactly have the collateral to go get a big bank loan. So everything has been kind of uh sweat equity, they call it. Um, just you know, a lot of grassroots, a lot of forming referral relationships with other doctors, uh, gym owners and Pilates instructors. Um and every person that I treat is a marketing opportunity I look at. You know, it's like if, you know, they're I want to make sure that I am a beneficial part of their story, if not the the part of their story that gets them to the quality of life that they're thriving towards or they want to have, you know. So um, yeah, I take great purpose in that. And I think, yeah, primarily my marketing is word of mouth. I do some online stuff, uh, very minimal though. Um, yeah, and then my population that I target is is really anybody that's active, um, anybody that's looking to be out of pain, uh, generally, especially in the area that I'm in, it's usually your 50 plus community, perhaps your pickleball players, uh, that kind of thing. Um, but anybody that feels like they're in pain and feel like it restricts them from living, call it their best life. Um, and my model is fantastic for those individuals because it is not one that looks for long-term maintenance care, it is more so one that looks for long-term outcomes in the sense of I'll keep this short and sweet. So people come in, I want to get them better as quick as I can, and then educate them so that they can maintain that good feeling as long as they can, you know, and use me as needed. But um, you know, educate them on how to self-manage their condition because I feel like that is, you know, empowering patients to do that is where it's at. I mean, doctor means teacher in Latin. So I take I take it kind of seriously, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Yeah, I think that's the best approach with a lot of things, you know.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, it's I I try to put myself in my patient's shoes, and I'm like, what would I want my doctor to do for me? And it's like, yeah, I would want them to teach me, you know, what's going on, why it's happening, and what I can do to make the most of it, if not fix it, which we talk about cures, that's not exactly an existing term, but um, but we always thrive towards it, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:32

Right.

Family Fitness And Fun

SPEAKER_02 8:33

So have you ever thought about having your own podcast?

SPEAKER_01 8:37

Uh kind of. It's time is of the essence, and podcasts take time, and uh it's I feel like I never have enough time in a given day to do half the things I want to do already, but but certainly, yeah. I mean, I've I've I've thought about it. I think I'm gonna come out with a different thing, but that's uh to be announced in a future date.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

Okay. Stay tuned. All right.

SPEAKER_01 9:03

It'll be in an app form.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Okay, and then um outside of work, what do you do for fun?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Um, I love family time. That is probably my number one priority, is try to go hang out with my my parents, my brothers, my nieces and nephews, uh, grandparents, just because just I don't know, just uh I love that kind of stuff. And then I work out avidly, uh basketball and fishing, probably uh in golf. Probably that explains my life outside of work because it is mostly comprised of work, which I do love, you know, but gotta have some distractions.

SPEAKER_02 9:38

Um, all right, okay, Dr. Telfair.

Outcomes Over Maintenance Visits

SPEAKER_02 9:42

Um, can you tell us one thing our listeners should remember about Telfair chiropractic?

SPEAKER_01 9:49

Uh yeah, I would say if you are looking for a doctor that is going to um avidly vouch for your long-term outcomes. Like that is, if anything, I've lost patients because I was too interested in them obtaining long-term outcomes, you know, then I would say I'm your guy. Like if you're looking for somebody, and not that I don't do maintenance care, but I definitely prefer to, I want to get people better and I want them to go live their life without depending on others to feel good. I want to teach them how to feel good on their own and be independent. Because I feel like uh I feel like that's just where it's at. I mean, and you know, I'm I don't know. That's what I got on that.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Okay.

Contact And Website Details

SPEAKER_02 10:31

And how can our listeners learn more about Telfare Chiropractic?

SPEAKER_01 10:36

So they can learn more. Uh, you know, if anybody's ever interested in a consult, if they fit uh my model or if they feel like I can help them, they can always just reach out via phone call or email, which uh will be you know 941-685-2415 for phone calls, and then email is contact at Telfair Chiropractic. Um, if I ever you know don't respond or can't pick up, I'll always get back to you as soon as I can. Um, and then my website also has uh quite a bit of information, and that is tellfairchiropractic.com. And I would say those are the best resources for uh learning more about my business.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

Okay, well, Dr. Telfair, I really appreciate you being on the show, and we wish you and your business the best moving forward.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

Thank you so much, Virginia. I really appreciate the opportunity to be on the show and uh thank you for the interview and and yeah.

Nominate A Local Business

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpsarasota.com. That's gmpsarasota.com or call 941.