ChiroSports USA has literally got Union City’s back.
For the past five years, the chiropractic and sports medicine clinic has served local patients ranging from 3-weeks to 90 years old — including gymnasts, cheerleaders, football players and MMA fighters.
On Thursday, ChiroSports will celebrate five years in the community with a special event from 5 to 8 p.m.
Owner and licensed chiropractor Dr. Abdollah Nejad credits the clinic’s success and longevity to his community-oriented mission.
“For us to be successful, the community needs to be successful,” Nejad said.
It started five years ago when Nejad, then a chiropractor managing clinics in the San Jose area, was searching for equipment online. He was browsing CraigsList when he stumbled upon a listing for a clinic for sale at 1780 Whipple Rd. in Union City.
Nejad purchased the 900-square-feet space, previously owned by the late Dr. Steve Dain, and remodeled it. He quickly joined the Union City Chamber of Commerce, the Union City Lions Club and other local service groups, helping him to gain footing in the community.
“The city just welcomed me as a family member,” Nejad said. “That’s the great thing about Union City — everybody cares about everybody, and they want each other to be successful.”
His vision for ChiroSports was straightforward and simple: “We wanted to offer affordable health care at a tough economic time,” Nejad said.
Nejad said he works with patients so that he doesn’t have to turn anyone away.
“We make it easy for our patients time-wise and financially to get affordable health care,” Nejad said.
His plan seems to be working.
Inside his clinic are plaques and certificates of thanks from James Logan High School sports teams, shirts from athletes and events he’s sponsored, magazine covers with fighters he’s worked with, and Small Business Awards from the City of Union City, Senator Ellen Corbett, Assemblymember Bob Wieckowski and Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle. Even the San Jose SaberKittens, cheerleaders for the Sabercats arena football team, have an autographed message for the good doctor.
“Thank you for helping me dance again,” SaberKittens cheerleader and Union City resident Geralyn Joy wrote.
According to Nejad, the clinic sees up to 120 patients a week for a variety of needs. He said 90 percent of his patients come from referrals.
He and his team — which includes two massage therapists and two chiropractic assistants — provide chiropractic, physical rehabilitation, physiotherapy, sports medicine and sports conditioning services.
Many of ChiroSports’ clients are youth from local high schools and athletic groups. Nejad said that Coach Lee Webb opened the door for him at Logan, sending over members of his track and field team. From there, he began providing physicals for other Logan teams, as well as students from the California School for the Deaf, Hayward’s Mt. Eden High and CSU East Bay, among others.
The clinic donates half of the proceeds from student physicals to scholarships to give back to the youth, keeping in line with his community spirit.
“I love what I do. I love helping people. I love seeing the relief my patients get. And that just makes me want to give back,” Nejad said. “Everyday I feel blessed to have their trust in my hands.”
Nejad also provides pediatric chiropractic care.
“We make sure their bodies are evolving and developing healthily,” Dr. Nejad said.
According to Nejad, his youngest patient was 3-weeks old. The infant had a lot of pressure placed on his spine during birth and, as a result, couldn’t fully turn his head. The ChiroSports staff released muscle tension allowing the baby to move his neck and head freely.
With its increasing clientele, ChiroSports could soon outgrow its current space. Nejad said that a larger facility — in Union City, of course — isn’t out of the question. But a change in location won’t slow down his business, or his commitment to the community, he said.
“If you’re passionate about what you do, you don’t need to be worried about being successful,” Nejad said.
ChiroSports USA’s 5-Year Anniversary Celebration will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday night at 1780 Whipple Rd., Suite 105, in Union City.
