Woodlands Family Chiropractic is perfectly aligned as Woodlands Online’s ‘Business of the Year’

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Dr. Kevin Keyes, the owner of Woodlands Family Chiropractic, is still in a cracking good mood after being named Woodlands Online’s Business of the Year, the latest in a long list of accolades, accomplishments, and awards the practice has received.

For a quarter-century, Keyes and his crew have provided relief from pain through their masterful manipulation of chiropractic. Keyes recently sat down with Woodlands Online for a conversational Q&A session.

How did chiropractic enter your life?

As I was starting to look at colleges in high school, I thought I was going to be high-priced lawyer Harvey Specter from the series Suits, before that was even a thing. It turns out my English teacher / history teacher / soccer coach didn’t think I would make a great corporate lawyer. When he first told me, I was devastated. He told me that I was too compassionate for corporate law and believed I was meant to help people, so he sent me in the direction of his chiropractor. While I was spending an afternoon with Dr. Zawadsky, I witnessed a client who could barely walk on his way in, and then leave walking normally with a huge smile on his face. At that moment, I knew I was destined to be a chiropractor.

What schooling or training did you undertake?

After earning my Bachelor of Science, I completed my four-year Doctorate in Chiropractic at the National University of Health Sciences in Chicago. I received additional training in nutrition and acupuncture. I love being able to heal with my hands and love chiropractic’s philosophy that recognizes the body is inherently intelligent and designed to heal. As a chiropractor, I facilitate the innate healing of the body and understand the role of lifestyle in expression of health and wellness.

In the movies, the chiropractor is someone who loudly cracks someone’s neck. What are the physical, emotional, and physiological benefits of chiropractic in the ‘real world?’

Neck-cracking certainly gets a person’s attention; that is why you will see it in movies, for shock value. Out of context, it does seem odd; however, a skilled, specific chiropractic adjustment to the receiving person can be life-changing, and many patients at WFC will attest to that. It is important to note there are numerous adjusting techniques that are a lot less dramatic. Before making an adjustment to the spine, it is important to evaluate mobility, posture, muscle function, neurological function, and underlying structure with imaging – most commonly x-ray and sometimes MRI.

In the real world, chiropractic is a lifesaver for those wanting to heal without drugs or surgery. Chiropractic addresses more than headaches, neck pain, back pain, and sciatica. When applied appropriately it can have a profound effect on the Autonomic Nervous System, balancing sympathetic – fight or flight – and parasympathetic – rest and repair – functions. This is where we see incredible results.

I feel so blessed to have facilitated the healing of thousands of people without drugs or surgery, just using my knowledge of how the body works and my hands. I am grateful to positively impact so many lives, from getting athletes to top performance, to speeding up recovery from injury, to allowing people to work, to restoring relationships because chronic pain tore their life apart.

What was The Woodlands like when you started operations in 1998 compared to now? Are there any special celebrations planned in honor of your 25th anniversary of business?

When I graduated chiropractic school in 1998, I began working for Sadler Clinic in The Woodlands. I was the first chiropractor to join the large medical group of more than 50 MDs at the time. The clinic grew to more than 120 MDs at one point, but unfortunately closed in 2012.

When I began practice in The Woodlands, Woodlands Parkway ended at Kuykendahl and Research Forest wasn’t a divided road. It has grown immensely, not only in population but also with the companies located here, as well as the amenities. Both my children grew up here and it is a wonderful place to live. It is hard to believe it has been 25 years – it feels like I'm just hitting my stride. We had a great celebration with our team in the spring and plan on having an open house celebration this fall to celebrate the wonderful recognition as Business of the Year.

How important is community to you and your practice, especially when it comes to The Woodlands?

Community is extremely important to me personally and as the owner of WFC. I have been involved personally, as well as professionally in many community events and activities, most notably our contribution to building expansion at Legacy Preparatory Christian Academy and Stonebridge Church. We have been supporters of Memorial Herman’s Canopy Survivorship and are big contributors to The Keyes Ingredients that teaches and feeds a community in need, specifically patients undergoing active cancer treatment.

What does being named ‘Best of The Woodlands’ – especially for so many years in a row – mean to you?

The first time we won Best of The Woodlands, it was a huge honor. I can say the same thing after six years in a row. I am just so grateful that WFC is appreciated by so many of our patients and they take the time to vote.

When you're not practicing chiropractic, what do you do?

If I'm not practicing chiropractic, I might be speaking at a chiropractic conference, but most of the time I am with my wife Michelle and our kids Carson and Isabella. We love The Woodlands and all it has to offer. We are an active family and enjoy running, biking and walking dogs through the Mitchell Preserve. We take full advantage of all the Creekside amenities. In the summer we spend time on Lake Conroe, and in the winter you will find us on the slopes of Colorado.

What does the future hold for Woodlands Family Chiropractic?

The future of WFC is strong. You can count on us being around for many years to come, with gradual sustainable growth providing our community the same quality care that got us to where we are today.