Digital X-Ray and Posture Analysis in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas takes digital x-rays on site and pairs them with a hands-on posture analysis, so the picture of your spine and the picture of how you actually stand and move come from the same visit. Together they tell Dr. Bradley Keys what is safe to adjust, what needs a different approach, and what is worth tracking over time.

What digital x-ray is, and when we use it

Digital x-ray is the same imaging patients know from any medical office, taken and reviewed on site instead of sent out. It uses a small fraction of the radiation of older film x-ray and the images are ready in moments, so a visit that calls for imaging does not turn into a second appointment somewhere else.

We do not x-ray everyone who walks in. Most acute low back and neck pain does not need imaging on the first visit. Digital x-ray earns its place when the history or exam points to something imaging can actually answer: a scoliosis curve that needs measuring, a spine that has taken a hard fall or a crash, pain that is not behaving the way a muscle or joint strain should, or a case where Dr. Keys wants to see the joints directly before choosing an adjustment technique.

What posture analysis is, and what it is for

Posture analysis is a straightforward, hands-on look at how your head, shoulders, pelvis and spine sit and move, standing and in motion. It is not a diagnosis on its own. It is a way to see, in plain terms, the pattern behind a complaint: a forward head from years at a laptop, a pelvis that sits unevenly, a shoulder riding higher than the other. Paired with an x-ray when one is taken, it turns a static image into a fuller picture of how you actually carry yourself day to day.

Where this fits in your visit

The first visit at Tradewinds is a history and a hands-on exam. If imaging is called for, digital x-rays are taken on site and reviewed with you, not just filed away. Posture is checked at the same visit, standing and moving, and the findings are shown to you directly so you understand what they mean before any adjustment happens. Dr. Keys is the Chair of the Virgin Islands Board of Chiropractic Examiners, a member of the Virgin Islands Chiropractic Society, and the International Chiropractors Association representative for the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Conditions where imaging and posture findings usually shape the plan include scoliosis, neck pain and lower back pain that has not responded to a first course of care, and the forward-head, rounded-shoulder pattern common in office and remote workers. The rest of your visit, adjustment, rehab exercise or soft tissue work, is on our services page.

When something other than an x-ray is needed

X-ray shows bone. It does not show discs, nerves or soft tissue well, and it is not always the right first test:

Numbness, tingling or weakness that is spreading, or any loss of bowel or bladder control, usually calls for an MRI, not an x-ray.
Suspected pregnancy. We do not x-ray a patient who is or may be pregnant.
A case that has already been imaged elsewhere recently. Bring the report and, if you have it, the disc, so we are not duplicating exposure.
Fever with spine pain, or pain that suggests infection or a growth rather than a mechanical problem, which needs medical evaluation beyond what an x-ray or a chiropractic exam can settle.

Dr. Keys tells you plainly when an MRI, a specialist, or the emergency room is the better next step, and helps you organize the referral.

Visitors, crew and cruise passengers

Visitors and crew who come in with a spine that has been aggravated by travel, a fall, or a long stretch of physical work often benefit from same-visit imaging, since there is usually no time for a second trip to a radiology office. Walk-ins and same-day appointments work the same for visitors as for residents. If you already have recent imaging from home, bring it. It often saves a repeat x-ray.

Getting seen

Call (340) 690-4994 to book. Same-week appointments are usually available. We are at the VI Medical Foundation Building, Suite 202, 9150 Estate Thomas, St. Thomas, USVI 00802, just east of Charlotte Amalie and a short drive from the Havensight cruise port and Yacht Haven Grande. Hours are Mon, Wed, Thu: 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tue, Fri: 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Closed Sat and Sun. New patient forms are at forms. Tradewinds Chiropractic has more than 180 five-star Google reviews.

Questions patients ask

Is there a chiropractor with digital x-ray on site in St. Thomas?

Yes. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas takes digital x-rays on site when the history or exam calls for imaging, and reviews the images with you the same visit. Call (340) 690-4994 to ask whether your case needs it.

Do I need an x-ray before my first adjustment?

Not usually. Most acute back and neck pain is assessed with a history and hands-on exam, and adjustment can start without imaging. X-ray is used when the case points to something imaging can answer, such as a scoliosis curve, a recent fall or crash, or pain that is not behaving like a typical strain.

What does posture analysis involve?

A hands-on look at how your head, shoulders, pelvis and spine sit and move, standing and in motion. It is done at your first visit alongside the history and exam, and the findings are explained to you directly, not just noted in a chart.

Is digital x-ray safe?

Digital x-ray uses a small fraction of the radiation of older film x-ray, and we only take images when they will change or confirm the plan. We do not x-ray a patient who is or may be pregnant.

Can I bring an x-ray or MRI I already have?

Yes. Bring the report and, if you have it, the disc or a link to the images. It often means we do not need to repeat imaging you already have.