Spinal Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Exercise in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
An adjustment changes how a joint moves. It does not, on its own, change the strength or control of the muscles holding that joint in place day to day. Spinal rehabilitation closes that gap. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas builds a rehab exercise program into care for patients recovering from an injury, a flare-up, or a spine that keeps giving out the same way.
What spinal rehabilitation is, and is not
Spinal rehabilitation is targeted exercise aimed at the muscles that stabilize your spine, hips and shoulders, chosen from what the exam finds, not a generic workout sheet handed to everyone who walks in. It usually starts small: controlled movements that retrain a joint to move the way it should, done at low load, before anything resembling strength training begins.
It is not physical therapy in the formal sense, and it is not a gym program. It works alongside adjustment, not instead of it. The two do different jobs: adjustment addresses a joint that is not moving well, and rehab addresses the muscles and movement patterns that let the problem come back once the joint is moving again.
What it helps with
Lower back pain that keeps recurring after the acute pain settles. See lower back pain.
Neck pain and the forward-head, rounded-shoulder pattern common in desk and laptop work. See neck pain.
Recovery after whiplash, once the acute phase has calmed down.
Herniated disc and degenerative disc disease, where core and hip strength take load off the spine. See herniated disc.
SI joint pain and pain between the shoulder blades that responds to postural and strength work.
Not every patient needs a formal rehab program. Some do well with adjustment and a short list of home exercises. Dr. Keys builds the program to match what the exam and your response to care actually show, not a fixed template.
How we do it at Tradewinds
Rehab is added once the acute pain has settled enough to load the area safely, using findings from your exam and how you have responded so far. Exercises are shown to you in the office, checked for form, and progressed as you get stronger, with a set you continue at home between visits. 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.
There is no fixed program length. Each plan is built around the patient's needs, done in the office plus home exercises. Self-pay rehab is $20 per therapy, billed in 15-minute units, and with insurance the cost depends on your coverage. The rest of your visit, including adjustment and, where it applies, instrument assisted soft tissue work, is on our services page.
When it's not the right first step
Rehab exercise is not where care starts if:
The pain is still acute and sharp, before an exam has ruled out something that should not be loaded yet.
You have numbness, tingling or weakness that is spreading, or any loss of bowel or bladder control, which needs evaluation before any exercise program.
You are early after spine surgery or have spinal hardware.
You are pregnant. Exercise recommendations change and need to be built around that.
If any of these apply, Dr. Keys examines you first and builds the plan, or the referral, around what he finds.
Visitors, crew and cruise passengers
Boat crew and visitors who are only on island for a short stretch often leave with a home program rather than a full in-office series, built around what equipment and time they actually have once they are back at sea or at home. Tell us your schedule at booking so the plan matches how long you have here.
Getting seen
Call (340) 690-4994 to book. We take walk-ins and same-day appointments. 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 rehab exercise program after injury in St. Thomas?
Yes. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas builds spinal rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise into care for patients recovering from an injury or a flare-up, alongside adjustment. Call (340) 690-4994 to ask about your case.
What's the difference between an adjustment and spinal rehab?
An adjustment addresses a joint that is not moving well. Rehab exercise trains the muscles around that joint so the problem is less likely to come back. Most patients who keep having the same flare-up benefit from both.
Do I do the exercises at the clinic or at home?
Both. Exercises are shown to you and checked for form in the office, then you continue a set at home between visits so the work keeps going outside your appointments.
How long does a spinal rehab program take?
There is no fixed length. Dr. Keys builds the plan around your exam and how you respond, with work in the office plus exercises at home. Call (340) 690-4994 and Dr. Keys can give you a realistic timeline after your exam.
Can I start a rehab program without getting adjusted first?
It depends on what the exam finds. Many patients start rehab alongside adjustment from the first visit, while others need the acute pain to settle before loading the area. Dr. Keys decides the order based on your exam.
Active Therapies
Therapeutic Exercises
Neuromuscular re-education
Individualized custom rehabilitation programs designed to restore optimal function
Vibration Plate
Passive Therapies
Electric Stimulation
Shockwave Therapy
Ultrasound
Mechanical Traction
Ice and Heat
Soft Tissue Therapies
Myofascial Release
Trigger Point Therapy
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
Manual Therapy
Mobilization
