Hurt your back on vacation in St. Thomas? Here is what to do right now.

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If you are reading this on your phone, bent over in a hotel room or sitting on a bench at the cruise dock, start here.

Call (340) 690-4994. Tell us you are a visitor and when you need to be back on the ship or at the airport. We try to fit visitors in the same day when the schedule allows. Walk-ins and same-day appointments work the same for visitors as for residents.

Where we are. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness is in the VI Medical Foundation Building, Suite 202, 9150 Estate Thomas, St. Thomas, USVI 00802. That is in Estate Thomas, just east of Charlotte Amalie, a short taxi ride from the Havensight cruise dock and Yacht Haven Grande, about five to ten minutes, and roughly fifteen to twenty-five minutes from Crown Bay on the far side of town. Agree the fare with the driver before you get in.

Our hours. 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. If your ship is in port on a Saturday or Sunday, we are not open.

I threw my back out on vacation. What happens when I get there?

If you have to be back on board by 4 pm, say so when you call and again when you walk in, and we will plan the visit around it.

A first visit for a visitor is built to answer two questions fast. First, is this something we can safely treat today? Second, what will get you moving well enough to finish your trip? Dr. Keys takes a short history (what you were doing when it went, where the pain sits, whether anything runs into the leg), examines your spine and how you move, and if something does not add up he will take a digital x-ray in the office before adjusting. Then, if it is appropriate, he adjusts.

Most "thrown out" backs are an acute muscle or joint strain in the low back. Those usually respond well to a careful adjustment, some soft tissue work, and plain instructions on how to sit, stand and get in and out of a tender or a plane seat for the next few days. You can read more on our lower back pain page and, if the pain is shooting down one leg, our sciatica page.

What one visit can and cannot do

We will be honest with you. One visit can take a sharp back from "I cannot stand up straight" to "I can walk the gangway and sit through dinner." It can reduce muscle guarding, restore some motion, and give you a plan. What it cannot do is finish the job. A back that has seized up usually needs a few days to settle and a few follow-up visits, and you will be getting those at home. We will send you off with written home care and, if you want it, a note for your chiropractor or physician back home describing what we found and did.

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. He has practiced on St. Thomas since 2015, the clinic opened in April 2018, and it has more than 180 five-star Google reviews.

Paying for a visit as a visitor

Visitors and boat or ship crew can pay by card. We accept Medicare, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, and we bill your insurance for you. If your plan is not one of those, call (340) 690-4994 with your card and we will tell you before you book. Self-pay rates are $120 for the initial exam, $40 for a chiropractic adjustment, and $20 for each therapy. We also take HSA and FSA cards.

When you should go to the emergency room instead

Some back pain should not come to a chiropractor first. Go to the nearest hospital, or call 911 if you have any of these:

  • Loss of bowel or bladder control, or numbness in the groin or saddle area
  • Weakness in a leg that is getting worse, or a foot that drags
  • Back pain after a serious fall, a jet ski or car crash, or a hard landing off a dive boat
  • Fever along with the back pain
  • Pain so severe you cannot get comfortable in any position, especially if you are over 60 or have a history of cancer or osteoporosis

If we suspect a fracture, a disc problem with nerve compression, or anything that looks like it needs imaging or a surgeon, Dr. Keys will tell you that an adjustment is not the right move that day and point you to the hospital. That is the reason you want a licensed clinician looking at you rather than guessing in a hotel room.

Villa, resort, and charter guests

You do not have to be on a cruise ship for this page to apply. If you are staying at a villa on the East End, a resort on the north side, or on a sailboat out of Red Hook or Yacht Haven Grande, call us the same way. If you are on a charter and the boat is moving on, tell us your itinerary so we can time the visit.

Getting seen

Call (340) 690-4994 or email info@tradewindschiropractic.com. We are at the VI Medical Foundation Building, Suite 202, 9150 Estate Thomas, St. Thomas, USVI 00802. 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. Same-week appointments are usually available and we try to fit visitors in the same day when the schedule allows.

If you want to see what a first visit involves before you call, read what to expect on a first visit. Our full list of services, including adjustments, soft tissue work, and digital x-ray, is on the services page.

Questions patients ask

I threw my back out on vacation in the USVI. Help.

Call (340) 690-4994 and tell us you are a visitor. We try to fit visitors in the same day when the schedule allows, and the clinic is a short taxi ride from Havensight and Charlotte Amalie. If you have leg weakness, loss of bladder control, or pain after a bad fall, go to the nearest hospital instead.

I hurt my back on a cruise stop in St. Thomas. Where can I get treatment today?

Tradewinds Chiropractic is in the VI Medical Foundation Building at 9150 Estate Thomas, a short taxi ride from the Havensight cruise dock and Yacht Haven Grande. We are open Mon, Wed, Thu 10 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm, and Tue, Fri 7 am to 2 pm. We are closed Saturday and Sunday, so if your ship is in port on a weekend we cannot see you that day.

I'm a tourist in St. Thomas with severe back pain. What are my options?

If the pain is severe but you can walk, have no leg weakness, and did not have a serious fall, a chiropractic visit is a reasonable first stop and we can usually tell you quickly whether we can help. If you have red flags like numbness in the saddle area, loss of bowel or bladder control, or pain after a crash, go to the nearest hospital emergency room. Visitors can pay by card, and we bill Medicare, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and Aetna for you.

Is there a chiropractor near the cruise port, Havensight, or Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas?

Yes. Tradewinds Chiropractic & Wellness is in Estate Thomas, just east of Charlotte Amalie and a short taxi ride from Havensight, Yacht Haven Grande, and Crown Bay. Any taxi at the dock can take you to the VI Medical Foundation Building at 9150 Estate Thomas.

Is there a walk-in chiropractor in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands?

Call ahead if you can, even from the taxi. We try to fit visitors in the same day when the schedule allows, and a quick call means we can have your paperwork ready and plan around your ship or flight time. Walk-ins and same-day appointments work the same for visitors as for residents.