“What really made me become a chiropractor was the fact that I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life,” says Dr. Rod Manadero, owner of Manadero Chiropractic.
Manadero grew up in Norfolk and attended Old Dominion University. He continued his education at Life University in Marietta, Georgia, where he received his doctor of chiropractic degree in 2002. While pursuing his degree, Manadero also worked full-time jobs, including bartending at the Ritz-Carlton in Atlanta.
When Manadero first started his career, he saw 100 different patients every day, but he never felt like he could truly connect with any of them. Opening his practice in 2008, he sought to create genuine relationships with his patients and provide unique care to each patient.
Manadero offers chiropractic adjustments, custom foot orthotics and a variety of physical therapy options, such as decompression, electric muscle stimulation or massage therapy. He is a certified fitness trainer and is board certified in physical therapy.
Family is at the heart of everything Manadero does. His office is filled with family photos, and his wife, Marina, helps as office manager. Even the Manaderos’ dog, Milo, greets visiting patients, making them feel like part of the family.
When he is not helping patients at his practice, Manadero spends time with his three children, Raquel, 17; Grace, 14 and Kai, 11. The whole family enjoys being active and outdoors, especially surfing and hiking. They also love to travel around the world. Marina is from South Africa and they have visited there many times.
In his 14 years of owning a practice in Newport News, Manadero has built a loyal patient base and prides himself in “doing things the right way.” He says the secret to his success is being open and taking the time to educate his patients.
Manadero says, “When a patient meets me, just like you meet anybody, you have to earn that trust. You can’t just have a patient come in and automatically assume that he or she is going to believe every word you say. You have to go based on your actions and how you treat each patient, how you educate each one. I want my patients to know that they can trust us and we are a trustworthy practice.”
He also emphasizes the importance of post-treatment care and helping patients with their diet and exercise. Manadero’s care goes beyond the office as he strives to be an accessible resource for his customers, “When a patient comes to see me, it’s not just what’s in the office. I am available by email and by phone, A patient doesn’t have to make an appointment for my advice.”
Manadero realized just how much he valued the close bonds that he fostered with his patients over the years when he had a severe health scare. In December of 2021, he was hospitalized with COVID and unable to attend to his practice. Within a matter of weeks, he had lost massive amounts of weight and was having trouble breathing on his own. Manadero received an outpouring of love and kind gestures from his patients. Some people even brought medicine and food to his home. “The relationships that we’ve made here, that Marina and I have forged over the years, it’s like patients become our friends. When I was sick, I was overwhelmed by the number of patients who came forward and helped us,” says Manadero.
As he exercised and recovered his strength, Manadero’s patients did not forget about him and many of them continued to call, just to ask how he was doing. The incident inspired significant changes in his practice. “It made me realize that I had to expand. If something ever happens to me, I want to make sure that this office is still running,” Manadero says.
Today, the practice has expanded to include space for several new rooms and additional equipment. Manadero also hopes to hire a new doctor.
Manadero attributes this growth to the hardships he faced and sees the experience as a positive one. He says, “Every bad thing always has something good that comes out of it…no matter what it is.”
TO THE POINT:
Manadero Chiropractic
Address: 727 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Ste. B, Newport News, VA 23601
Contact: Rod J. Manadero, owner
Phone: 757-595-8433
Email: 23601chiro@gmail.com
Website: www.manaderochiropractic.com
