What to Expect on Your First Visit to MAST Health Chiropractic
Starting any new healthcare journey can feel a little uncertain—especially when it involves something as hands-on as chiropractic care. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic pain, or just looking to move and feel better in your daily life, your first visit to MAST Health Chiropractic in Tampa will be clear, personalized, and stress-free.
MAST Health Chiropractic is a sports injury chiropractic clinic based in Tampa, Florida. MAST Health provides effective, non-invasive chiropractic care that helps patients recover from pain, restore movement, and return to the life they love.
If you have been injured or are suffering from pain, you may have landed on this page after searching for things like “Sports Chiropractor near me” or “Best sports Chiropractor near me”. Mast Health strives to be the best sports Chiropractic clinic in central Florida. It is even open on weekends, which is helpful because injuries and pain do not confine themselves to weekdays. This post will guide new patients through each step—from start to finish—so they can approach their first experience at MAST Health with confidence and peace of mind.
Preparing for Your First Visit
To schedule your appointment, you can go to the “About Us” page on MAST Health’s website and click on the button labeled “Schedule Now!” to set your appointment time.
Once that is scheduled, you can download the New Patient Packet and fill out the forms that are required for all new patients. The New Patient Packet can be found on the “Contact Us” page on the website. This packet includes the patient intake forms, health history, and consent paperwork. Completing these forms before the appointment can streamline the check-in process.
When the time comes for your appointment, you can check in online up to an hour before your scheduled time. Come to the clinic wearing comfortable clothing that allows for movement. Also be sure to bring the completed forms and your ID.
Warm Welcome and Consultation
Upon arriving at MAST Health at the scheduled time, you will be greeted warmly by Dr. Vasilios Nenos and his team. Dr. Nenos will take you to a room for a one-on-one consultation. During this consultation, Dr. Nenos will focus on identifying the root cause of your discomfort, whether it stems from sports, an accident, or daily stress.
Dr. Nenos’s philosophy is to provide healing that is clear, compassionate, and customized. Therefore, you can rest assured that your visit to MAST Health will be just that.
Movement Assessment and Posture Analysis
The consultation will include a movement assessment and posture analysis. In the movement assessment, Dr. Nenos and his team will evaluate how your body moves during every-day and athletic activities. The team may ask you to sit, stand, squat, walk, or run, depending on the examination.
With the posture analysis, the team will assess how your body aligns when standing or sitting. The reason for this is that having poor posture can lead to chronic pain, increased risk of injury, and reduced performance. To ensure your functional soundness, Dr. Nenos and his team will probably ask you to sit or stand in certain positions
The movement assessment and posture analysis are important parts of the consultation. These two assessments are vital in pinpointing dysfunctions in your movements early in the process. This allows Dr. Nenos and his team to find more effective and tailored care for you.
Full Chiropractic Exam and Posture Screening
Once the movement assessment and posture analysis are completed, you will undergo a full chiropractic examination. This may include spinal alignment and range-of-motion tests. The examination may also include an assessment of certain muscles to identify dysfunctions that may not be visible at first sight.
Besides the assessments and analyses mentioned above, MAST Health, as a sports injury chiropractic clinic, also provides a variety of physiotherapy and corrective exercises which are useful for patients, especially those who are athletes.
Customized Care Plan Development
Following the consultation, Dr. Nenos and his team will craft a plan to help you heal and regain your strength. Plans often include:
- Gentle, targeted chiropractic adjustments
- Sport-specific rehabilitation exercises to restore optimal movement
- Potential integration of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (if there is scar tissue or adhesions).
Gentle, Targeted Adjustments
Adjustments are likely something that you will have to schedule ahead of time. An adjustment would involve Dr. Nenos manipulating your spine to bring it into alignment. Dr. Nenos is gentle and precise with his adjustments, so you are not to experience significant pain.
You may feel immediate relief, but you may also feel some mild soreness after the adjustment. This is typical of chiropractic care, so do not be surprised or alarmed if this happens.
Sport-Specific Rehabilitation
Being a sports chiropractic clinic, MAST Health also incorporates rehabilitation exercises in its treatment plan that are specific to your injury, the sport you play, and your activity level. The exercises help you become stronger and reduce the risk of re-injuring yourself.
The MAST Health team incorporates sport-specific exercises from day one. As the visits continue, Dr. Nenos and his team will collaborate with you to add more exercises that will be helpful to you in the long run.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy is a non-invasive treatment that uses focused shockwaves or radial pressure waves to help damaged tissues heal. The chiropractor uses a machine to deliver pulses of energy to the area of the injury. This increases blood flow, stimulates cell regeneration, and reduces pain.
ESWT is used for specific injuries that mainly affect athletes, namely chronic tendonitis, Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis. These injuries make ESWT popular among sports chiropractors. Doctors often use ESWT for chronic conditions that have not responded well to other treatments. Doctors encourage patients who use this therapy to take it easy for the next two weeks. ESWT is a precision rehab tool that sets MAST Health apart from other sports injury chiropractors.
Ongoing Support and Progress Tracking
Even after your visit is over, you can expect to receive ongoing support from the MAST Health chiropractic team throughout your subsequent visits. Dr. Nenos and his team will continue to make adjustments to the treatment at the clinic, as well as the care plan, as time goes on. Dr. Nenos and the team will also continue to track your movement and how it improves or how it needs help to improve.
MAST Health provides you with guidance through every step of your healing process. Therefore, you can be certain that you will be seen and heard, even after the first visit. The warmth and friendliness that you experience during the first visit will not disappear in subsequent visits. You will surely conclude that MAST Health is the best sports chiropractors near you.
One thing that might occur in the following visits is a reassessment in sports rehab (if it applies to the injury). This is important as the visits continue and you regain your ability to move. As you recover, the chiropractic team will reassess your ability to move and take part in the sport you play.
What To Expect Physically and Emotionally
After the first visit (and possibly the following visits), you can expect to feel some initial relief. You may also experience some mild pain if you had something adjusted during the visit. Many patients feel better after just one visit. Some people may feel mildly tender after an adjustment.
Feeling some soreness after a visit is quite normal and is only temporary. Soreness could last for a few days, especially if you do the exercises at home as prescribed. Feeling relief or soreness is good news because it is a sign that your body is responding to the treatments it is being given.
Aftercare and Home Support
MAST Health’s chiropractic team may suggest that you do simple stretches and exercises at home to help your recovery. MAST Health offers a downloadable packet on its website where you can find these. The chiropractic team can also offer guidance on your posture, movement, and self-care.
Conclusion
From beginning to end, MAST Health makes your first visit welcoming and easy. Being able to complete the paperwork ahead of time reduces stress for you. The chiropractic team is warm and welcoming, and they specifically design the one-on-one consultations, treatments, and care plans for each patient.
In all things, MAST Health strives to provide quality care and bring healing to its patients.