Dr. Michelle Chu was born and raised in Davis, where she was a top student at Davis Senior High School. She played on the DHS tennis team and was a member and camp instructor for Davis Tennis Club. She also attended Davis Chinese School for 10 years, where she taught traditional Chinese dance and tai chi.
Dr. Chu received her Bachelor’s Degree from UC San Diego, where she played on the women’s lacrosse team. After sustaining multiple injuries but continuing to play through them, Dr. Chu became interested in preventative and rehabilitative care for athletes. She went on to receive her chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West in San Jose, where she was an active participant in the school’s prestigious Sports Council, which offers medical and chiropractic care to professional, semi-pro, and amateur athletes in events across Northern California. Dr. Chu has treated at events such as the Kona Ironman in Hawaii; the Sea Otter Classic biking event in Laguna Seca, Monterey; America’s Finest City ½ Marathon in San Diego; and the International Children’s Games at Stanford University.
Dr. Chu graduated as salutatorian of her class at Palmer West, and was inducted into the oldest and most respected honor society in chiropractic, the Pi Tau Delta International Chiropractic Honors Society. She was also awarded with the Clinic Excellence Award, and the Student Fellowship Award.
In addition to a standard chiropractic adjustment, some techniques used during a typical treatment with Dr. Chu include multiple types of soft tissue therapy (including Active Release Technique (A.R.T.), Tecnica Gavilan, and trigger point therapy), Class IV Laser Therapy, Kinesiotape, biomechanics evaluation, and ergonomic discussion and corrective exercises as necessary. These techniques allow for not simply an elimination of pain symptoms, but treatment of the root cause of the problem, allowing for a return to function in optimal time. The ergonomic, biomechanical and corrective exercise aspect will ensure that whatever caused the issue to begin with will be fixed, so the issue does not simply recur over time.
Dr. Michelle Chu is happy to be back in her hometown, and excited to work with this active, health-conscious community. She continues to work with a number of athletes from UC Davis as well as Davis Senior High School. She has worked with the Sacramento Kings since 2014, and is proud to partner also with the Sacramento Rollin’ Kings, the competitive wheelchair basketball team. Other professional sports experience includes three seasons with the Canadian National rowing team, and the Akram Khan professional dance group from London.
ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.
Tecnica Gavilan is a system of: Manual Therapy, Therapeutic Modalities and Functional Exercise all in three dimensions. Our system unlocks the complicated puzzle of patient progression by stimulating soft tissue healing and facilitating the components of fitness. This creates directed rehabilitation and enhances athletic performance.
Rocktape is a kinesiology tape and is fantastic for treating common sports injuries like shin splints, plantars and runner’s knee. Rocktape also can increase endurance by promoting blood flow during an athletic event.
FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries. These are issues that can reduce the effects of functional training and physical conditioning and distort body awareness.
Laser Therapy is an FDA cleared modality that reduces inflammation and ultimately results in pain reduction. Laser Therapy is effective in treating acute pain, chronic conditions and post-op pain.
Laser therapy treatment is safe, painless and fast. Deep Tissue Laser Therapy treatments are administered in 5 to 10 minutes. Typically patients see results after 3 to 5 treatment sessions. Deep Tissue Laser Therapy utilizes your body’s own healing powers by stimulating cellular activity. Despite fast treatment times, laser therapy treatments initiate a healing process that continues to actively reduce inflammation for up 24 hours after treatment.
Available by appointment only.
Mon.-Thurs.: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Fri.: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
302 G Street
Davis, CA 95616