ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Dr. James N. Holden, D.C., has settled in nicely at the home of his new practice in St. Clairsville.

The Holden Family Chiropractic Clinic opened during the first week of December at the site of the former C.A. House Music building on U.S. 40.

A Wheeling native, Holden studied exercise physiology at West Virginia University before earning his doctorate in chiropractic medicine from Sherman College in Spartanburg, S.C.

But it was more than 5,000 miles away while marching through the Schofield Barracks in Wahiawa, Hawaii that he discovered the benefits of and his desire to study chiropractic medicine.

Then known as Spc. James N. Holden, he served as an infantry team leader in the U.S. Army. During his four years of service, Holden participated in his fair share of physical training exercises.

”I went on 15-mile road marches with 100 pounds of equipment on my back and after four years of that, my back started breaking down,” Holden said. ”I was sent to physical therapy and given Motrin, but it didn’t really correct the structure of my body, it just helped with the muscles.

”I went to a chiropractor and I noticed the lower back pain went away. They fixed me from the inside out.”

Now he’s taking his own experiences and education in the field and hoping to assist residents of the Ohio Valley with getting back to full functionality as quickly as possible.

And he has a little help.

Holden is a big proponent of using all the technology at his disposal to find the root of the problem quickly.

He employs the use of a digital motion x-ray machine, enabling his diagnosis to pinpoint the exact location of the patients’ problems. That’s because while a typical x-ray shows a static image of bone structure, Holden’s machine can view an x-ray image through the full range of motion of any particular joint.

”Heart surgeons use this type of machine while they are performing catherizations so why I figured why can’t I watch the spine as it’s moving to better diagnose the problem,” Holden said. ”I wanted to start my practice with all the tools necessary to do the job exactly right, the first time.”

Because of the imaging technology, Holden is able to fix the problems areas without making any adjustments to those which are working properly. Patients are able to see a noticeable change almost immediately.

”We call the patients that night after their adjustments to see how they are doing and we’ve always gotten a positive response.

”The results come fast. We’re able to get people in and fix the problem so they can get on with their lives again without requiring a lot of visits.

”The body works better when it’s joints are functioning properly and it’s my job to fix the ones that aren’t working.

”But it’s just as important to leave the ones that are working properly alone.”

Housing the spinal cord, the key component of the body’s central nervous system, the spinal column is the brain’s pathway to send information throughout the rest of the body. By correcting spinal misalignments, the nerves can function as intended, without interference. The result is improved health, energy and immune function.

”There are a lot of misconceptions about chiropractic medicine,” Holden said. ”But I don’t have to convince you that it works. I can show you.”

Holden Family Chiropractic is open Monday and Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Friday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.

For more information, call (740) 296-5622 or visit the practice Web site at www.stclairsvillechiropractor.com

For a video detailing the types of images produced by the digital x-ray machine, located this story at www.timesleaderonline.com under the business section and click the video link.

Hughes may be reached at mhughes@timesleaderonline.com