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Dr. Todd Michael Gewant, D.C.

Chiropractor

Dr. Todd Gewant is a Chiropractor practicing in Santa Monica, CA. Dr. Gewant specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the neuromusculoskeletal system, while improving each patients functionality and quality of life. Conditions treated include sciatica, neck pain, and arthritis pain, among many others. Dr. Gewant seeks to reduce pain and discomfort through manipulation and adjustment of the spine.
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Dr. Todd Michael Gewant, D.C.
  • Santa Monica, CA
  • Accepting new patients

I feel my posture has bent after delivery. What can I do?

Hi there, If there is pain when you extend, you may have to see a chiropractor to align your spine before you begin posture exercises. If you go directly to new exercise or READ MORE
Hi there,

If there is pain when you extend, you may have to see a chiropractor to align your spine before you begin posture exercises. If you go directly to new exercise or stretches without a balanced spine, you will feel discomfort strengthening and stretching muscles and ligaments out of alignment. When you do so, ask them to show you doorway posture exercises/stretches or corner stretches to strengthen between shoulder blades and stretch the chest and anterior shoulder muscles at same time. Hope I
helped.

Got your back!

Dr. Todd Gewant

I am having pain around my hamstrings. Can I see a chiropractor for this?

Sorry to hear about your hamstring issue. I would try light stretching with moist heat. The hamstrings attach to the bottom of the pelvis, on the sit bone. If your pelvis is misaligned, READ MORE
Sorry to hear about your hamstring issue. I would try light stretching with moist heat. The hamstrings attach to the bottom of the pelvis, on the sit bone. If your pelvis is misaligned, it is going to pull on the hamstring. It may help in letting the muscle heal in its actual position to get adjusted, if the light stretching with moist heat doesn't work. Hope I helped.

Got your back,

Dr. Todd Gewant

What can I do for muscle soreness around my thighs?

Hello there. Sore thighs can result from many issues in life. Sedentary lifestyle, too little if any stretching, too much stretching, not enough exercise, too much exercise, circulation READ MORE
Hello there. Sore thighs can result from many issues in life. Sedentary lifestyle, too little if any stretching, too much stretching, not enough exercise, too much exercise, circulation issues, or neurological issues to state the most obvious and most common. I would get a physical or evaluation from your MD and have them do basic labs and exams, and first RULE OUT physiological causation, and follow up with a chiropractor or PT would be reasonable approach. Hope I helped.

Got your back,

Dr. Todd Gewant

How is back soreness treated?

Your mattress may be too soft. Also, when side sleeping, a pillow is needed between the knees to disallow over stretching of the low back. That’s why it feels better on a firm READ MORE
Your mattress may be too soft. Also, when side sleeping, a pillow is needed between the knees to disallow over stretching of the low back. That’s why it feels better on a firm floor. Temper pedic makes a medium to firm mattress for side sleepers and back sleepers that’s “just right."
Hope I helped. Got your back.

Dr. Todd Gewant

I have swelling on my lower back that has come up all of a sudden. Should I be worried?

You need to have a Chiropractor diagnose the cause of the symptoms you are suffering from. Then they can correct the cause and teach you appropriate exercises for your condition. READ MORE
You need to have a Chiropractor diagnose the cause of the symptoms you are suffering from. Then they can correct the cause and teach you appropriate exercises for your condition. Not just some generic low back exercises. Hope I helped. Got your back! Dr Todd Gewant

Can a chiropractor help my son with his posture?

If his bones are weak, a nutritionist is important to assist in strengthening them. Weight bearing exercise will help him strengthen both muscles and bones as well. If the bones READ MORE
If his bones are weak, a nutritionist is important to assist in strengthening them. Weight bearing exercise will help him strengthen both muscles and bones as well. If the bones are osteopenia or weak, I would suggest a non-force Chiropractor or one who used Activator technique, which is a non-manipulative technique to move the bones. Hope that helped. Got your back!
Dr. Todd Gewant

I have a problem with my posture that is causing back pain. What should I do?

It’s not too late at all. Let’s start with the simple approach: posture exercises. Simply google posture exercises and lots should pop up. One I teach often is standing one inch READ MORE
It’s not too late at all. Let’s start with the simple approach: posture exercises. Simply google posture exercises and lots should pop up. One I teach often is standing one inch from an open door threshold with arms bent at elbows 90 degrees and up 90 degrees in armpit. Then looking forward, exhale into a lean forward while feeling the stretch in top chest into shoulders. While that’s happening , contract shoulder blades together in back and hold 3 seconds each time. Do ten times in morning and 10 times at night for 3-5 second holds. Stretching front of shoulders and contracting between the blades. This will help improve total body posture.

Hope this helped. As always, Got your back. Dr Todd Gewant

What is the lump that I can feel right behind my neck?

The neck is more than just a spot so I would have to know exactly where the lump is and feel it. If it is the very bottom of the neck and feels like a small fat pad, it's called READ MORE
The neck is more than just a spot so I would have to know exactly where the lump is and feel it. If it is the very bottom of the neck and feels like a small fat pad, it's called a Dowagers Hump and has quite a few causes. Mostly postural and/or related to abnormal curvature of the cervical-thoracic spine. To be safe, you can get an X-ray and/or consult a chiropractor or medical physician to confirm it isn't a mass. Again, not enough info to give you a clear diagnosis. Hope I helped. Got your back!
Dr. Todd Gewant

I am suffering from anterior tibial tendinitis. Should I quit my job?

I would avoid quitting your work for now. Walking down stairs or hills will be your nemesis. I would make sure you wear comfortable shoes for one thing. If you are at a specific READ MORE
I would avoid quitting your work for now. Walking down stairs or hills will be your nemesis. I would make sure you wear comfortable shoes for one thing. If you are at a specific work station, I would consider a rubber or absorbing type of a matt to have in that area to avoid cement or hard no give surface. Consider "lightly" a foam roller followed by ice. Any "itis" means inflamed. So, controlling inflammation, increasing circulation and elasticity of that muscle group will help your symptoms to dissipate and
perhaps even resolve. It's a difficult area to stretch without hurting your ankle, so the foam roller is a good alternative. Also perhaps some tissue work, massage.
Hope I helped. Got your back!
Dr. Todd Gewant

Is a chiropractor helpful in treating kids?

An exam is most definitely needed to answer that question appropriately. A Chiropractor absolutely analyses how someone walks and moves, and the exam will determine if it's musculoskeletal, READ MORE
An exam is most definitely needed to answer that question appropriately. A Chiropractor absolutely analyses how someone walks and moves, and the exam will determine if it's musculoskeletal, as well as X-rays of the spine to see if there is a congenital or anatomical compromise as well. Hope this helps.

Got your back, Dr Todd Gewant

Can a chiropractor help me with my lower back pain?

That is exactly what Chiropractors do. If a bone is out of alignment it puts pressure on nerves and causes muscles to spasm or contract, which in turn causes pain in certain movements READ MORE
That is exactly what Chiropractors do. If a bone is out of alignment it puts pressure on nerves and causes muscles to spasm or contract, which in turn causes pain in certain movements or positions. See a Chiropractor and your cause of pain will be addressed instead of just treating the symptoms which corrects nothing. Hope I helped. Got your back, Dr Todd Gewant

My mother has developed a problem of shaking hands. What could be the reason behind it?

There can be many causes as simple as age taking its course, to more serious underlying disorders. Parkinson's Disease needs to be ruled out first and foremost, and can be examined READ MORE
There can be many causes as simple as age taking its course, to more serious underlying disorders. Parkinson's Disease needs to be ruled out first and foremost, and can be examined by your general practitioner medical doctor or internist. Hope I was of help.
Got your back,
Dr. Todd Gewant

I am having severe neck pain. What could be the reason?

I would consult a chiropractor and perhaps get X-rays as a first major internal tool for diagnostic purposes. Many Chiropractors actually take X-rays at the office first visit. READ MORE
I would consult a chiropractor and perhaps get X-rays as a first major internal tool for diagnostic purposes. Many Chiropractors actually take X-rays at the office first visit. If pain becomes truly too severe, I would go to ER or Urgent care, at which place they could help with the pain with meds and I'm sure take X-rays there as well. Hope I helped. Got your back!
Dr. Todd Gewant

My left shoulder is broader than the right. Is this a growth problem?

Very hard to determine without X-rays, without knowing your age, when you became aware of the asymmetry..... Also, nobody on the planet is totally symmetrical bilaterally. I would READ MORE
Very hard to determine without X-rays, without knowing your age, when you became aware of the asymmetry..... Also, nobody on the planet is totally symmetrical bilaterally. I would start with a simple visit to an orthopedist and get an Xray and start there. Hope that helps. Got your back! Dr Todd Gewant

Experiencing numbness and pain after elbow fracture treatment. Why is this happening?

I would most definitely bring this to attention of the surgeon. I don't know what he/she did for surgery so hard to know why. Abnormal sensations is neurological for sure to answer READ MORE
I would most definitely bring this to attention of the surgeon. I don't know what he/she did for surgery so hard to know why. Abnormal sensations is neurological for sure to answer questions though.

Is it bad to suddenly stop chiropractic care?

I will respond with a question as well: Is it bad to suddenly stop going to the dentist? If you don't take care of your teeth, they will eventually show symptoms of problems that READ MORE
I will respond with a question as well: Is it bad to suddenly stop going to
the dentist? If you don't take care of your teeth, they will eventually
show symptoms of problems that began a long time before. Same will go with
Chiropractic. Chiropractors keep you balanced so ALL aspects of your body
work as optimally as possible and posture and structure in balance is
imperative for harmony to occur. At least for maintenance once a month or
so is recommended to my patients after getting them to normal pain free
lifestyles. Hope this helped. Got your back! Dr Todd

Very tight neck

If bones in your neck are out of alignment, so are the muscles attached to them. All the massages in the world won't correct that. See a Chiropractor to balance your cervical READ MORE
If bones in your neck are out of alignment, so are the muscles attached to
them. All the massages in the world won't correct that. See a Chiropractor
to balance your cervical vertebrae, and your muscles will then have to
re-adapt to going back to where they belong as well. Then, your range of
motion will increase and your tightness will decrease. Got your back!

Sharp, shooting pain in my right leg

Well, by anatomical default, the nerve going down your leg is or part of the sciatic nerve. The L4/L5 nerve root of the sciatic nerve goes from inside knee to big toe, the L5/S1 READ MORE
Well, by anatomical default, the nerve going down your leg is or part of the sciatic nerve. The L4/L5 nerve root of the sciatic nerve goes from inside knee to big toe, the L5/S1 nerve root of the sciatic nerve is more behind the calf and to heel and outside of foot. I would seek attention by a Chiropractor or MD to first investigate the lumbar spine with X-ray and start there. Hope that helps.

Can a chiropractor relieve muscle pain?

Absolutely. Muscles attach to bones via tendons. If bones are out of alignment in spine or extremities, so are the muscles and tendons attached to them.

I had back surgery. Should I see a chiropractor or avoid it?

It all depends. I have treated many post op patients and either adjust other areas and avoid the surgical area or do non manipulative techniques. It also depends on the surgery READ MORE
It all depends. I have treated many post op patients and either adjust other areas and avoid the surgical area or do non manipulative techniques. It also depends on the surgery performed and where, if there is hardware like pins or plates or screws.