Dr. John Dandelski, DC, CCEP, ART, CES
Dr. John was voted BEST CHIROPRACTOR in Cityview Magazine’s Best Of the Best edition in 2023. Given that Dr. John limits his patient numbers to under 100/week this was quite unexpected! Most of the larger offices will see 300 or more patients per doctor per week, so the loyalty his patients demonstrated speaks volumes.
Additionally, For 2 years in a row (2017 & 2018) Dr. John was voted Best Chiropractor by the readers of West Knoxville Lifestyle Magazine (the magazine was sold and the new owner/editor decided to discontinue the Best Of edition).
With over 90 5-star reviews from Google, Yelp, and Facebook, he must be doing something right.
I've treated thousands of patients — elite marathoners, rugby players, triathletes, golfers, swimmers, weekend warriors nursing a pulled hamstring from beer-league softball. If it's a sport, I've probably seen its injuries walk through my door. In addition to taking your history, I will run a battery of orthopedic and neurologic tests to find what's actually gone wrong underneath: faulty movement patterns, joints that have locked up, muscles that forgot their job, and neurological signals that are firing in the wrong order.
My toolbox is deep. Adjustments come in every flavor — Diversified, Thompson, Sacro-Occipital, Activator — plus Active Release Technique (ART) for the whole body, from spine to fingertips and toes, muscle energy work, and Gua Sha for good measure.
I'm also a Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner (CCEP) — there are only about 800 of us worldwide, and just 3 here in Knoxville. That means jaw (TMJ/TMD), shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, and feet — the stuff most chiropractors shrug and send you to an orthopedist for — is actually my specialty. I've helped plenty of patients who'd already struck out with other chiropractors and medical doctors before walking through my door.
Round it out with a National Board certification in Physiotherapy, a Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) credential, and soon a Golf Fitness Specialist certification through NASM — because your slice might be due to more than a weak grip.
My son, a hawksbill turtle, and me
About Me
I like to get to know my patients, so it’s only fair you get to know me.
Personally, I am a recovering runner, swimmer, cyclist, hiker, and triathlete and understand the types of stresses we all place on our bodies, as well as the typical and atypical injuries athletes and us weekend warriors incur. While I’ve always been an athlete, I’ve not always been a chiropractor.
Before becoming a chiropractor I worked as a marine scientist for the National Academy of Sciences, Congressional Research Service, NOAA, and the University of Miami. While at the U. of Miami I was also a scientific research SCUBA diver and assistant diving safety officer, having done hundreds of research dives from underwater archaeology in a cenote, to oceanographic research throughout the Florida Keys. To help keep my hand in diving and marine science, I was a volunteer SCUBA diver at the TN Aquarium in Chattanooga for 5 years, but am on a break from that for now.
Feeding the rays at the
TN Aquarium in Chattanooga
Skinning up to Janet’s Cabin
at 11,610’ in Colorado
In January of 2013 I loaded my backpack with everything I would need to help support the filming of a new Outside Magazine / Outside Television reality series set in the back country of the Colorado Rockies. I provided chiropractic care, ART therapy, and first aid to the Outside Adventure Film School’s reality series, The Final Cut, which aired on the Outside Television network.
While not a main character by any stretch, I have been seen lurking in the background of some of the scenes (and was part of an ad in Outside Magazine). Since it’s inception in 2007, the Outside Adventure Film school has taught the art of filmmaking in some of the most amazing locations on the planet.
In my spare time I have a few hobbies that keep me busy like all sorts of diving. After one too many close calls on my bike, cycling has been replaced by other fun and less hazardous pursuits. My favorite places to be are to have my feet in the water or in the air. We all need to stay active and move our bodies until our bodies let us know to slow down.
A smart guy once said, “a body in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force,” so do your best to MOVE! Motion is lotion.
Education
Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), magna cum laude, Life University (GA)
Master of Arts (MA), Oceanography, University of Miami (FL)
Master of Science (MS), Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Radford University (VA)
Bachelor of Science (BS), Psychology (Top honors in psychology), Bethany College (WV)
Accreditations
National Academy of Sports Medicine
Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)
Golf Fitness Specialist (in process)
Council on Extremity Adjusting
Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner (CCEP)
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Board certified in chiropractic
Board certified in physiotherapy
Active Release Techniques (ART)
Full Spine
Upper Extremity
Lower Extremity
American Heart Association
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Solo Fun Jump
5 4-way Christmas Jump