Whole-Body Wellness
The medical team at The Health & Wellness Center @ BCO helps patients find the path to their best life.
- CategoryUncategorized
- Written byLaura L. Watts
- Photographed bySiri Berting
- Dr. Melissa Szymankiewicz, Dr. Randi Christ, Dr. Julia Moen, Dr. Austyn Yarbrough, Dr. Lindsey Spragg, Diane Kim
Above L to R:
“We believe strongly in the body’s ability to heal itself if we create an optimal healing state,” says Julia Moen, DC, a chiropractor and head of The Health & Wellness Center @ BCO. Established in 2014 as a holistic alternative for Beach Cities Orthopedics patients, The Health & Wellness Center focuses on the whole body to get to the root cause of illness or injury.
The practice offers an array of treatment and preventive services. “Our goal is to provide patients with a single organization that combines both Eastern and Western medicine under one roof,” says Dr. Moen, who had a life-altering injury as a competitive athlete when she was younger.
Athletic Care
After enduring numerous surgeries, nerve damage and chronic pain, Dr. Moen spent many years trying to heal herself. “I can relate to most of the patients who walk through our door,” she says. “I am truly passionate about getting people out of pain and helping them get back to doing what they love to do.”
Athletes who are experiencing pain and injury often consult with Lindsey Spragg, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder and knee. Dr. Spragg also grew up playing multiple sports, so she understands how an injury can affect both athletes and nonathletes and how to best get anyone injured back to their top form.
“Our goal is to provide patients with a single organization that combines both Eastern and Western medicine under one roof.”
“I pursued a career in orthopedic surgery because I felt it was a good balance between the intellectual side and hands-on side of medicine,” she says. “Specifically focusing on sports injuries and issues, I feel I have a good connection with my patients.”
Eastern Medicine
Another way the medical professionals at The Health & Wellness Center treat the body as a whole is through acupuncture. That division is headed by Diane Kim, a licensed acupuncturist and clinical herbalist who grew up seeing an acupuncturist when she was injured or sick.
“Growing up as a child of immigrants,” she shares, “my family didn’t have health insurance, so going to the doctor was an expense we couldn’t always afford. My parents chose to take me to an acupuncturist instead because one visit would entail an exam, a treatment and herbs. I learned then that medical care should make you stronger from the inside.”
She chose to study acupuncture and Eastern medicine because she knew she wanted to practice something accessible to the masses that provides a means to healthy living. “I’ve been in practice for 16 years, and the incredible ways the body reacts to the needles never ceases to amaze me,” Diane says.
Women’s Health
Dr. Moen was thrilled when The Health & Wellness Center @ BCO added a women’s health component focused on pre- and postpartum care. After having a traumatic pregnancy experience, she realized the lack of standard of care for women—from hormones to pelvic floor issues. So she returned to school for a specialization in women’s health so she could help others in similar situations.
Beach Cities Orthopedics also offers primary and acute care on-site, and The Health & Wellness Center will soon add a neuropathy treatment center. “We are a fully integrated practice,” says Dr. Moen. “We work alongside surgeons and primary care doctors. We also have physical therapists, certified athletic trainers, massage therapists and functional medicine doctors. We have a surgery center on-site as well as MRI and X-ray.”
The Health & Wellness Center offers several tools to ensure optimal health for patients, including the Ballancer®Pro and Class 4 laser therapy. The Ballancer®Pro lymphatic drainage technology is a relaxing and invigorating compression therapy system that works with your lymphatic system to properly drain toxins, lower stress and protect the body in many ways. The practice’s new Class 4 laser helps with a variety of conditions and has specific settings for the entire body, so they highly recommend it for almost all patients.
Above & Beyond
The doctors and therapists at Beach Cities Orthopedics frequently attend seminars and earn new certifications so they can continue to upgrade the standard of care they offer through research and technological advancements.
“We are lifelong learners,” says Dr. Moen. Dr. Spragg agrees: “It is an innovative field; I am always looking at how I can do things differently and better for patients.”
In addition to the work they do day in and day out with their patients, the BCO team also volunteers for and sponsors a variety of events around the community, including hosting training sessions and educational seminars for other professionals. “I have such a great team,” says Dr. Moen. “I am blessed that I get to help others daily and play a part in getting patients out of pain and functioning at their optimal level.”
