Caroline Burckle (2008 US Olympic Swim Team and Bronze Medalist, Health and Life Coach, M.S. Kinesiology and Sports Psychology, UT)
As a former professional swimmer and athlete, I had comfortably settled into the routine of bi-weekly massages, chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy…. you name it, the list of treatments at my fingertips went on and on. But since I have been “retired”, I have felt “unworthy” of getting my body taken care of properly. Let’s be real, I still workout regularly (and fairly intensely at that), so it was only a matter of time until I fell apart. And, yes, that I did.
My first visit to Dr. John mimicked the beginning of an incredible coach-athlete relationship! My neck was all out of whack, and my pelvis was rotated more than I could have imagined. Furthermore, from achilles and calf pain to headaches caused by a rotated neck and upper spine, I was all sorts of disconnected. It has been eye-opening to see how he incorporates both muscle and spine work to get me back to my fighting athlete-self. I have never felt better with feeling “wholly connected and put-together” in my entire life, and my yoga practice proves this to be true. I am able to balance and get into core-poses with ease and strength.
I have had many-a-wonderful chiropractor, but Dr. John is one of a kind. He is always looking out for the best of YOU, which is of utmost importance. He will do whatever it takes to ensure that you are aligned in all areas of your physical and mental life. I look forward to seeing the progress that I have made at the one-year mark of working with Dr. John. [Caroline’s Website is: stilwellness.com]
Charlie Engle (Ultra-athlete (ran across the Sahara Desert, RAAM, Badwater, Eco-Challenge, Hawaii Ironman and more), contributor to Outside Magazine, film maker/producer…)
John has a very intuitive style that I like very much. As an ultra distance runner, I came to John to help me with a lower back problem. Instead of adjusting my lower back right away, he put me through a series of test movements that isolated my weak areas. He did adjust my back but only after explaining to me how my other problems related to the back issue. In this way, he not only fixed my back but gave me a better understanding of how to avoid the same problem in the future.
I came to Tennessee to run a race in a rural part of the state. I invited John and his wife to come to the race and crew for me. I had no idea how important John would be to my success in that race. He was there during most of the 31 hour race and he kept me running for 129 miles. Without John in my corner, I would not have done nearly as well. Most importantly, I felt good when the race was over and this was thanks to John’s work. Any athlete would be lucky to have John as a chiropractor. He is the best. [For anyone interested in what Charlie is doing next: www.thedesertchallenge.com]
Melissa Dawn Burns (US Unlimited Aerobatic Team member, BASE jumper, champion rock climber, adventurer)
As a full time aerobatic pilot and US Team member I put my neck and back through constant strain. I pull up to plus 12 and minus 7 g’s during my routine and without good and consistent chiropractic care I would be in constant discomfort and pain. When I met John he was able to help me to get through a tough back country ski trip carrying a heavy pack and managed to make my back and neck feel so much more comfortable and free! I have an old base jumping injury in my tib/fib that affects my knee that he worked on and managed to help to align which I didn’t even know could be done. He is a great guy and a very skilled chiropractor, especially for those who live an adventurous lifestyle. [Melissa’s Website is: sportsgal.com]
Rex Pemberton (Adventurer, film maker, BASE jumper, and youngest Australian ever to climb Mount Everest)
When I met John we were about to embark on a back country skiing expedition in support of the Outside Adventure Film School. He took one look at the massive Hematomia on my right thigh and said ‘we need to work on this right away’.
Two weeks earlier I suffered a blunt trauma hit to my thigh by skiing into a rock at high speed. My leg was swollen badly and I only had 15 degrees of movement in my knee. In the two days before our trip, John helped me increase the movement and flexibility to 90 degrees with ART and other a stretching techniques.
During the backcountry trip John paid special attention to my helping me increase my movement and manage the swelling. His excellent treatment made me realise that good chiropractic is not just about “cracking your back and neck.” John’s attention to detail and kind nature really allowed me to excel while injured and now my leg has made a full 100% recovery. I trust John implicitly and would recommend him to anyone. [Rex’s Website is: rexpemberton.com]
Laura (Life long athlete– 5-star review on Yelp)
I’m in town visiting my parents and ended up in a lot of pain due to some ongoing neck issues. Dr. John went out of his way to get me in right away so I didn’t have to be in pain and took the time to give me a comprehensive and full body adjustment. Plus he gave me some important insights into my body that will help me moving forward.
Having been an athlete my entire life I’ve been going to chiropractors since I was about 12. I’ve been to good ones and bad ones, but I can tell you even after one visit, Dr. John is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I wish I lived in the area so I could see him on an ongoing basis, but I’ve already recommended him to friend and family and will definitely come see him whenever I’m in town.
Chiropractic can be life changing when you have a great doctor, but useless to dangerous if you don’t. It’s so important to go to some one you trust, someone transparent that explains what he/she is doing and why, and someone who has a track record of success (hello over 20 yelp five star reviews). I’m rather jealous of the Knoxville residents who can see Dr. John on a regular basis.
Lauren (5-star review on Yelp)
I am so glad I went to Dr. John. I was looking for a chiro and found him through positive reviews on yelp. I was having a lot of neck and hip pain and I couldn’t turn my head to the left. Dr. John listened to all my concerns, asked questions, and did some tests to find my problem areas. I had never been to the chiro before so he explained everything before he did it. I didn’t realize how bad I actually felt until he fixed me! I am so grateful I went, I can move my head all the normal ways again and I don’t have any pain! He isn’t pushy when it comes to appointments and he doesn’t try to sell you anything. Overall, I am very pleased and comfortable with Dr. John and I would recommend him to anyone!
Kathleen (Ironman, 1/2 Ironman, multiple marathons – 5-star review on Yelp)
For those of you who want the quick review, here it is: Dr. Dandelski solved my mystery of injuries over the last several years. I had seen multiple doctors, went to physical therapy, had acupuncture, etc. Nothing seemed to work, until I saw Dr. Dandelski.
So here are the details…
I have been an endurance athlete (primarily running) for over ten years and finally got into triathlons about six years ago. I have suffered minor (and typical) injuries such as IT Band Syndrome and pulled muscles, but nothing too serious. However, in fall of 2010 I started experiencing hip pain in which several doctors diagnosed me with hip bursitis. This pain radiated to my lower back. Eventually, I could no longer walk comfortably, let alone run. This was a frustrating injury because I could not think of one specific fall or movement that caused it and it seemed to appear overnight. I went to physical therapy where they gave me typical stretches and strengthening exercises and eventually I was able to run about 2 miles (not much for a marathon runner). A series of doctors just told me to retire from endurance races. I turned to acupuncture and that alleviated some pain, but never really solved it. Mysteriously, I started to feel better and slowly got back into cross training – I even started training for my first Ironman race. About two months ago I completed a 70.3 triathlon and two days later suffered from debilitating back spasms – and my “hip” soreness returned. I thought I had taken every action to stay injury-free. My coach passed Dr. Dandelski’s info to me and I was reluctant to see a chiropractor – especially after having multiple people in the medical field give up on me. I’ll sum up my experience to say that two weeks later I ran the North Face Endurance Challenge – a half marathon of trail running. I know, this sounds bogus – and I would have thought so two years ago. Dr. John knows his stuff! He has a talent for reading people, listening to their issues, and evaluating his patients. I have been injury free, training strong and ready for my first Ironman race this August. I felt a little better after our first session and decided to return for a few more. I was feeling better and better after each session and now I’m good to go! Dr. John was able to identify specific areas of muscle weakness and provide me with proper strengthening and stretching exercises. This was something that trainers, physical therapists, and sports doctors could not do because they were not seeing how the injuries were connected.
I highly recommend doing his one hour assessment session. In fact, all athletes should consider this one. I wish I had done it a long time ago because I would have avoided many of my injuries – primarily my back. I have left a lot of details out just to keep this review at a manageable length but I can’t stress enough how helpful Dr. John has been for me.
I wasn’t a believer of chiropractic care so much, until I saw Dr. John. He’s a great doctor, conveniently located, and you can book a session online.
Lee ( Veteran, rock climber, triathlete – 5-star review on Yelp)
I have seen several chiropractors in the search for one that gets results–and I have found that in Dr. John
I am a veteran, a tri-athlete, a rock climber, and because I’m a woman I love to wear 3 inch heels–all of these things have reeked havoc on my neck, low back, and joints. Dr. John’s treatment helps me heal so that I can enjoy the people, the sports, and the life that I’ve been blessed with.
To wrap up, I came in with severe low back pain, neck pain, headaches, ex and Dr. John helped to minimize these by 85% the first session!! Considering that I’ve been to other chiropractors who I can see 7 times with less relief, to say the least I was impressed. You absolutely get what you pay for in pain relief, treatment, and professionalism when you choose Dr. John. Proficient and affordable! I give him a solid strong recommendation.
Clint ( Knoxville – 5-star review on Yelp)
I have seen well over 10 different chiropractors in several cities from West Palm Beach to San Diego and Doc John is head and shoulders above everyone else including several in the Knoxville area. I would say his knowledge is his best asset as he knows more about the physiological aspects of your body than many of the specialty doctors i have seen.
I had a cortisone shot in my shoulder about a year ago at KOC as I was told i had a partial tear in that tendon and unless I wanted to have surgery that this was the best option. I was told this same thing by doctors in San Diego over 4 years ago. My first day in to see Doc a couple weeks ago I spent 20 mns telling him my story and he pinpointed my pain immediately, grabbed my arm and popped my tendon back into the shoulder joint as it simply had slipped out and was not torn at all. I had lived with some pretty bad pain for the last few years and it was gone..immediately.
After that I made up my mind that I had found the guy I will be going to see from now on. He has also helped me get my hips torqued back around straight as this was causing my left leg to be about 2 inches shorter than my right and causing all sorts of problems up and down my entire body. Other doctors i had seen told me my left leg was simply shorter. Again wrong. Once my hips are aligned after an adjustment my pain is gone,my strength in my lower body increases and I walk and run pain free. We are still working on that but my body is slowly accepting these adjustments after years of being all jacked up. If you have any sports related injuries or simply have pain after a rough go at life..go see this guy now..nuff said!
Elaine (1/2 Ironman – 5-star review on Yelp)
I’ve been seeing Dr. John for a few weeks now and he’s great! I was just diagnosed with a labral tear in my hip and have been going to PT for some time now. I figured… might as see what a chiropractor can do?? whatever it takes to avoid surgery, right?? I am an avid triathlete and can’t afford to be out for 1-2 seasons 
I decided to see Dr. John after several positive reviews. I saw him for the first time 3 days before a half ironman and I’m not sure if it had all to do with what he did (or maybe the 4 months of training!), but I PR’d my half ironman time by almost 1 hr and shaved 18 mins off the run time on a much harder course. AMAZING!
It hasn’t caused anything to get worse, if anything, things are better. He knows what he’s talking about and doesn’t try to con you into coming in for life long appointments, which I have heard some other places do. After the first appointment, the others are fairly quick ~15-20 mins, which can be good or bad. Good because you can pop in and pop out if you are going during work. Bad because I sometimes miss the stim/ice/heat/massage you get at those hour appointments with a PT but the two practices do two different things, so I’ll just have to deal!
I haven’t finished up my initial appointments yet to “straighten” me out, but I’m confident when I’m done, I’ll be able to run pain free and avoid surgery in the near future.
[follow-up from Elaine]
Hi Dr. John! I was a patient of yours over the spring/summer. Work started to pick up pretty heavily and found myself missing my appointments. I come from [far away] and found that it was just too difficult to drive to [your Virginia office] to maintain the treatment you were providing, almost 2 hours roundtrip! I didn’t want to quit chiropractic treatment either because it was working great, so I have been searching for a chiropractor in [my hometown] area and currently seeing one that I am not thrilled about. I haven’t liked anyone I’ve seen or read about compared to you.
The current practice keeps selling and pushing things on me, Xrays this, Xrays that, or everything is nickle and dime. They don’t understand what I put my body through in training and races. I’m desperate to find a good sports chiropractor in [my] area. Every time I leave the current office, I am so bummed that you are so far away; I leave unhappy. I’ve been hesitant to contact you to see if you knew anyone because I thought that would be taboo, but I’m desperate.
Many thanks and if you can use this on your website or testimonials, feel free.
Thank you!
Rebecca (Marathoner with foot pain – 5-star review on Yelp)
Let me preface this by letting you know that I’m guilty of taking advantage of reading reviews people post online, but I’ve never taken the time to write my own review before. The magnitude of my positive experience with Dr. John Dandelski has motivated me to break this bad habit and spread the word about how amazing he is. Forgive me for the lengthiness, but I have a lot to say!
My foot issued: In May 2012, I started training for the Marine Corp Marathon with the TEAM TO END AIDS. While I am an experienced runner, I have never run such a long distance before. Each week, I slowly increased my mileage without any issues until I completed the 10 mile training run. I felt fine during the run but the next day, I began to feel sharp pain beginning on the outside of my right foot and shooting up my ankle. This pain became increasingly worse throughout the day, so much that it was nearly unbearable to walk. I was limping around and wincing in pain. I seriously thought it must be broken. I guessed it might be a stress fracture.
I made an appointment right away with a podiatrist (doctor specializing in disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower extremity). The podiatrist took xrays and performed an examination. She told me there was no sign of fracture and that it was probably tendonitis. She prescribed me a strong steroid medication (taper pack) – this was supposed to be the equivalent of receiving a cortisone injection in my foot, and she told me that my shoes were not good and that I needed more rigid shoes. However, after finishing all of the medication, I didn’t feel any relief from the sharp pain in my foot. The new running shoes that I bought didn’t help at all either.
I reached out to the coaches on my team for advice and one of them mentioned that she was a firm believer in ART, which she received at a sports injury clinic. Her doctor’s office was just too far away from my house though. But her advice got me searching on the internet, and I stumbled upon a chiropractor that specializes in sports injuries located closer to my home.
In my first visit with Dr. John Dandelski, I was shocked to finally feel some relief from the pain (after being in pain for 10 days). After performing an examination of my major issue, Dr. John told me that the bones in my right foot were completely locked up and he was skeptical that I actually had tendonitis. He made several adjustments and actually had me run outside in the parking lot afterward to see if the adjustments he made had helped. To my surprise, I felt relief right away (I was actually able to run) although I did still feel some pain/achiness in my foot. That pain went away completely after a couple days.
In my 1st visit, after receiving several adjustments to my neck, back, hips, and feet (literally a comprehensive whole-body treatment!), I mentioned to Dr. John that I had somehow damaged by jaw from trying (unsuccessfully) to bite into the gum at a center of a (stale) blow pop. He made adjustments to my jaw and showed me an exercise to do on my own to strengthen my jaw. Whatever he did worked.
I’ve been to a few chiropractors over the years to help me with my migraines, but none have been as good as Dr. John. From personal experience, I would highly recommend him. I really wish I had saved the time and money I spent at the podiatrist (not to mention the hardship to my liver from the useless medication) and seen Dr. John from the beginning.
I plan to continue to go to Dr. John for preventative maintenance, especially as I continue to train for the marathon, and also continue to receive adjustments to my neck so I’ll hopefully experience fewer migraines. I honestly thought I was going to have to drop out of the marathon training program due to my foot issue, but after a few visits with Dr. John, I am now back on track with my training, and I feel confident that I’ll make it to race day (10/28!) and successfully complete my first marathon ever. In less than 4 hours… well maybe… I can dream, right? It will seriously just be a huge accomplishment though, just to complete the 26.2 miles and feel healthy afterward.
Dr. John has an office in Annandale and Washington D.C. (very close to Farragut West metro station). These two offices operate independently of each other and FYI – his Washington D.C. office does not accept insurance, but the upside of that is the fees are cheaper and the online booking system makes it very easy to schedule appointments. I would recommend calling your insurance company beforehand and find out whether or not this specific provider is covered. If he is not, then it will definitely be less expensive for you to see Dr. John at his downtown office.
Google the heck out of him and you will find numerous glowing reviews. I recommend not waiting until you are in pain (like I did) and have no choice but to seek treatment to correct an injury.
April (Runner with foot pain)
Last year, I injured my lower leg, just above my ankle. I had x-rays done, visited chiropractors, had massages… no one could give me an answer about what was wrong. My general practitoner even suggested that it was a “bruise”, despite the fact that I’m a runner who knows how to push through pain and this was bringing me to my knees. Eight weeks later, I (attempted) to run a Backyard Burn trail race and Dr. John was there with Positively Chiropractic. I desperately climbed on his table, hoping he could help even just a little bit. In just 5-10 minutes, he discovered that a bone in my foot was dislocated, causing my pain. He worked his magic, and two days later I was running – faster than ever – with no pain at all.
I am so grateful to have found him! I live 60 miles away from his office, but it’s worth the drive when I know it will eliminate weeks of unneccessary pain. Thank you Dr. John!
Lucinda (2012 Olympic Marathon Trial qualifier)
After running my first marathon last fall, I was thrilled to have run a qualifying time for the 2012 US Olympic Trials. Less exciting was a discomfort that appeared in my right foot in the days following the race. My concern grew as the pain did. I was anxious to get back to training so as to be properly prepared for the marathon three months later.
My massage therapist referred me to Dr. John, as she suspected that 26.2 miles of running may have knocked my body out of alignment. Dr. John was patient in listening to my whole story so as to gain the proper background on my situation. He was thorough in conducting all the appropriate tests to narrow down the possible injuries and determined that a bone in my foot had been jammed out of place.
In four successive visits he effectively put my body (and thus, my training) back on track! I was at the same time amazed and relieved how simple yet essential the solution was. Now, I know how important it is to have a comprehensive approach to wellness and even though the issue in my foot is gone, I still like to visit Dr John regularly to ensure that my body maintains that balance.
Brenton (Engineer and CrossFit fan)
Dr. John,
I just wanted to drop you a quick note to say THANK YOU for the great service you provide and for sticking around last night even when I was going to be a little late. I really appreciate that, and my body appreciates it, too.
It’s hard to describe to people when you don’t hurt, per se, but just feel like something just isn’t quite right with your body. The more I go to a chiropractor and talk about issues that can be directly related to misalignment of the spine, the more I believe in it as a basic maintenance procedure and love the thought of a regular routine of being adjusted, especially since CrossFit is pretty taxing on the body.
Also, a little update… I got out of bed at 4:45 this morning, like most mornings, but the thing that wasn’t like most mornings was that as soon as my feet hit the floor and started to walk, there was NO PAIN/DISCOMFORT in my ankle joint like I described to you yesterday. Further, I didn’t feel any pain/discomfort in my right knee, either. Whatever you did, whichever part did the trick or a few combined, it definitely fixed things.
Anyway, I think you’re excellent at what you do and you’re a really great person to know on top of your knowledge and abilities to “fix” people. Thanks again, and I look forward to seeing you again after the first of the year! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!
Thanks!
Aimee (Pilates/Spin/Yoga Instructor)
Dr. John is possibly the most knowledgeable, helpful and passionate Chiropractor I have encountered. After years of pain he is the only Dr. who looked deeper and identified issues that may be causing the pain. He understands the human body better than most Dr’s and he gets so excited about helping his patients you can see this is his true passion. I refer anyone I meet suffering from injuries, back issues or pain because I know he can make a difference in their treatment. I feel that he is changing my life as an active person with his treatment and care.
Steve (Lt. Col. Ret.)
Doc John is by far the best chiropractor I’ve ever had. After sustaining injuries to my back while deployed in the military, I went through 4 other chiropractors that provided only marginal improvement. John took the greatest interest in a full evaluation, and identified issues I had prior to my deployment that I was completely unaware.
As a triathlete and a scientist before he became a chiropractor, he truly has a broader understanding of how the body works and the role proper chiropractic care plays. Within 4 visits I was largely pain free, and after 8 visits, not only was I athletically active again, but actually competing.
Rather than just popping my neck and lower back (as most of the other chiros had done), he found a quickly adjusted mis-alignments with my feet, knees, hips, elbows and ribs. After two years of fairly constant pain, I’m happy to report I am largely pain free and very active. I’ve recommended John to my significant other and two of my friends thus far.
Kim (Chronic neck pain with migraines for over 20 years)
Dr. John,
Thanks you so much for your wonderful treatment. I’ve had chronic neck pain with severe migraines for over 20 years. Several chiropractors treated me, which provided some level of relief but it returned each month.
You identified the problem as being in my lower back and now all I need is just a tiny adjustment to my neck [Dr. Note: this technique is called a “Toggle”, which is a powerful adjustment technique that the patient can barely feel] and some wedges under my hips [Dr. Note: Sacro-occipital Technique (SOT) uses “blocks” to adjust the pelvis to relieve sacro-iliac dysfunction]. The exercises you prescribed have helped too.
Through your treatment my stiff neck has disappeared and even my restless leg symptoms have gone (completely unexpected). The migraines have greatly decreased and may perhaps disappear entirely. While all the doctors at Positively Chiropractic are great and thoughtful practitioners you took the time to look at my symptoms in a new way and really get to the root cause of the problem rather than the most painful side effect. My sincerest thanks to you and appreciation for your willingness to look outside the box!
Kim
Tasmin (4-time All American runner)
I began working with Dr. John when I came into the office with low back pain, hip tightness, and discomfort. We found that this was contributing to my IT band tightness, a hyperactive psoas, and quadriceps. He kept going and discovered that the biomechanical imbalance in my hips led to my pain and discomfort when running. This was a major problem for me because I run competitively. I was a 4-time All-American track and cross country runner, and raced in the 2008 Olympic trials.
After my third visit my pain was a 0-1/10 and it was a 7-8/10 when we started just a few days ago! Instead of stopping, Dr. John had me do a few more tests and we discovered a weakness in my glutes — I then told him I had trouble running up hills when I never had before. The pieces were falling together! Dr. John created a personalized strengthening program to effectively activate and work the muscles “at the right time, in the right order, and right amount.” Immediately, I felt the effects of his care and direction. I am staying consistent with his protocol and am running pain free! Dr. John is a great chiropractor and I am very grateful for his help
Candice (25+ mile/week runner)
After weeks of pain and discomfort that kept me from being able to get out of the house and run, I am so thankful that I was able to come to you and get results that got me back out and running! Your integrative approach to Chiropractic and in-depth analysis was thorough and really gave me a whole body way to view and deal with my problems. Thank you again for helping me when I thought nothing could get me back to my passion of running. You’re the best!
Eunita (Former collegiate track athlete)
I am a former collegiate track athlete and training to go professional. During the hard work of getting back in shape and dealing with a few injuries, I sought the professional help from Dr. John. During the time that he looked after me, Dr. John treated/rehab my injuries as well as gave me needed chiropractic adjustments, which helped tremendously with my performance. I had better recovery time and was able to continue running and practicing injury free. I hate that he had to move on!! Dr. John is worth making the trip to see if you want great sports chiropractic care!!! Thanks Again!