Chiropractic

Chiropractic healthcare focuses on the spinal bones, vertebrae, and underlying nervous system (brain stem, spinal cord, and nerve roots). To make it simple, when a bone moves out of place, it can pinch the exiting nerve roots or press on the brain stem/spinal cord, and then cause dysfunction at that joint or body area. The nerves control all of our body functions therefore, if you pinch the ner... Read More

Chiropractic healthcare focuses on the spinal bones, vertebrae, and underlying nervous system (brain stem, spinal cord, and nerve roots). To make it simple, when a bone moves out of place, it can pinch the exiting nerve roots or press on the brain stem/spinal cord, and then cause dysfunction at that joint or body area. The nerves control all of our body functions therefore, if you pinch the nerve you cause dysfunction to that body area. It cannot tell the body part what to do and it becomes diseased, in pain, or performs abnormally.
Chiropractic adjustments move the misaligned bones back into their proper anatomical positions. This is important because the joints in your skeletal system can impede health when they are stuck or misaligned. An adjustment will restore proper movement, blood flow, and electrical flow to the area and eliminate pain or the improper messaging to that body part. An occasional adjustment, or regular chiropractic adjustment, to the skeletal system is good for maintaining wellness in the long run because minor traumas occur on a regular basis.
We also adjust extremities, which keep you moving. Yes, we adjust feet, ankles, knees, shoulders, wrists, elbows, and jaw bones too. Think TMJ, carpal tunnel, rotator cuff, computer and cell phone posture, sprained ankles, sports injuries, knee arthritis.


Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is used to help manage a health condition or enhance wellness. It involves manipulating the soft tissues of the body. Massage has been practiced in most cultures, both Eastern and Western, throughout human history, and was one of the earliest tools that people used to try to relieve pain.


Baseball Training

5 Goals of Baseball 4 & 8 Week Training Programs
1) Increase Pitching Performance (pitch velocity)
2) Increase Hitting Performance (contact, power, or bat speed)
3) Improve Ability (strength, speed, or flexibility)
4) Improve Pitching or Batting Technique (video and computer analysis)
5) Treat a current or past injury


Physical Therapy

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, may include certain exercises, massages and treatments based on physical stimuli (e.g. heat, cold, electrical currents or ultrasound). The aim of physical therapy is to relieve pain, help you move better or strengthen weakened muscles. Another important goal is to show patients what they can do themselves to improve their own health. The treatment ... Read More

Physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, may include certain exercises, massages and treatments based on physical stimuli (e.g. heat, cold, electrical currents or ultrasound). The aim of physical therapy is to relieve pain, help you move better or strengthen weakened muscles. Another important goal is to show patients what they can do themselves to improve their own health. The treatment isn’t only done in a practice or hospital: you can and should continue doing it at home yourself.
Physical therapy includes
exercises to actively do certain movements yourself,
guided, passive movements that the therapist does for you, as well as applying pressure (massage), and
treatments based on physical stimuli such as heat, cold, electrical currents or ultrasound.
These approaches are used to treat acute and chronic symptoms, and also to prevent future problems or for rehabilitation after long-term medical problems, surgery or injuries.
The most suitable type of physical therapy treatment will depend on the symptoms and specific medical problem, as well as whether the patient has had the pain for a short time or long time, for instance. His or her personal preferences and overall physical fitness will play a role too.


Cold Laser Treatments

Cold laser therapy is a type of treatment in which low-intensity light is applied to your body, typically over injured or inflamed tissue. The low-intensity light, referred to as "cold laser," is thought to improve blood flow and decrease pain and inflammation to injured tissues.


Other

Graduate/Undergraduate:

Indigo School of Massage (2001)

Parkersburg High School (1996)

Continuing Education and Interests:

Pet massage (2009)

Ashiatsu (2022)

Myofascial Release (2004)

Healing Touch Level 2 (2003)

Hot Stone Massage (2001)

People with Special Needs (2001)

TMJ

Auto Accident Trauma

Pregnancy Massage

Standard Process Nutrition

The Back Story:

Lori graduated from the Indigo School of Massage (Parkersburg, WV) in 2001 and was immediately hired upon graduation by Dr. Heather. As they say, the rest is history. Lori has been an integral part of our team since 2001 and continues to provide our patients with one of the best deep tissue therapeutic massages that we know of in the MOV.

Lori took a hiatus from McCarter Health Center in 2009 and followed her husband, Travis, to North Carolina. She worked as a massage therapist for a chiropractor that expanded her education to nutrition seminars and patient care. Lori developed her nutrition assistant regimen while in North Carolina, fine tuning her knowledge for Standard Process Whole Food Nutrition products and protocols. Lori returned in 2018 after years of Dr. Heather telling her “you’ll be back.”

She returned to her original stomping grounds again in September of 2018 and we haven’t looked back. She is Dr. Heather’s right hand woman-working together to help improve your range of motion, reduce nerve root impingement and radiculopathy, reduce pain, release stress, and heal your joint and muscle tissues. Therapeutic massage works to release deep adhesions within the muscles which reduces joint pressure, nerve pressure, and pain. You will not be disappointed.

Lori is married to Travis, and they live with their two children, Ember and Lodi, in Parkersburg, WV, along with their dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, birds, and (only one) rabbit, lol. Lori also enjoys her stepdaughter, River, who is in college at UNC-Wilmington.

Her hobbies and interests are diverse; she spent years volunteering at the humane society, volunteering at her children’s school, hanging out with her family, listening to heavy metal music, and anything that is eccentric. She loves her herb garden, studying nutrition, expanding her techniques, and creating adventures with her kiddos.

Graduate/Undergraduate: Indigo School of Massage (2001) Parkersburg High School (1996) Continu... Read More

Dr. Darrin Marsh UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE STUDIES

Bachelor’s of Science (1989), West Virginia Wesleyan College

Masters of Arts in Education (1991), Western Michigan University

Master of Science in Athletic Training (2000), Husson University

Doctorate of Physical Therapy (2009), Husson University

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION

West Virginia Physical Therapy License (2004)

National Athletic Training Association License (1991)

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (2008)

PUBLICATIONS

The Relationship Between Balance and Pitching Accuracy in Division III College Baseball Pitchers. JStrength Cond. Res. 2004

Management of Shoulder Hemiarthroplasty in a Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2006:36(8);600-610

Relationships Among Balance, Visual Attention, and Lacrosse Shot Accuracy. Currently under review by the J Strength Cond. Res. 2006

Little League Elbow, Strength and Conditioning Journal, 2010

Writing In Progress

Deep Pitch 24

BACKGROUND

Darrin Marsh, DPT, ATC is a licensed doctor of physical therapy through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and a certified athletic trainer through the National Athletic Training Association (NATA). Formerly a high school physical education teacher, Marsh has served as an athletic trainer at the professional, NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, NAIA, and high school levels. He has also been a guest speaker at the National Athletic Trainers Association Convention in Dallas, Texas. Marsh is a physical therapist specializing in sports medicine, research, vestibular rehabilitation, and geriatrics at McCarter Health Center since 2007.

Additionally, Darrin played four years of Division II baseball at West Virginia Wesleyan College and two years of Semi-Pro Baseball. As a past collegiate and semi-pro baseball player, Dr. Darrin has used his rich experience to formulate baseball programs to meet the needs of each client. In our newly renovated baseball training facility, we offer four and eight week training programs that focus upon throwing, pitching, and hitting techniques.

Dr. Darrin Marsh UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE STUDIES Bachelor’s of Science (1989), West Virginia Wesl... Read More

UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE STUDIES:

Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (2000) Palmer College of Chiropractic

Chiropractic Doctorate/Magna cum Laude (1999) Palmer College of Chiropractic

Bachelor’s of Arts in Biology (1995) West Virginia University

Parkersburg High School (1991)

POST-DOCTORAL TRAINING:

Each year Dr. Heather McCarter receives 18-60 hours of continuing education to feed her insatiable quest for learning. Her primary interests in Educational Advancement include: functional nutrition, adrenal fatigue, autoimmunity, gluten intolerance, spinal ergonomics, chiropractic treatments, detoxification, auto accident reconstruction, CBD, sports injury, heavy metal toxicity, and natural hormone balancing for adrenal, thyroid, male and female sex hormones.

Dr. Heather McCarter has spent the last few years becoming an expert in CBD for pain, brain, and inflammation. She has also recently completed 90 hours of training in bioactive carbon detoxification for mold poisoning, environmental toxins (Round-Up), industrial toxins (Mid-Ohio Valley), heavy metals (Mercury, lead, aluminum, etc.), radiation, yeast, parasites, and toxins.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Dr. Heather graduated in 1999 from Palmer College of Chiropractic and has worked at McCarter Health Center since graduation. Initially, she work alongside her father, a 1977 graduate of Palmer Chiropractic, and they partnered in practice and ownership of the corporation. They expanded into a multidisciplinary clinic in 2003 to include: chiropractic, physical therapy, massage therapy, cold laser therapy, nutritional counseling, and supplement sales. Dr. Heather realized that “if she couldn’t help you, she could bridge you to what treatment could help you more.”

While in Chiropractic College, she worked as a Gross Anatomy Dissector for 2 years. She was also a teaching assistant for neuromusculoskeletal and physical diagnosis courses. She participated in an externship for 1-½ years as a Chiropractic Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Department Extern. She was also involved in Sports Council during my college years, treating injured athletes with chiropractic, stretching, massage, ice, taping, and basic CPR/First Aid. All of these jobs focused upon the human body as well as diagnosis and treatment of injury. Combining the structural body, the nervous system, the biochemistry of nutrition, the calming elements of CBD, and the removal of toxins allows Dr. Heather to focus on your whole health and provide a diverse Functional Approach to Wellness.

UNDERGRADUATE/GRADUATE STUDIES: Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (2000) Palmer College of... Read More

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