About Spine & Joint Center — Fort Lauderdale Chiropractic

Spine & Joint Center is a Fort Lauderdale chiropractic practice founded in 1979 and led by two licensed chiropractors, Dr. Michael F. Petrie, DC and Dr. Douglas Kellerman, DC. From one Oakland Park location, they use techniques including Gonstead, the Activator method, and Diversified adjustments to help you relieve back pain, neck pain, and accident-related injuries.

The practice was built on a simple idea: find the source of the problem before treating it. Rather than focusing only on the spot that hurts, Dr. Petrie and Dr. Kellerman evaluate how the spine, joints, muscles, and nerves are working together, then choose the most conservative method that fits what they find. Because the two doctors are trained in different techniques, they can match care to the patient in front of them — a firm, specific adjustment for one person, a gentle instrument-assisted approach for another, and rehabilitation or decompression when an injury or disc is involved. This non-drug, non-surgical approach reflects mainstream guidance on spine care: the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that spinal manipulation can help relieve low-back pain and improve function for many people.

Few practices stay in one place long enough to treat patients across generations — this one has. Spine & Joint Center is located at 410 NE 44th St in Oakland Park, just minutes from downtown Fort Lauderdale, serving patients across Broward County. To become part of that story, call (954) 561-4700 or schedule your appointment online.

Our Approach to Chiropractic Care

Care at Spine & Joint Center starts with a conversation and a thorough evaluation. The doctors take time to understand your symptoms, your history, and what you want to get back to before recommending a plan. Findings are explained in plain language, so you can make informed decisions about your own treatment.

From there, the focus is on conservative, evidence-informed methods. For many patients, hands-on or instrument-assisted adjustments help with everyday concerns such as back pain relief, neck stiffness, and posture-related strain. When an injury is involved, rehabilitation rebuilds the strength and stability that adjustments alone cannot.

That combination is especially important after a collision. Prompt auto accident injury care can address whiplash and soft-tissue injuries early, and Dr. Kellerman's Physical Impairment Rating credential supports the documentation those cases often require in Florida. For disc-related pain, non-surgical spinal decompression offers another conservative option.

Across all of it, the foundation stays the same: a precise chiropractic adjustment matched to your body and your comfort level. The American Chiropractic Association recognizes this kind of non-drug care as an effective first step for many common spine and joint complaints.