Illinois Back Institute

I was told each visit would be about $ 20 after my insurance. After 3 monthes, I still had not gotten a bill, so I requested one, just to see how much I owed. It took many more weeks to get a bill, and only after I told them I wasn’t going to come any more til I saw what I owed. Turns out it was over $ 45 a visit after insurance. At 3 visits a week, I had a whopper of a bill, much more than I was led to believe it would be. I stopped going, and surprisingly ran into another person I used to see there all the time. He told me the exact same thing happened to him, and worse. I believe these people are only out for the money. They misrepresent the cost and don’t tell you what you owe until you demand it. They know once you see the true cost, you’ll never be back

This is the place to be. I tried 2 others places before and no success, with in a week at the Illinois Back Institute I was pain free.
They have the best team to get you back on your feet.

Follow up to my previous review from 11÷8÷13…
I’m now 2 months in… and I can tell that my lower back is ton better. Now that I’ve had a chance to learn more of the ropes at this place… I’d give them 6 stars if I could. They started me off slow with simple exercises and stretches and have added different exercises and stretches as we’ve gone.
So far, it seems that the name of the game is to strengthen your core muscles by doing all sorts of exercises and stretches (think planks and other exercise ball exercises) along with a bunch of balance training. Coupled with all that, you have the stretching «machines» and tables: You are placed into a harness and rendered a little weightless on a tread mill, walking, walking backwards and sideways (sideways is really a pain in the @ss… but you can tell you are working muscles that you probably should more often). In the same harness, you are brought over to a machine that you sit into… also a pneumatic machine that generates lift while you are sitting. You do a few exercises on this machine, depending on what sort of back/​neck issues you have come to them for. Finally (and this is just the order in which I prefer to hit the circuit), you are layed onto a vibrating table that seems to stretch your top half up… and your bottom half down via pneumatic pressure and the harness. Wow, does that table stretch you out! Rafal, the «technician» is pretty much a glorified personal trainer. He’s pretty much been there since the dawn of time. Rafal will show you all sorts of different exercises and stretches to help you strengthen your core. He’s also the one that will typically make sure your running the full gamut.
At any point in time during your day’s treatment, you visit Dr. Shelly. Dr. Shelly listens to your story (where you may have pain)… and checks out different areas of your back/​neck via all sorts of Dr. instruments that I won’t even begin to try to explain. What I CAN say in layman’s terms is that these tools are all hooked up to a computer and pretty much tell him what’s tight and/​or out of line. Then, he works on each area for you with the massaging tool (also hooked up to his computer generating tightness readings). This massaging tool is sorta like a mini-​massaging jackhammer. Yep… I’m wondering how to get one and have it hooked up to my laptop.
I’m only 2 months into my treatment, and I can really say that most days I am pain free. My core muscles have to be quite a bit better than they were prior to me coming here as I wasn’t able to get to the gym with the back pain I was experiencing. I’m guessing that as this therapy progresses, I’ll be in some much better shape (geometrically and physically) than before.
I’m still strongly recommending this as an option for anyone with back/​neck pain that doesn’t want to even think about surgery. More to come later (maybe I should have taken a before and after pic?).

Very unprofessional and only wants your money. I went for a consultation but it seemed more like a sale’s pitch, trying to sell me on the way the fact that they do things differently and it’s better then on a box of vitamins ($ 89 per box which only has enough for 30 days) Also, the staff doesn’t communicate with you or each other. After meeting with there doctor he shoved me off on to someone else without tell me anything and when I asked what he thought could be going on he said he doesn’t know for sure until I get an MRI and X-​ray, so I can’t know what may be going on until I spend more money?! I’m going somewhere else.

I had a cyst on my spine, which they claimed they could treat. Pain became MUCH worse after my visits. Billing system a NIGHTMARE! They tried to collect co-​pays I has already made & did not send info requested by my insurancecompany to get claims paid. I received no bill for 9 months and then was threatened with collection final notices. Horible patient experience.

FIrst off all. I have gone to the Illinois Back Institue for 25 sessions. Now, I agree with you some reviewers that you do spend a lot of time there trying with there rehab program. However, if you think about how long people in our society sit EVERY DAY! Probably up to 18 hours a day between sleeping and sitting, driving a car etc you should atleast take 2 hours of rehab 3x a week to strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, core muscles etc. Shit, everytime you sit longer then 30 minutes you are immediately going into bad posture, anteriorly tilting from the pelvis etc. I am a professional in the Fitness industry with over 15 years experience and many average americans just don’t understand the damage of poor posture and sitting. Furthermore, many of the problems with our backs is flat out a weakness in core strength, mobility of our hips and trunk. Crapy diets and lack of hydration. Dr Jeff sells over the counter supplements that are comprised of vitamins and minerals. This is not a medication! It is a supplement to assist people in our culture who eat a crap diet. If you eat a crap diet, dont drink enough water, and are 20+ lbs over weight, This is why most of your BACKS HURT! 80% OF People with bad backs are Diet, Over Weight, or poor Posture and general body strength. 20% is from trauma and those are often the people who end up having surgery. Next time before you bash this place I suggest many of you should 1^st be more educated in process. 2^nd understand that you should look in the mirror. Last if you are the 20% that I was referring to you should always try what ever means necessary to avoid surgery first before you actual do surgery and that is what Illinois Back Institute is there for.

I am in week 4 into the 12 week program and I can tell you its made a difference. My daily severe pain level is almost nonexistent now. You have to commit to doing the process, 3 days a week and doing your home exercises to fully gain the benefits of the treatment. There is a method to the madness but it doesn’t just happen over night. You have to follow the program, like any physical therapy, you have to put the work in to get the results. The staff I have work with, Maggie, Brett, Doc S, Ruth have been great and create a nice relaxed atmosphere. This isn’t a typical chiropractic office, it’s physical therapy as well.

If you’re looking for a chiropractor, don’t go here. They want to put you on some 36 week program to «rehydrate your disks» by hanging you in a sling. Huh? Maybe it works for some with severe problems, but if you need an occasional adjustment, this place isn’t for you. Oh… and while the intake specialist was telling me they don’t believe in medication, I noticed a bottle of doctor-​designed pills of some sort prominently displayed on her desk. LOL.