Chiropractor Gets a Special Honor

Blasé Toto was at a loss for words one day last month while attending the 2011 Chiropractic Sports Sciences Symposium in Boston.

“They told me I was going to be in an Olympic panel discussion, so I got some pictures together and some things I wrote and went,” he said.

What Toto actually got that day was not only a surprise, but one of the highest honors he’s received during his 26 years as a chiropractor. Toto was named Sports Chiropractor of the Year by The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. 

“They started talking about the winner and I thought to myself ‘wow, this guy should feel real good about himself.’ I didn’t know that I’d won it until they said my name,” said Toto.

Toto, who operates Toto Chiropractic & Total Rehabilitation in East Brunswick, received the award after being nominated by the five previous winners, an aspect he said makes the honor even more special.

“I got all choked up. It’s the highest honor you can get in chiropractic sports medicine and they recognize you for all the time you’ve put in,” said Toto. “It’s very special because it’s from my peers.”

During his time as a chiropractor, Toto has treated a wide range of athletes and was part of the 2010 USA Olympic Medical Team at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Before that, he was part of a group of chiropractors that traveled to the 1996 Atlanta Games. While in Vancouver, he worked with speed skaters and men’s and women hockey players.

“It was the trip of a life time, though I didn’t get to see much because I was in the clinic,” he joked.

Toto said that during his time as a chiropractor, the way the field is viewed has changed, particularly because both professional and amateur athletes have made chiropractors part of their regular routine. Toto regularly sees amateur athletes from throughout the area.

“People think that if it’s good enough for the Olympics, it’s good enough for regular people,” he said. “It’s opened a lot of doors and has been a huge elevation in status.”

On staff at Toto Chiropractic are physical therapists and massage therapists, specializing in spinal decompression, rehabilitation, massage and physical therapy. The clinic even lifestyle advice.

Among that advice are a few simple tips that can make simple injuries such as minor back pain, more tolerable.

“Every season has its injuries, one of the biggest things to keep in mind is to use ice for back pain,” he said. “If you put heat on it, it looses the muscles, the blood flows in and it swells more.”

Toto Chiropractic and Total Rehabilitation is located at 317 Rues Lane. Contact them at 732-390-8255 or email them at betblase@aol.com. 

Offices hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 7 p.m.; and Saturday mornings by appointment. The office is closed on Sundays.