Dr. Mitch Lewis
I graduated from Cal Poly, Pomona in 1970 with at BS degree in Communication Arts (Journalism). With that degree I found that I was qualified to sell high-end women’s shoes in Pasadena. After a year of frustration and smelly feet I found a job of selling Campbell soup and pasta products in the San Gabriel Valley. The soupy sales lasted five months. I went back to Cal Poly, Pomona and earned a BS degree in Physical Education. I was awarded a fellowship to UCLA and did my student teaching program with Craig Cunningham at the University Elementary School, and at a Special Education site in West Covina. I was hired by the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools; Division of Special Education; Department of Adapted Physical Education in 1974. For 13 years I assessed and taught handicapped students Physical Education. I began to work on my Masters Degree in Physical Education in 1974, and an Athletic Trainer’s Certification in 1975.
I was the Athletic Trainer for South Hills High School (West Covina) in 1974-75 when that team won the 4A-CIF Football Championship. In 1978, I began to design conditioning, training, and rehabilitation programs for elite athletes. I began with a Donald Quarrie who was a sprinter from Jamaica to help him prep for the 1980 Summer Olympic Games. I earned a reputation, which lead to my being the National Coaching Coordinator for Strength and Conditioning for US Judo and US Men’s Rowing for the 1984, and 1988 Summer Olympic Games. I was able to train and coach my cousin, Brad Lewis, and Paul Enquist to a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in the double scull. In 1992, an enthusiastic young athlete challenged me to come out of retirement to help him train for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games in flat-water canoe. David Spalding made the flat-water canoe team, and I retired from strength coaching once again. However, several field event athletes petitioned me to get back into the gym to prep them for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. That group consisted of Mike Powell (World Record holder in the Long Jump), Clair Look-Jaeger (High Jump), Donna Mayhew (Javelin), and Sue DeMarco (Pole Vault).
In 1986, I resigned from my teaching position. I was teaching in the Special Schools program for LA County at Central Juvenile Hall in East Los Angeles. I entered Cleveland College of Chiropractic at the urging of some of my friends who were doctors on various teams I had traveled with over the years as an Athletic Trainer. I graduated in December 1990.
I worked for a well-known doctor in Pasadena the following year. In that year I affirmed to myself how disgusting a high volume, run and rack chiropractic practice was to the patient population. The next year I rented a small room in an office, which was owned by a former professor at the chiropractic college. I base my practice of chiropractic on not double or triple booking patients into the same appointment time. I spend 30 minutes with each patient, and 60 minutes to 90 minutes with each new patient. At every appointment each patient is given time to express his or her current concerns and reaction to the previous visiting. I conduct an appropriate orthopedic examination of past and present concerns. The treatment is unique in every situation and visit. I abhor chiropractors using the same manipulation process for every patient at each office visit.
For the past ten years I have had my own office in a beautiful old Pasadena medical building. I have six wonderful massage therapists working for me. I am booked solid for six weeks, and many patients book for the entire year when the new appointment book appears in late November. I do not have patients come in for unnecessary treatments. All of my patients decide on the frequency of their visits for themselves. I am blessed with a very loyal and beautiful patient family. While I do specialize in sports medicine I have a good general practice as well. The best thing about the office is that I have my wife with me all day to do the business end of the practice.
