16 March 2026

We sat down with one of our newest members: Garioch Chiropractic

As one of our newest Inverurie BID members, Garioch Chiropractic is already making a strong impression —through Chiropractic care that’s professional, evidence-led, and centred on trust.

We sat down with Dr Duane Wood to talk about the conditions he sees most often, how he wants patients to feel when they walk through the door and his philosophy on health.

His practice has three chiropractors, treating infants, toddlers, teens, adults and the elderly. Every age demographic has their own specific stresses, needs and challenges. The chiropractors are trained to treat each demographic with an expertise, professionalism and passion that comes with a combined 48 years of experience.

Pain isn’t “just normal”

Duane is clear on a key point he wants more people to hear: pain is not normal — and it shouldn’t just be accepted. He spoke of the joy he feels when patients feel relief, and his belief that if someone’s been struggling, their mindset should shift from suffering and acceptance of pain to relief and recovery.

He also emphasised a commitment to being evidence-based, noting that chiropractic is recognised and regulated in the UK as one of the leading professions in the management of many musculo-skeletal conditions.

Duane shared the most common issues he treats day-to-day:

Lower back pain

Neck pain

Headaches

Shoulder pain

Knee pain

When it comes to why these issues show up, he points strongly to lifestyle factors — including:

Poor posture

Lack of exercise

Recurrent injuries

In his view, these can contribute to altered spinal mechanics and joint stabilisation issues, with pain and dysfunction in the area as the body’s capacity to self-heal fails.

What sets chiropractic apart?

Duane’s approach is to look beyond symptoms and work towards the underlying cause of a problem. He described chiropractic care as focusing on restoring normal function in the spine or joints, with the goal of reducing abnormal movement and irritation — rather than simply chasing pain.

He also stressed that not all chiropractic is the same, and he’s careful to separate his approach from the “one-size-fits-all” version people may have previously experienced.

Duane’s pet hate is online videos showing people getting their spine ‘clicked back into place’. Every person is unique and the management of their condition should reflect that individuality. Treatment at Garioch Chiropractic is tailored towards each patient’s specific condition and may entail very different treatment approaches.

‘’We are made to move in a functional and specific way that is essential to thrive in an environment that is continually subjecting us to external stressors’’.

At Garioch Chiropractic, they are trained to assess what stressors are affecting the body’s natural ability to heal and, through individualised treatment plans, are able to make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal recovery.

When asked what he’d recommend to help prevent common musculoskeletal issues, Duane kept it practical.

His key themes were:

Move more

Focus on core stability

Improve posture

Use good lifting habits

Recognise that physical and emotional stress can be major contributing factors to your health issues

He also highlighted that patients don’t need to become serious athletes or weightlifters — but they do need movement and follow an exercise plan that fits and supports their condition.

His approach is gradual: small steps, progressive exercise, and avoiding the “too much too soon” trap that can trigger stress reactions in the body.

What he wants patients to feel: heard, informed, empowered.

Duane repeatedly returned to the idea that every patient is individual.

“Bodies are unique, conditions are unique — and care needs to reflect that.”

A big part of that comes down to communication. Duane emphasises communication as a real strength — because without understanding, patients can’t truly take ownership and be instrumental in their own recovery.

Duane acknowledged the most common hesitation he meets is people being scared of getting their spine adjusted. This is a natural fear, but if done correctly, the adjustment is not painful at all.

One of the clearest things he said was that standard “cookie-cutter” treatment plans don’t suit everyone. Instead, Garioch Chiropractic builds a programme based on what’s needed — describing ethics and integrity as central to his practice — with the patient’s wellbeing as the priority.

“Stand tall, sit tall, sleep tall”

If there’s a single posture idea Duane wants people to keep, it’s this. In other words — try to be as tall as you can be, as often as you can, in everyday life.

Sleep posture and support also matter, particularly for people whose symptoms flare overnight or first thing in the morning.

Duane also talked about why regular care can be helpful — not as a blanket rule, but as a way of addressing small problems before they become severe. A stiff neck now, left unchecked, can become a much more painful issue in six weeks.

In his view, maintenance can help nip issues in the bud before they become compounded: