About
What is Chiropractic?
“Chiropractic” began in 1895 when Daniel David Palmer, a natural healer from Iowa, successfully restored the hearing of a man by “adjusting” a vertebrae that was out of place.
Chiropractic is not only a treatment or a therapy but a philosophy of healthy living that includes good nutrition, exercise, stretching and keeping the spine in alignment so that the overall body functions optimally. The skeletal system is the framework and foundation of the human body.
Chiropractic care is dedicated to optimizing our bio-mechanical health.
About Rugen Chiropractic and the Doctors
Dr. Robert C. Rugen practiced chiropractic from 1945-2008
Dr. Bob began his education at St. John’s University in Queens where he studied law. It was during this time where he first became aware of the benefits of chiropractic care. His father suffered from sciatica and was successfully cured by a chiropractor named Amil Anderson in NYC. This inspired him to change his direction from studying law to chiropractic. He received his Doctorate in Chiropractic Logan Chiropractic College in Normandy, Missouri. World War 2 broke out upon his graduation so he enlisted in the United States Navy where he earned the rank of pharmacist mate. It wasn’t until after his tour in 1945 that he was able to begin practicing chiropractic in NYC. He was among the earliest chiropractors helping people in New York State, before it was legally recognized. He dedicated much of his time to lobbying in Albany, NY for the passage of the New York Chiropractic Licensing Law. He finally received license number #305 in 1963.
Chiropractic was not only a profession for Dr. Bob but a lifestyle which he and his wife, Berenice lived and raised their 4 children by. This would ultimately also inspire his 3 sons to follow in his footsteps and become doctors of chiropractic thus carrying on his legacy.
In addition to practicing in NYC, Dr. Bob subsequently opened Rugen Chiropractic in Stony Brook, NY where his eldest son, Dr. Richard C. Rugen practices to this day. Dr. Bob ultimately moved upstate and opened offices in East Chatham and Valatie, NY where he practiced until he was 90 years old. His life was a testament to his lifestyle. He was a senior olympic gold medalist in tennis and lived to be 93 years old. His legacy lives on at Rugen Chiropractic.
Dr. Robert K. Rugen has been practicing Chiropractic since 1980.
Dr. Rob earned his B.A. in Combined Science (Bio/Chem) from Castleton State College in Castleton, Vt. and his Doctorate in Chiropractic from Loan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri. After returning to Columbia County in late 1979, Dr. Rob joined his father's East Chatham practice in February of 1980. He was married for 30 years and is the proud father of three adult sons.
My guiding philosophy of chiropractic practice centers around the relationship between overall body balance and that symptomatic area that a patient complains of. Every sore joint or muscle has a story, most involving overuse or imbalanced use and only a few of these stories are short ones. My role as a chiropractor is to understand the patient's lifestyle, structural history, their individual musculoskeletal strengths and possible weaknesses and how they relate to the daily use of the affected joints and muscles. Rarely does a new patient to our office consider accidents or falls in their childhood or teenage years as factors in a symptom that started only a week previously, but we have found that this is generally the case. We try to understand the structural balance of the body as a whole and how that balance may contribute to the recently aggravated area. Doing this can help us construct a treatment plan that includes exercises and activities performed by the patient at home to help compliment our work in the office.
Dr. Glenn E. Rugen has been practicing Chiropractic since 1982.
His undergraduate studies were also at Castleton State College in Vermont where he decided to follow the family tradition and pursue a career in Chiropractic. He followed in his father’s and older brother’s footsteps and headed to Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri. There he received his Doctorate of Chiropractic. Upon graduation, he joined his father, Robert C. and brother, Robert K. at Rugen Chiropractic in Columbia County, New York. After practicing for a number of years, he found that he had an interest in learning more about chiropractic neurology so enrolled in the chiropractic diplomate of neurology program with Dr. Frederick Carrick. He graduated in 1991, and then audited the course again a few years later. The program validated the neurological connection between structure and function for him. Applying these principals refined his diagnostic and treatment techniques.
Dr. Glenn is a fitness enthusiast. He enjoys tennis, baseball, skiing, basketball, golf, biking and running. He and his wife, Lisa have 3 grown daughters and a menagerie of pets.
