Chiropractor comes home to Sisters

Life was going well for David Kemp. After more than a dozen years as a chiropractor, his practice in Utah had expanded and was thriving. However, a dirt bike accident and an underlying desire to return to his roots conspired to bring David Kemp, a native of Sisters, back to town and open a chiropractic practice focused on wellness.

Dr. Kemp spent much of his childhood in Sisters before moving to Utah, where he finished high school and attended college as an undergraduate at Utah Valley University in Orem. He continued his education in Portland, Oregon, for his doctorate in chiropractic medicine at Western States where he graduated in 2010. He returned to Utah and started a practice in Saratoga Springs on his own, and over the next dozen years the practice expanded tremendously.

"I was out riding with friends on my dirt bike and crashed, sending me flying over the handlebars," he explained. "I ended up miles from help with what turned out to be five broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a torn elbow."

The injuries were significant, and made it impossible for him to work at his practice. He found himself at a crossroads.

"I was forced to hire two more doctors to take my place to keep the practice going while I recovered," he said. "My wife and I had talked in the past about coming back to Oregon, and the accident sort of helped push us in that direction. Since I own the practice in Utah, and it is doing well with the staff I hired, we were in a position to make the move happen."

Photo provided

David Kemp has brought his family to return to his roots in Sisters. Kemp has opened a chiropractic practice in town.

So, Kemp, his wife Kelli, and their four kids packed up and moved in 2022. While Kemp continued his recovery from his injuries, he looked for ways to get reconnected to the community and was able to take over as the head wrestling coach at Sisters High School. Once healed up he began the process of opening his own practice in Sisters, which opened two months ago at 382 Hood Ave.

Kemp considers his focus and specialty in chiropractic medicine to be very hands-on.

"I might be more of a traditional chiropractor. I like to get to know my patients and do good work for them," he said. "I think of my approach as being one of wellness and maintenance. Sisters is a place where people of all ages are very active - biking, golfing, running, hiking, skiing - and I see my job as helping them stay able to do the things they love.

"Instead of people coming to me after an injury I like to focus on prevention," he said."Chiropractic medicine is about movement and function. It keeps the joints functioning as you move and work. The stress that moves through your body, if the joint doesn't function well, it doesn't have the ability to distribute the stress throughout the tissue.

"I do talk about nutrition and other wellness issues as well, but my practice will not be dealing with insurance claims related to accidents, and things like that," he said.

Kemp wants to be able to serve the people of Sisters right here in Sisters.

"It is my goal for clients to be able to have the convenience of being treated here in town rather than having to travel to Bend or Redmond," he said. "Also, as a supporter of the community, I offer a 20 percent discount to local teachers, students, police, firefighters, and military."

The return to roots is gratifying.

"My family is so glad to be back in Sisters and involved in the community," he said. "With two kids in high school and two in middle school we are getting immersed in life here. My dad still lives in the area and I have siblings nearby, which is an added bonus for our family."

Dr. Kemp is currently keeping the office open three days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. He can be reached at 458-666-3611 or at http://www.kempchiropracticoregon.com.