About » Soft Tissue Center Staff

Soft Tissue Center Staff

The Horrigan Sports Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Center staff consists of several doctors of chiropractic. All of the staff at Horrigan Sports Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Center are involved in sports medicine and sports science research.

Our staff consists of:

Joseph M. Horrigan, DC, DACBSP, CSCS
Dr. Horrigan is the President of Horrigan Sports Chiropractic and Soft Tissue Center. Dr. Horrigan served on the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians for seven years, of which four years were as Vice-President. He served as the Chair of the Written Examination Committee for nine years. Dr. Horrigan was awarded the 2001 Sports Chiropractor of the Year. Dr. Horrigan also served as the Head Speed-Strength and Conditioning for the Los Angeles Kings for three years. He served as the Team Chiropractor for the Long Beach Ice Dogs hockey team for several years and as their Director of Speed-Strength and Conditioning for seven years. Dr. Horrigan serves on the Medical Committee for USA Weightlifting. He served as the Chief Medical Officer for Team USA for the 1999 Junior World Championships and 2003 World Championships in Weightlifting. He also lectures for USA Track and Field in the Elite Hurdle Development Program. Dr. Horrigan teaches differential diagnosis to third-year students at the Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Horrigan is on Postgraduate Faculty at the Southern California University of Health Science/Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Northwestern College of Chiropractic, and Palmer College of Chiropractic in the Sports Medicine Department. He has been published in several professional journals. He also wrote the IRONMAN Magazine Sports Medicine Column for ten years and has resumed this column in the March 2004 issue. He has intermittently written the Sports Medicine Column for INSIDE KUNG-FU and MS. FITNESS magazines. Dr. Horrigan co-authored two books, THE 7-MINUTE ROTATOR CUFF SOLUTION published by Health For Life Publications, and STRENGTH CONDITIONING, AND INJURY PREVENTION FOR HOCKEY published by McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books Publications. Dr. Horrigan also served as Medical Consultant for the films, "The Matrix", "Charlie's Angels II Full Throttle", "Spiderman II", and served as Athletic Performance Consultant on "Seabiscuit", "Skeleton Key", and "Things We Lost in the Fire".

Steven J. Tunnell, DC, DACBSP, CSCS, QME
Dr. Tunnell has been on staff for over twelve years. He is a graduate of California State University, Northridge. Dr. Tunnell's postgraduate education was at Cleveland Chiropractic College. His post-doctoral education included first achieving the Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP), followed by the highest level in chiropractic sports medicine, the Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (DACBSP). Dr. Tunnell has served as Staff Chiropractor and Co-Team Chiropractor for the Long Beach Ice Dogs. He has assisted with sports performance testing with the Los Angeles Kings and Long Beach Ice Dogs. Dr. Tunnell has also worked in the field at professional volleyball tournaments, aerobics championships, and fitness competitions. Dr. Tunnell has lectured about hockey injuries in the Advanced Sports Injuries Program at Southern California University of Health Sciences/Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. He also has presented papers at the Chiropractic Sports Sciences Symposium. Dr. Tunnell is also a Qualified Medical Examiner (QME). Dr. Tunnell worked for ten days in 2003 at the Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs with USA Weightlifting Team. Tunnell's interests include football and golf.

David Velasquez, DC, CCSP, CSCS
Dr. Velasquez has served as a Staff Chiropractor, then Co-Team Chiropractor and now Team Chiropractor for the Long Beach Ice Dogs. Dr. Velasquez has been on staff for twelve years. Dr. Velasquez performed his undergraduate work at California State University and followed this work at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. Dr. Velasquez has assisted with sports performance testing with the Los Angeles Kings and Long Beach Ice Dogs. He earned his certification as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP). He also has presented papers at the Chiropractic Sports Sciences Symposium and at the California Chiropractic Association Symposium. Dr. Velasquez is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and also as a Level 1 (Club) Coach with USA Weightlifting. Dr. Velasquez also serves as the Team Chiropractor for Whittier College. Dr. Velasquez is the Co-Team Chiropractor for USA Volleyball.

Melissa Nagare, DC, LAc
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Melissa Nagare has joined the Soft Tissue Center. Dr. Nagare will primarily provide acupuncture and oriental medicine services for the patients of the Soft Tissue Center and D.I.S.C. Dr. Nagare's undergraduate education was at Dartmouth College. She pursued two concurrent programs in health care at the Southern California University of Health Sciences. The two programs were chiropractic and acupuncture and oriental medicine. Dr. Nagare excelled and earned the Valedictorian status of her class in the Doctor of Chiropractic curriculum, and she earned the Salutorian status in her class at the College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Dr. Nagare earned many awards on this path including the President’s Award, Hua Tuo Service Award, Tsai Family Scholarship, Hong-Yen Hsu Scholarship, Alumni Scholarship, E. Maylon Drake Scholarship, and Regents Scholarship. Dr. Nagare is an Assistant Professor at the College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at the Southern California University of Health Sciences. Dr. Nagare is the Coordinator of the Community Based Intern program for the University. Interns from this program will have clinic rotations with Dr. Nagare and with doctors at the Soft Tissue Center and at D.I.S.C. We are pleased to have such academic and clinical excellence become part of the Soft Tissue Center.

William K. Bergman, PhD
William K. Bergman, PhD began providing services for the Soft Tissue Center at DISC in late 2008. Dr. Bergman earned his doctorate in kinesiology from Ryokan University. Dr. Bergman specializes in a form of neck and low back rehabilitation known as MedX. He was one of the first people trained by Arthur Jones to use this equipment and was certified in MedX in 1998. Prior to providing services for the Soft Tissue Center at DISC, Dr. Bergman served as Clinic Director of the Spinal Health Care and Santa Monica Spine Care. Dr. Bergman also served as Director of Rehabilitation for Joint Rehab and Sports Medicine and as President of Structural Wellness Center. Dr. Bergman has served as a Big Brother to the Mentally Challenged since 1985.

G. Douglas Andersen, DC, DACBSP, CCN
We are proud to announce that Dr. Doug Andersen will provide nutritional consultation services for the patients of the Soft Tissue Center and D.I.S.C. Dr. Andersen has an illustrious history of success in nutrition. Dr. Andersen is trained in chiropractic sports medicine and is also a Certified Clinical Nutritionist. Dr. Andersen brings a scientific, evidence-based approach to nutrition. He is the author of the monthly Nutrition Column in Dynamic Chiropractic and has written this column since 1991. Dr. Andersen served as the Team Nutritionist for the Los Angeles Kings from 1999-2002 and he served the same role for the Long Beach Ice Dogs from 1996-2003. He also consulted with the Green Bay Packers to address dehydration issues with the team. Dr. Andersen presents papers at various conferences on nutrition and teaches in Post Graduate Sports Medicine Programs for the Southern California University of Health Sciences and Northwestern University of Health Sciences. Dr. Andersen has provided nutritional services for football players preparing for the NFL Combine, Olympic athletes in track and field and volleyball, and professional athletes in football, hockey and baseball. Dr. Andersen's sports medicine background includes having served as the Medical Director of the Association of Volleyball Professionals for ten years, currently Co-Team Chiropractor for USA Volleyball as well as medical staff for the Association of Surfing Professionals. We are pleased to have Dr. Andersen bring such a high level of science to the nutritional consultation services for the Soft Tissue Center.

Justin J. Grasmeyer, DC
Justin J. Grasmeyer, DC joined the Soft Tissue Center at DISC in January 2010. Dr. Grasmeyer was the salutatorian of his professional program at the Southern California University of Health Sciences and was the recipient of multiple awards in the same program as well as during his undergraduate studies at Calvin College. Dr. Grasmeyer’s long history of success is evidenced by his status as an undergraduate Academic All-American 2004 and 2005 combined with his athletic success with the discus earning NCAA Division III All-American Status in the same years. During his internship, Dr. Grasmeyer had the opportunity to work professional volleyball and track and field events. He also served as the Assistant Throws Coach for Whittier College in 2007 and 2008. Dr. Grasmeyer currently serves as part-time faculty at the Southern California University of Health Sciences in the Principles and Practice Department. Dr. Grasmeyer has certifications in the Graston form of soft tissue mobilization and also in kinesiotaping. He is completing his chiropractic sports medicine training at this time.

There are several designations that appear after the doctor's names. The first is D.C. and this stands for Doctor of Chiropractic. Two of the designations are for various stages of sports medicine credentials. The first is CCSP and this represents Certified Sports Medicine Practitioner. The second is DACBSP and this stands for Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. These certifications are achieved through sports medicine curricula, written examinations, practical examination, practical field hours, and a publishable paper. The CCSP is the first tier and DACBSP is the second tier. The certifying board is the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians. CSCS stands for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and this certification is attained through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. LAc is the designation for Licensed Acupuncturist which permits the practice of acupuncture and oriental medicine. CCN designates Certified Clinical Nutritionist.

Lastly, the designation of QME stands for Qualified Medical Examiner. This is a certification that is achieved after a written examination. This title certifies that the holder is qualified by the State to evaluate workmen's compensation at the highest level. The State of California Labor Board has also recognized the DACBSP as an advanced degree of training for the evaluation and treatment of workmen's compensation injuries.