THOMAS VAN PETTEN
Norfolk ,Virginia
Summary
Doctor of Chiropractic and former national-championship-level competitive rugby athlete with extensive experience in neuromusculoskeletal assessment, movement analysis, injury management, rehabilitation, exercise prescription, performance-oriented care, and individualized nutrition and lifestyle assessment. Owner and practicing clinician at Kinetic Life Chiropractic, where he evaluates and treats musculoskeletal and functional complaints, develops individualized rehabilitation and performance programs, and uses objective reassessment to guide progression. Brings approximately 12 years of competitive rugby experience spanning collegiate and high-level Division I competition under USA Rugby, including multiple national Division 1 championships with Life University and a 2010 Division III national championship with Longwood University. Combines clinical expertise in movement and neuromusculoskeletal function with firsthand experience of high-performance athletic preparation, contact-sport demands, recovery, injury resilience, and team dynamics.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner / Doctor of Chiropractic
KINETIC LIFE CHIROPRACTIC
Chesapeake, VA
01.2020 - Current
- Own and operate an independent chiropractic practice providing comprehensive neuromusculoskeletal evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, exercise prescription, functional nutrition assessment, and performance-oriented care.
- Perform detailed clinical assessments incorporating orthopedic and neurological testing, movement assessment, muscle testing, joint-motion evaluation, functional analysis, and patient-reported outcomes.
- Develop individualized care, rehabilitation, and reconditioning programs based on objective examination findings, functional deficits, aggravating factors, performance goals, and response to intervention.
- Integrate chiropractic manipulation, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, corrective exercise, neuromuscular strategies, and other performance-oriented interventions according to individual presentation and goals.
- Reassess patients throughout the course of care and modify treatment and exercise programs based on objective changes in function, symptoms, movement quality, strength, and performance.
- Develop individualized home exercise and movement programs designed to improve strength, mobility, motor control, stability, coordination, and functional capacity.
- Provide individualized nutrition and lifestyle guidance as part of a broader approach to physical performance, recovery, and health optimization.
- Utilize functional blood chemistry analysis as one component of nutritional and health assessment, integrating laboratory findings with history, symptoms, lifestyle, and clinical presentation to develop individualized nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.
- Evaluate nutritional considerations relevant to energy, recovery, inflammation, metabolic health, and physical performance while recognizing the appropriate role and limitations of laboratory data within a broader clinical assessment.
- Educate patients regarding exercise, recovery, nutrition, sleep, lifestyle, and factors affecting physical performance and resilience.
- Maintain detailed clinical documentation, treatment records, care plans, reassessments, referrals, and outcome data.
- Coordinate care and communicate with other healthcare and rehabilitation professionals when patient presentation warrants interdisciplinary management.
- Manage all operational aspects of an independent healthcare practice, including scheduling, patient communication, documentation systems, supplies, equipment, compliance, and business operations.
- Treat active individuals and athletes with goals ranging from return to activity and injury recovery to improved physical function, resilience, and performance.
- Apply a methodical clinical process of assessment
- Intervention
- Reassessment
- Modification to individualized patient care and performance programming.
High-Level Collegiate Rugby Athlete
LIFE UNIVERSITY
Marietta, GA
08.2013 - 12.2017
- Competed in high-level Division I men's rugby under USA Rugby within a nationally competitive collegiate athletic program.
- Two-time USA Rugby Division I Men's National Champion with Life University.
- USA Rugby Division II National Champion with Life University.
- Participated in championship-level training and competition requiring structured strength and conditioning, sport-specific preparation, recovery, injury management, tactical development, and team performance.
- Developed firsthand understanding of the physical and psychological demands associated with high-level collision sport, including repeated acceleration/deceleration, sprinting, tackling, contact exposure, strength-endurance demands, recovery, and injury resilience.
- Experienced the relationship between individual physical preparation, technical execution, tactical performance, team dynamics, and competitive outcomes.
- Developed extensive practical understanding of athlete preparation from the perspective of both the individual athlete and the broader team environment.
Collegiate Rugby Athlete
LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
Farmville, VA
- Competed in collegiate Division III men's rugby under USA Rugby while balancing collegiate academics and the physical demands of a collision sport.
- 2010 USA Rugby Division III Men's National Champion.
- Developed foundational experience in collegiate strength and conditioning, sport-specific preparation, recovery, injury management, teamwork, and competitive preparation.
- Participated in a physically demanding sport requiring repeated sprinting, acceleration/deceleration, tackling, contact exposure, positional demands, and sustained work capacity.
Education
Doctor of Chiropractic -
Life University
Marietta, GA12-2017
Bachelor's Degree - Exercise Science
Longwood University
Farmville, VA12-2011
Skills
- Functional movement analysis
- Musculoskeletal assessment
- Exercise prescription
- Injury prevention & reconditioning
- Human performance programming
- Functional nutrition assessment
- Outcome measurements & Tracking
- Interdisciplinary Coordination
- Clinical reasoning
- Effective communication
ADDITIONAL COMBAT-SPORT EXPERIENCE
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Judo
- Approximately three years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu training with additional prior judo experience.
- Ongoing exposure to grappling, takedowns, positional control, strength-endurance demands, mobility, proprioception, coordination, and combat-sport movement.
- Continued participation in physically demanding training provides current firsthand perspective on conditioning, recovery, injury prevention, movement efficiency, and performance.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Continuing education in chiropractic technique, functional assessment, movement analysis, rehabilitation, neuromuscular performance, and exercise prescription.
- Clinical training and experience incorporating applied muscle testing, orthopedic assessment, movement-based evaluation, therapeutic exercise, and performance-oriented rehabilitation.
- Continuing professional development in human movement, injury prevention, neuromuscular function, nutrition, functional blood chemistry, and interdisciplinary approaches to physical performance.
- Ongoing study of strength, conditioning, recovery, nutrition, movement quality, and strategies for optimizing physical function and resilience.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Based in Hampton Roads, Virginia
- Willing to obtain and maintain required U.S. government security clearance
- References available upon request
Timeline
Owner / Doctor of Chiropractic
KINETIC LIFE CHIROPRACTIC
01.2020 - Current
High-Level Collegiate Rugby Athlete
LIFE UNIVERSITY
08.2013 - 12.2017
Collegiate Rugby Athlete
LONGWOOD UNIVERSITY
Doctor of Chiropractic -
Life University
Bachelor's Degree - Exercise Science
Longwood University