Tyler Walls is Broadway Chiropractic’s newest chiropractor. The New Ulm native started working at the clinic on Nov. 1, but his connection to the clinic goes back to his time as a patient.

NEW ULM – Broadway Chiropractic has a new doctor, but his time with the chiropractic clinic goes way back.

Tyler Walls joined the chiropractic clinic on Nov. 1, the first day he was licensed to practice as a doctor in Minnesota. He graduated early from Northwestern Health Science University in Bloomington and promptly returned home to New Ulm.

Walls is a native of New Ulm. He graduated from New Ulm High School (NUHS) in 2018. Even while studying, he was never away from New Ulm for long. His plan was always to return to his home community.

“New Ulm has always been welcoming to me,” he said. “I want to be able to give back to friends and family, but also to community.”

His plan even included working as a Broadway Chiropractic alongside Dr. Frederic Falentin. Walls began practicing at Broadway Chiropractic in November, but his connection with the clinic goes back over a decade when he was first a patient.

Walls said when he was 10 years old, his mom noticed a problem with his ankle movement. He sometimes struggled to get out of bed in the morning. Walls was brought in to see Dr. Falentin. That visit would change Wall’s life. After a few treatments, the problems vanished.

“He helped me tremendously,” Walls said. “I went from one of the slowest kids on the team to one of the fastest.”

At the time, Walls did not understand what had happened. It was years later that he understood the science behind his condition.

“My pelvis was not properly aligned,” Walls said. “[Falentin] used the Graston Technique to work the back of my leg muscles. It wasn’t a lengthy process because I was still young and my tissues were able to heal faster, but it was a night and day difference after.”

The quick turnaround in his physical condition stayed with Walls. He had a strong appreciation for chiropractic medicine from this first-hand experience, though it was not until college at Mankato State that he decided to pursue it as a career.

Walls said he had been thinking of medical laboratory science, but at MSU his advisor had previously been part of the pre-chiropractic program and put him on track to his current career. While studying chiropractic medicine, Walls reached out to Dr. Falentin about shadowing him at the clinic and for the next few years he served as an intern. Walls worked nearly every position at Broadway Chiropractic, except the treatment part. Now that he has his degree, Walls was able to transition into his new role as a practicing chiropractor.

Though he has only been practicing a short time, Walls said he loves the work. One of the exciting aspects of the job–there is no normal day.

“You never know what will walk into the door,” Walls said. “Dr. Fred and I have a running joke, ‘It’s never boring here.'”

There are so many health-related issues that can arise in the chiropractic field. Walls said many people only think of back problems in terms of chiropractic medicine, but it’s the entire nerve system, which can affect any part of the body.

“Anything that has a joint or has a bone in the body, we can work on and help people,” Walls said.

Most patients who visit the clinic do so because of pain or discomfort but Walls and Falentin recommend regular chiropractic exams.

“We love to use a dental analogy we use,” Walls said. “People get their teeth checked for good reasons because it is important for good hygiene. We like to think the same thing with the spine. Having that checked is important.”

The goal is to keep patients healthy by focusing on functionality. Walls said their favorite thing to hear returning patients say they can do more.

“We love having a person come back and say, ‘I can walk two miles now instead of half a mile,'” he said.

Walls said the thing that makes a good chiropractor is being personable, but also getting enjoyment from helping people.

“I love helping people. That was a real drive for me,” he said. “That’s what you need to be for a healthcare provider. You need to be there for people and I want to be there for New Ulm.”