About
Dr. Dana Clark
Clinic Director
Dr. Dana Clark, D.C. grew up in Southern Illinois not far from St. Louis, moving to Los Angeles at the age of 18 to attend and graduate from Pepperdine University in Malibu with a degree in business administration. After working in the personally unfulfilling corporate environment for several years, he decided to return to school to obtain his Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He graduated Cum Laude from Cleveland Chiropractic College, Los Angeles in 2001.
Dr. Clark’s decision to become a Chiropractor was motivated by a life-long appreciation for a profession that was integral in resolving severe pain he experienced as an adolescent. He finds great personal fulfillment in helping others achieve personal success in reaching health goals, ending chronic pain, recovering from acute injury and achieving training and performance goals. He has a unique ability to identify, manage and treat issues related to musculoskeletal and biomechanical performance (both physically and mentally) even when other specialists have consistently fallen short.
His approach to health and wellness is greatly influenced from personal experience in athletics from a wide variety of fields including 11 IRONMAN 140.6 finishes, surfing, motocross, back-country skiing, mountain biking, open-ocean paddling, wakeboarding and equestrian sports as well as competitive airsofting (similar to paintball) with his son.
He truly understands the importance of being and staying active – and lives his life that way. Many patients know that he deeply appreciates the things that make them happy when it comes to their sports, their interests and their priorities to keep doing what they love to do. You would be hard pressed to find a doctor – anywhere – with his past and current experience and involvement with such a range of sports and physical pursuits.
If you are injured, Dr. Clark probably understands what you are going through – both physically and mentally – and how important it is to get back to the things you love. He has dealt with injuries throughout his life – mostly because of his pursuits – and knows what is required to not just properly recovery, but to continue at a high level of performance for the long run. The last thing someone wants to hear is to “just stop doing” the sport or activity they love. Many doctors make this recommendation without an understanding of the devastating effects it can have on the patient. It is almost never a recommendation he makes to his patients because most things cannot just be managed – they can be corrected with the right approach.
Dr. Clark has personal experience dealing with injuries to his spine and back, shoulders, collar bone (surgically plated after a motocross accident), hip , knee and head (concussions). Plus a plethora of repetitive stress injuries caused by endurance training. If you want a doctor that understands injury and recovery then you need to look no further.
Dr. Clark’s expertise in treating sports injury and recovery has allowed him to regularly treat many of the world’s top elite, professional and Olympic athletes, but he gets the most satisfaction helping regular folks who desire to live and move the best they can and to enjoy life along the way.
Personal Activities
Surfing
Dr. Clark surfing in Indonesia. Surfing is his favorite outdoor sport.
Ironman
Dr. Clark competing in the Ironman World Championship race in Kona, Hawaii.
Dr. Clark has been a long distance triathlete for over 10 years completing numerous triathlons at different distances including 11 IRONMAN races (140.3 Mile Triathlon Swim/Bike/Run).
Skiing
Dr. Clark and his wife Jean are avid back country skiers. They are season pass holders at Mammoth Mountain and try to SnowCat or Heli ski in British Columbia annually.
Motocross
Dr. Clark with his son Justice at LACR motocross track in Palmdale. Since injuring his collarbone in 2018, they mostly ride in the high desert on trails and off the track.
Wakeboarding
Dr. Clark wakeboarding at Lake Mead.
Mountain Biking
Dr. Clark regularly rides the Backbone and many other trails in the Santa Monica mountains, logging several hundred miles of single track a month.
One of his favorite activities is coaching youth sports. He has been involved as a coach with Little League for the past 5 years as well as regularly coaching elementary and middle school basketball. He believes team sports for kids are one of the best ways to develop a good work ethic and good sportsmanship in a screen-driven age.
Partnering with Organizations
For the last several years, Dr. Dana Clark has been a prolific public speaker in the Santa Monica and Los Angeles area on matters of health and wellness. He has presented to well over one hundred organizations, partnering with them in educating their staff and other personnel on diverse topics such as stress management, diet and nutrition, fitness, sports performance, ergonomics and the human body as well as general wellness.
If you are scheduling an event and would like West LA Spine & Rehab to participate, please contact us using our contact form and choose “Request Participation at an Event”.