By KALEY LYON

klyon@dailynews.net

Brennan Uehling always knew he wanted to open a chiropractic clinic in Hays.

That goal became a reality in November, when Riverside Chiropractic, with offices already in Ness City, Dighton, Jetmore and Dodge City, moved to a suite at 4333 Vine.

"The biggest reason for coming to Hays was there wasn't any spinal decompression with the DRX 9000," Uehling said. "That's kind of our big selling point."

The DRX 9000 is technology designed to relieve chronic back pain due to herniated discs, degenerative discs or other complications. The machine drew a loyal customer base in other locations, and just three months into business, the future in Hays seems promising, Uehling said.

Uehling, along with Joey Koerner, already has been treating a steady influx of patients. In just three months, business has progressed to a point the Dodge City clinic reached in more than a year, Uehling said.

"We have quite a following already, and it's exciting to have the trust and the loyalty already just three months into it," he said.

While the clinic started advertising well in advance, word spreads fast when patients are seeing improvement, Koerner said.

"The patients get better, and when they get better, they tell everybody," he said.

Currently, Koerner is at the clinic five days a week, while Uehling commutes from Ness City as often as possible.

Uehling also has a physical therapy background, and the chiropractors take pride in not only fixing the problem, but teaching patients how to strengthen their bodies to reduce the risk of future injuries, he said.

Treatment sessions often are followed with physical therapy training, and patients are prescribed with simple exercises to continue at home.

"Our saying is we can make the correction with the table. But if you don't stabilize and strengthen the correction, it's not going to do any good," Uehling said.

The chiropractors also make efforts to keep the cost of services low. Most forms of insurance are accepted for DRX 9000 treatments.

In other locations, the chiropractors have established working relationships with local doctors, and they hope the situation will become similar in Hays, Uehling said.

Uehling and Koerner both grew up in Ness City and attended Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City. Both also were college athletes and have first-hand experience with several types of sports injuries.

They have been long-time friends, and Koerner, who recently moved his family to Hays, was eager to take an opportunity that would bring him closer to home, he said.

The doctors agree that there is no better place to call home -- or to raise a family -- than their native western Kansas.

"I was born and raised in western Kansas, my family's here," Uehling said. "This is a great place to raise children."