Elite Health & Wellness

03/28/2026

Running creates repetitive stress on the same muscles and tendons. Over time, this can lead to tightness, adhesions, and restricted movement. Active Release Technique (ART) is a targeted soft‑tissue treatment that breaks up those adhesions and restores healthy motion. It’s especially helpful for issues like IT band tension, calf tightness, plantar fasciitis, and hip mobility problems.

Your stride depends on how well your joints move—especially your ankles, hips, pelvis, and spine.
Sports chiropractic restores proper joint motion, improves mechanics, and helps your body absorb impact more efficiently.

At Elite Health & Wellness, we see runners every day who are pushing their limits—whether that’s training for a race, building mileage, or simply trying to stay pain‑free. If you’re dealing with tightness, recurring aches, or want to stay ahead of injuries, ART and sports chiropractic are powerful tools to support your training.
Visit us at EliteHealthandWellnessNJ.com to start your treatment plan.

03/20/2026

The first day of spring is here! Time to shake off the winter stiffness. Whether you're gearing up for outdoor activities, training for a race, or simply want to feel your best, chiropractic care helps restore balance, reduce tension, and keep you moving well all season long.

03/15/2026

Running shouldn’t hurt — but when it does, we’re here to help.

Dr. Garcia specializes in treating running-related injuries and restoring optimal movement - pain-free.

03/12/2026

Sports Focused Shockwave Therapy - 6 Visit Package
(Regularly $100 a visit, Spring special $75 a visit)

Struggling with a lingering injury that just won’t heal? Shockwave Therapy is one of the most effective non invasive treatments for speeding up recovery and getting you back to doing what you love.

Shockwave Therapy Can Help With:
• Tendonitis
• Achilles pain and Plantar fasciitis
• Shoulder tendinopathies
• Chronic muscle tightness, muscle strains and joint pain
• Overuse and sports related injuries

Why Athletes Trust Shockwave Therapy:
• Breaks up scar tissue and adhesions
• Stimulates natural tissue repair
• Reduces pain and inflammation
• No downtime

Spring Special: 6 Visit Shockwave Therapy Package $450
Includes bonus red light therapy treatment with each visit.
Request an appointment at:
www.elitehealthandwellnessnj.com

03/08/2026

🌞 Daylight Savings Is Here — Let the Longer Days Begin!

With extra daylight comes extra motivation to get outside, ramp up activity, and jump back into spring sports. Whether you’re hitting the field, the track, or the trails, this is the perfect moment to prep your body for a strong, injury free season.
Smart Ways to Prevent Spring Sports Injuries:
• Ease Back Into Activity
• Warm Up With Intention
• Focus on Mobility
• Stay Aware of Your Body
• Keep Your Alignment in Check
Chiropractic care supports better movement, balance, and performance so you can enjoy every extra minute of daylight.

🌞 More daylight means more opportunities to move—make sure your body is ready for it. If you or your young athlete want to stay active, healthy, and performing at your best this season, we’re here to help you make the most of the longer days ahead.

Book your spring tune up today at www.elitehealthandwellnessnj.com

03/06/2026

To all of our amazing patients
If you previously left us a review on the Garcia Family & Sports Chiropractic Google page or have not yet done so, we’d be so grateful if you could share your experience on our new Elite Health & Wellness Google page.

Your reviews help our new brand grow and make it easier for others to find the care they need. Thank you for continuing to support us through this exciting transition.

Post a review to our profile on Google

03/03/2026

New Member of the Team!
Elite Health & Wellness is excited to announce the addition of Dr. Michele Mendes-Kiger, who brings extensive experience in chiropractic care and a passion for helping patients move better, feel stronger, and live pain free. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Kiger to the Elite Health & Wellness team!

To celebrate, we’re offering a Welcome Wellness package for new patients and former patients of Dr Mark Addona, that includes:
• Comprehensive chiropractic evaluation and consultation
• Personalized treatment plan
• Adjustment and treatment session

Schedule an appointment to meet Dr. Kiger and treat yourself to the care you deserve.
Mention the Welcome Wellness package when scheduling.
Call or visit www.elitehealthandwellnessnj.com to schedule your visit.

03/01/2026

Exciting News! 🎉 After many wonderful years of serving our community, Dr. Mark Addona has officially retired from active chiropractic practice in our community. I’m honored to share that Elite Health and Wellness, formerly Garcia Family & Sports Chiropractic has taken over his practice and providing Dr. Addona’s patients with the same exceptional chiropractic care. My priority is to ensure a smooth transition and to provide the same high level of patient-centered care. Our entire team has been working closely with Dr. Mark Addona to ensure a smooth transition to our office located at 812 Central Ave. Westfield.
Whether you are currently in care or it has been some time since your last visit, we welcome you to reach out to schedule an appointment. Call or email us at contact@elitehealthandwellnessnj.com
I look forward to supporting your health and wellness needs.
To stay informed on upcoming news please follow our page.

https://www.elitehealthandwellnessnj.com/

- Dr. René J. Garcia

Elite Health and Wellness is a center for chiropractic and sports medicine incorporating Active Release Technique.

03/01/2026

✨ BIG NEWS! ✨ We are thrilled to introduce the new face of Elite Health & Wellness! Formerly Garcia Family and Sports Chiropractic, we’ve evolved to better reflect our commitment to holistic health and community.
o What’s changing? a new name, extended hours, more services including laser and shockwave therapy, and a focus on restorative wellness.
o What’s staying? The same location and dedication to your health.
o Check out the new website at www.elitehealthandwellnessnj.com to see our new services and connect!

Call today to schedule your appointment and let's get you feeling better and return you back to the things that you love to do.
- Dr. Rene

02/15/2026

How does Elite Health &Wellness and our therapies help decrease tissue healing time?

Chiropractic care and associated therapies decrease tissue healing time by optimizing the biological and mechanical environment required for repair. Rather than just masking symptoms, these treatments target the root causes of delayed healing—such as restricted blood flow and chronic inflammation—to "jumpstart" the body’s natural recovery.

Key Therapies Used to Speed Recovery

Spinal Manipulation:
Restores joint mobility and reduces muscle spasms that might otherwise hinder movement and delay healing.

Soft Tissue Therapy:
Includes Active Release Technique (ART) and stretching to ease muscle tension and improve local circulation.

Instrument-Assisted Modalities:
Tools such as Cold Laser Therapy use low-level light to deeply pe*****te tissues, reducing pain and inflammation while promoting faster cellular repair.

Rehabilitative Exercises:
Tailored Strengthening and Stretching Programs prevent the development of compensatory movement patterns that often lead to re-injury or chronic dysfunction.

Call us today and start your tour road to recovery!

908-654-9228

01/24/2026

Text Neck” Explained – What Your Phone Is Doing to Your Neck

This image powerfully shows how head position directly multiplies the load on your cervical spine. The human head weighs about 4–5 kg in neutral posture, but as the head tilts forward, the effective load on the neck increases dramatically.

🟢 0° – Neutral Head Position (≈ 5 kg)

When your ears are aligned over your shoulders, the cervical spine carries only the true weight of the head. Muscles work efficiently, discs are evenly loaded, and stress on joints is minimal. This is the safest and most energy-efficient posture.

🟡 15° Forward Tilt (≈ 12 kg)

A small forward tilt nearly doubles the load on the neck. Neck extensors must contract continuously to prevent the head from falling forward, increasing muscle fatigue and early stiffness.

🟠 30° Forward Tilt (≈ 18 kg)

At this angle—very common during phone use—the cervical spine experiences almost four times the normal load. Disc pressure increases, posterior neck muscles are overstretched, and joint compression rises.

🔴 60° Forward Tilt (≈ 27 kg)

This is the most stressful position. The neck now supports more than five times the head’s actual weight. Ligaments, discs, and muscles are overloaded, increasing the risk of:

Chronic neck pain

Disc degeneration

Headaches and nerve irritation

🧠 Why This Matters

The neck is designed for mobility, not sustained load. Holding the head forward for long periods causes cumulative micro-stress that builds silently over time. This is why neck pain often appears gradually rather than suddenly.

We can't fix your daily habits that lead to poor posture but we can help you alleviate the pain you're experiencing! Call today

01/23/2026

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES (This is what we focus on whether you're an athlete, weekend warrior, over use or simply injured yourself.

Soft tissue healing is a complex, multi-stage biological process that typically takes anywhere from six weeks to over a year to complete. While initial pain may decrease within a few days, the underlying structural repair is far from finished.

The four primary phases of soft tissue healing are:
Bleeding & Hemostasis (Seconds to Hours): The body immediately works to stop blood loss and seal the wound area.

Inflammatory Phase (0–7 Days): Peaking around 1–3 days, this phase clears damaged cells and bacteria. Patients often feel worse during this period as swelling and chemical signals increase.

Proliferative Phase (1–6 Weeks): The body begins laying down new collagen and forming temporary scar tissue. While mobility improves, the tissue is still weak and highly vulnerable to reinjury.

Remodeling Phase (6 Weeks to 2 Years): This is the longest phase, where temporary scar tissue is reorganized into stronger, more functional tissue. Complete structural restoration can take a year or more.

Why Healing Often Takes Longer Than Expected
Severity of Injury: Minor (Grade I) strains may heal in 1–3 weeks, but severe (Grade III) tears often require 6–12 months or surgery.

Tissue Type: Muscles heal faster due to high blood supply (2–8 weeks), while ligaments and tendons take much longer (up to 12+ weeks) because of poor vascularization.

Patient Factors: Healing is significantly slowed by aging, smoking, poor nutrition (lack of protein/Vitamin C), and chronic conditions like diabetes.

The "Desensitization" Trap: Pain often subsides long before the tissue has regained its strength. Returning to full activity too early can lead to chronic inflammation or re-rupture.

We offer state of the art technologies to expedite your healing, leading to decreased pain, increased range of motion, easier activities of daily living and overall... feeling better!

Call us today to schedule your appointment and find out how we can help you.

908-654-9228