Friday Evening Keynote & Member Reception

Friday, September 25, 2026

5:00 PM – Registration & Vendor Expo Opens

Check in, pick up conference materials, connect with colleagues, and visit with conference sponsors and exhibitors.

6:00 PM – Dinner

6:30 PM – Opening Keynote Presentation

Dr. Troy Dukowitz

8:00 PM – Intermission

8:15 PM – Keynote Presentation Continues

9:30 PM – Evening Program Concludes

9:30 PM – Vendor Expo Closes

Join Dr. Troy Dukowitz for an inspiring and thought-provoking keynote designed to reignite purpose, strengthen professional conviction, and equip chiropractors with practical leadership and communication tools for today’s healthcare environment.

Through a powerful blend of chiropractic philosophy, leadership development, patient communication strategies, and personal accountability principles, attendees will gain renewed clarity around their role as healthcare leaders and advocates for the chiropractic profession.

This high-energy session will challenge participants to move beyond simply managing symptoms and embrace a deeper calling centered on service, leadership, and lasting impact.

Attendees will leave with:

• Renewed certainty in chiropractic principles
• Stronger communication strategies for patient education and retention
• Practical leadership tools for personal and professional growth
• Greater clarity around purpose and long-term impact
• Actionable strategies that can be implemented immediately in practice

This keynote serves as the foundation for the UCPA 2026 Fall Conference and sets the stage for a weekend focused on advancing chiropractic through mastery, precision, and impact.

Dr. Troy has been a chiropractic patient since he was 13 years old. His first experience with a chiropractor was after a pole vaulting injury in high school. At the time his mother and brother were both going to the chiropractor. Instead of the traditional route of muscle relaxers and medicine, his mother decided to take him along with them to the chiropractor. For the rest of his career in athletics at Belleville East High School, he saw a chiropractor, not just for injuries, but to also help maintain a strong healthy body.

It took several years later for Dr. Troy to see the full scope of chiropractic care. You see, for years Dr. Troy suffered from horrible allergy problems. He was the kid that always had tissues with him on the sports fields (so did his mom). When he was in 8th grade he started receiving allergy shots and began taking allergy medication. For four years he was on the routine of allergy shots and medicine without much success. The shots stopped but the allergies didn’t. Dr. Troy continued to take the allergy medicine to help him with the allergies.

Then, a life changing event happened. While a student at the University of Illinois, he had been working as an assistant in a chiropractic office. What he noticed over the next two years changed the course of his life forever. The sinus and allergy problems he had always dealt with had completely dissipated while getting consistent chiropractic care. How could that be? Years of failed shots and medications and now by seeing a chiropractor, he could breathe easier, didn’t have to take medication and wasn’t carrying around a box of Kleenexes everywhere he went. The bottom line, it’s AMAZING what happens with the body when it is functioning properly. “What I realized was that had a disturbance in my nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) that coordinates and controls every cell, tissue, organ and their functions in the body. By having my nerve system adjusted by my chiropractor restored my body to functioning optimally.”

Dr. Troy decided to change his major from Education to BioScience, which would get him into Chiropractic school.

Dr. Troy Dukowitz is a 1996 Graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield Missouri. He is a native of Fairview Heights. After graduating and taking on a position in Champaign, Illinois, he knew he needed to return home to care for the people of our community. Opening his private practice in August of 1999, he has been a leader in driving home the impact of a chiropractic lifestyle in St. Clair County. Dr. Troy now brings almost 20 years of experience to the Vitalize Family Chiropractic TEAM. His dedication to his patients and the profession is unprecedented. In his spare time he works with other chiropractors and is an internationally known speaker. He is the husband of Dr. Leah Dukowitz, whose leadership in the community is inspiring other families to take charge of their health and their lives with chiropractic at the forefront of their overall health care! Dr. Troy is also a proud daddy. He and Dr. Leah have 2 boys- Wyatt (3) and Watson (7 months).

Together they have defined what the true meaning of FAMILY Wellness is and they are dedicated to helping you and your family to reach outrageous levels of health and wellbeing through a chiropractic lifestyle!

Attendees will leave with:

• Renewed certainty in chiropractic principles
• Stronger communication strategies for patient education and retention
• Practical leadership tools for personal and professional growth
• Greater clarity around purpose and long-term impact
• Actionable strategies that can be implemented immediately in practice

This keynote serves as the foundation for the UCPA 2026 Fall Conference and sets the stage for a weekend focused on advancing chiropractic through mastery, precision, and impact.

Relevant Rehab: Cervico-thoracic Spine
Functional Assessment and Rehab
Presenter: Donald C. DeFabio, DC, DACRB, DACBSP, DABCO

2 contact hours

The increase in cervico-thoracic postural dysfunction and pain is related to the use of computers
and personal communication devices. This course is designed to provide the clinician with the
tools to successfully treat this demographic using a combination of static and dynamic
assessment techniques. Beyond a postural examination, the differential diagnosis of stability vs.
mobility dysfunction will be reviewed to enable the clinician to program a successful corrective
exercise and treatment plan. Exercise principles for common postural imbalances of the region will
be introduced as well as management of acute and subacute patients. Upon completion of the
course the clinician will be able to apply these procedures into their practice immediately.

First hour: Relevant anatomy and static postural assessment review. The differential diagnosis of
mobility vs. stability dysfunction of the cervicothoracic spine. Introduction to Mulligan Snags for
mobility corrections and Brugger’s exercises for stability imbalances.
Second hour: Exercise selection for the correction of forward head carriage/ Janda’s Upper
Crossed Distortion, rounded shoulders, thoracic kyphosis and cervical hypolordosis will be
presented. Guidelines for the management of the acute, subacute and corrective phases of care.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the concepts of static and dynamic postural assessment.
Learn the differential diagnosis of mobility vs. stability dysfunction in the cevico-thoracic region.
Introduce mobility and stability correction principles.
Learn corrective exercise principles for common cervico-thoracic posture imbalances
To safely progress the patient through the acute, sub-acute and rehabilitative phases of care.
Be able to incorporate the information learned immediately.
References:
Andersen LL, et al. Effectiveness of small daily amounts of progressive resistance training for
frequent neck/shoulder pain: Randomized controlled trial. Pain. 2011 Feb;152(2):440-6.
Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach, Page P, Frank C, Human
Kinetics, Champaign IL, 2010
Functional Training Handbook, Liebenson C, Wolters Kluwer Health, China, 2014
Lee MY, Efficacy of Modified Cervical and Shoulder Retraction Exercise in Patients With Loss of
Cervical Lordosis and Neck Pain, Ann Rehabil Med. 2020 Jun; 44(3): 210–217.

Ludvigsson ML, et al, Neck-specific exercise for radiating pain and neurological deficits in chronic
whiplash, a 1-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial, BMC Musculoskelet Disord
2013;14:311,
Musculoskeletal Physical Examination, Malanga G, Mautner, K, Elsevier, Philadelphia PA, 2nd
edition, 2017
Therapeutic Exercise, Foundations and Techniques, Kisner C, Kolby LA, FA Davis, Philadelphia,
PA, 6th Edition 2012

Essentials of Lumbar Spine Rehab:
A Multimodal Approach

Presenter: Donald C. DeFabio, DC, DACRB, DABCSP, DABCO

2 contact hours

The objective of this course is to present current concepts in lumbar spine rehab for all phases of care, from
the acute to return to function. The clinical indications for flexion, extension and neutral spine biased exercises
will be presented along with the appropriate exercise selection and specific exercise progressions that the
clinician can incorporate immediately Specifically, the course introduces the use of evidenced based flexion
biased exercise principles for lumbar spinal stenosis, the role of neutral spine exercises for ADL’s, and
extension biased principles for discogenic conditions and paraspinal deconditioning. The three mechanisms of
core stability will be presented as they relate to lumbar spine rehab and novel technologies to enhance intrinsic
core strength and stability will be introduced to enable the clinician to achieve better outcomes. Mobility versus
stability dysfunctions in the lumbar spine will be reviewed.
Hour One:
Relevant lumbar spine anatomy review
Introduction to the Lumbopelvic Hip Complex, LPHC, as it relates to low back rehab
Mobility versus stability issues in the LPHC
Hour Two:
Review biomechanics of the lumbar spine and disc load
Discuss the use and indications of flexion, extension and neutral spine biased exercise
Flexion biased exercises progressions for lumbar spinal stenosis
Hour 3:
Neutral spine exercises progressions beyond McGill’s Top 3
Extension biased principles and progressions for paraspinal strengthening
Core stability mechanisms with clinical correlation
The application of TECAR and EMS on enhancing intrinsic core stability

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course the clinician will:
 Understand the biomechanics and kinematics of the lumbar spine in flexion, extension and neutral
 Learn flexion, neutral and extension biased exercise progressions for the lumbar spine
 Review the significance of neutral spine training
 Be able to differentiate between a mobility and stability dysfunction in the lumbar spine
 Understand the 3 core stability mechanisms and their role in lumbar spine rehab
 Be able to select which patients will respond to flexion, extension or neutral spine exercises
 Understand the application of TECAR and EMS to enhance intrinsic core strength

References:
 Ammendolia C, Hofkirchner C, Plener J, Bussières A, Schneider MJ, Young JJ, Furlan AD, Stuber K,
Ahmed A, Cancelliere C, Adeboyejo A, Ornelas J. Non-operative treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis
with neurogenic claudication: an updated systematic review. BMJ Open. 2022 Jan 19;12(1):e057724
 Bretelle F, et al, Capacitive-resistive radiofrequency therapy to treat postpartum perineal pain: A
randomized study, PLOS One April 2020

 Carralero-Martínez et al. Efficacy of capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency in the
physiotherapeutic treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled
trial, Trials (2021) 22:356
 De Sousa-De Sousa L, et al, Systematic Review Application of Capacitive-Resistive Electric Transfer in
Physiotherapeutic Clinical Practice and Sports, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 12446
 McGill SM. Lee BC, Effect of long-term isometric training on core/torso stiffness, J Strength Cond Res.
2015 Jun;29(6):1515-26
 Essentials of Corrective Exercise, National Academy of Sports Medicine , NASM, Calabass CA, 2007
 Therapeutic Exercise, Foundations and Techniques, Kisner C, Kolby LA, FA Davis, Philadelphia, PA,
6th Edition 2012
 Schneider MJ, Ammendolia C, Murphy DR, Glick RM, Hile E, Tudorascu DL, Morton SC, Smith C,
Patterson CG, Piva SR. Comparative Clinical Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Treatment Methods in
Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Jan
4;2(1):e186828
 Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, McGIll S, Stuart McGIll Canada, 6 th Edition 2017

Participation Questions:
1. The nucleus pulpous migrates posterior with lumbar spine flexion. T
2. Lumbar stenosis favors flexion biased exercises. T
3. 30 degrees forward flexion of the lumbar spine places the most load on the lumbar discs. T
4. The iliopsoas is a primary lumbar spine extensor muscle. F
5. The rectus abdominus is a core stabilizer muscle. F
6. The transverse abdominus is an intrinsic core stabilizer. T
7. Extension biased exercises for the lumbar spine are only for treating hyperlordosis or sway back. F
8. Williams Exercises were first developed in the late 1990’s by Ted Williams. F
9. The side plank is one of “McGill’s Top 3” exercises. T
10. It is best to start with the most difficult exercise a patient can perform and then regress as they improve.

DONALD C. DEFABIO, D.C., DACRB, DACBSP, DABCO

CURRICULUM VITAE

Education:
August 2019 Obtained Diplomate Status from the American Board of Chiropractic Rehabilitation
Nov. 1996 Attained Diplomate status as a Chiropractic Sports Physician.
Sept. 1990 Attained Diplomate status in Chiropractic Orthopedics
April 1984 Graduated from New York Chiropractic College in Glen Head, New York
May 1980 Graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Licensure:
1984 – present Licensed to practice Chiropractic in the states of New Jersey, New York.
Approved CE Lecturer and Speaker Bureaus:
Oct 2023-present Continuing education speaker for ScripHessco and Winback companies
Sept 2023-present Logan University continuing education lecturer for the Lifelong

Learning Portal
Aug 2022 – present Affiliate instructor for Procredits, an online continuing education company
Sept 2019 – present Affiliate instructor for DC Hours, a n online continuing education company
Feb 2019- present Appointed NCMIC Speaker’s Bureau
June 2019 – present Instructor, CCSP, program through Northeast College of Health Sciences
August 2017-present Instructor, Physical Rehabilitation Certificate Course: Approved ACRB course.
March 2017- May 2020 Instructor, Licensed Chiropractic Assistant Program through NYCC
May 2017 Speaker, American Spinal Injury

Association Annual Scientific Conference: Chiropractic
and the SCI Patient/Athlete
Sports Physician Experience:
March 2014- June 2016 Treated athletes at Rutgers University for the Track and Field and Filed Hockey programs.
Sept 2007 – Sept 2016 Team Chiropractic Physician for Drew University. Madison, NJ.
May 2000 – 2012 Medical coordinator of the US Wheelchair Fencing Team and International Classifier for
wheelchair fencing through the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation
July 1999 Completed residency at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Oct. 1993- 2000 Event Physician for the Ironman Triathlon World Championships, Kona, Hawaii.

Journalism Experience:
Jan 2018 – present Columnist, Dynamic Chiropractic: Multi-Modal Chiropractic a bimonthly series.
May 2024 – 2025 Author, representing Foot Levelers, for Chiropractic trade journals.
Oct 2021-present Editorial review panel for Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy, an indexed peer reviewed journal.

March 2013- Present www.YouTube.com/drdefabio: 42+K subscribers and over 15M views
Jan 2006 – Present Producer and host of The DeFabio Difference, a thirty minute television show produced for

Comcast and Verizon public television, Morris and Union County, NJ.

Achievement:
April 2023 ACA Rehab Council Doctor of the Year
May 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award Association of NJ Chiropractors
October 2013 Chiropractic Doctor of the Year, Association of NJ Chiropractors
June 2012 Drew Athletics Recognition Award for service to the athletes and Drew community
May 2012 Volunteer of Award from the Year Summit Area YMCA.
Publications:
Sept 2020 Author, Exercise parameters for the chronic type B aortic dissection patient: a literature

review and case report, Post Graduate Medicine

June 2000 Author, Fluid and Nutrient Maintenance Before, During and After Exercise,

Journal of Chiropractic Sports and Rehabilitation.

July 1998 Author, Open vs. Closed Chain Kinetic Exercise: A Clinical Application,

Journal of Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation.

Aug. 1996 Co-author, The Role of Transcranial Doppler Sonography on the Identification of Patients at
Risk of Cerebral and Brainstem Ischemia, Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic
Therapeutics.

Professional: American Chiropractic Association, Association of NJ Chiropractors , ACA Orthopedics
Council, Council of Chiropractic Orthopedics, ACA Rehab Council, ACA Sports Council.
June 1985 – Present Chief of Chiropractic Services at DeFabio Spine and Sports Rehab, LLC a private practice in

Berkeley Heights, NJ.
References Available upon request
Contact Information: 308 Springfield Avenue

Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 07922
PH: 908-771-0220 Fax: 908-771-0114 Cell: 908-418-6141 Email: drdcdefabio@gmail.com