Meet Dr. Shepard
Dr. Matt Shepard’s road to becoming a physician began when he was still a young boy. After his mom purchased milk for her child, he became alarmingly ill. It was later discovered that the milk purchased would be involved in one of the largest salmonella outbreaks in U.S. history. Thankfully, Dr. Shepard was among those who recovered from the incident.
However, this would not be Dr. Shepard’s last battle with a life threatening condition. When he was twelve-years-old, he went sledding with some friends while recovering from a mild cold. Shortly after returning home, he began to lose the ability to move his feet. After a few more days the numbness had quickly spread, and Dr. Shepard could no longer feel his legs and was now unable to walk. Whatever had taken hold of his body, it was spreading upwards quickly and he became increasingly lethargic. Worried that it would soon spread to his lungs and other paramount organs, medical care was quickly sought. After many tests, the cause was still unable to be determined. Seeing how quickly the condition was spreading, his family made a desperate attempt at further help from St. Louis Children’s Hospital. There it was discovered he was suffering from a rare autoimmune disorder, called Guillian-Bere. After this last brush with death, Dr. Shepard’s mind grew increasingly curious with the body’s ability to self-regulate and the importance of proper nerve function.
Sports also played an important role in Dr. Shepard’s childhood. The son of a football coach, Dr. Shepard loved watching athletes perform at their optimal level. Participating in football, track and field, and basketball, he gained first-hand knowledge into how optimal body mechanics and function play a dramatic role in athletic performance.
As a result of these life experiences, Dr. Shepard had a deep desire to help others achieve optimal athletic performance as well as relieve pain and improve the health of others.
Dr. Shepard attended Palmer College of Chiropractic where he received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree, helping him get one step further toward his dream. The months leading up to graduation, he often considered the best location to open his practice. Having spent the majority of his life in Illinois, he knew the area well. After Dr. Shepard and his wife looked around the Chicago and St. Louis suburbs, they stumbled upon their ideal location: Bloomington-Normal. It was the perfect area for them, with the quaint feeling of a small town and the amenities of a larger metropolitan area. The couple and their French Bulldog, Noki, moved to Bloomington – Normal and opened Shepard Pain and Performance Care three months later.
And now Dr. Shepard is able to live out his dream to help people live pain free every day.
