Burbank calls itself the Media Capital of the World for a reason. Within a few miles of Align Chiropractic & Wellness sit Warner Bros., NBC Universal, and Disney — and on any given day, our office sees editors, camera operators, grips, production assistants, and post-production staff who spend their careers on sets, in edit bays, and on soundstages that don’t exactly follow the rules of ergonomic office design.
It’s a different kind of physical strain than a typical desk job, and it shows up in different patterns.
The Physical Reality of Below-the-Line Work
Below-the-line crew — camera, grip and electric, art department, wardrobe — deal with long shooting days, heavy equipment, and physical positions that change by the hour: crouched behind a camera, reaching overhead to rig a light, standing on concrete soundstage floors for twelve-plus hours at a stretch. That’s a very different set of stresses than sitting at a desk, and it tends to concentrate in the low back, shoulders, and neck.
Above-the-line and post-production staff — editors, colorists, VFX artists, writers’ room staff — deal with something closer to the desk-worker pattern we’ve written about before, except often with longer, less predictable hours and tighter deadlines that make it easy to push through discomfort instead of addressing it.
Common Patterns We See from Crew and Studio Staff
- Low back tension from long hours standing on hard soundstage floors
- Shoulder and neck strain from repeatedly rigging, carrying, or operating heavy equipment
- Wrist and forearm tension in editors and colorists from years of mouse and keyboard work
- General stiffness from unpredictable schedules that make consistent exercise or stretching difficult
Why Schedule Flexibility Matters in This Line of Work
Production schedules don’t leave much room for a rigid appointment calendar. Call times shift, days run long, and a schedule that looked fine on Monday can look completely different by Thursday. We’re used to working with that reality — patients in the industry often book around production schedules rather than a fixed weekly slot, and Align is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, plus alternating Saturdays, to make that easier.
A Cash-Based Practice Fits Production Life
Many film and TV professionals work through a union health plan, a production company’s insurance, or move between coverage as projects start and end. Align’s cash-based, self-pay model sidesteps that entirely — a Complete Initial Visit is $54, with 5- and 10-visit packages at $89 and $79 per visit, so you know your cost regardless of what plan you’re on this month. Chiropractic care is generally an IRS-qualified medical expense, so HSA and FSA funds can often be used, though we’d recommend confirming your specific plan’s rules first.
Subluxation-Focused Care for an Unpredictable Job
Dr. Fernandez’s subluxation-focused approach — identifying and correcting the underlying spinal joint restriction, not just chasing whatever’s sore that week — tends to fit well with production schedules that make it hard to come in regularly. Using the Diversified, Y-Strap, and Activator techniques, care is matched to what your body needs that day, whether you’re between projects or in the middle of a demanding shoot.
A Few Quick Questions
Do you see patients from the studios directly, or just crew who happen to live in Burbank? Both. We see plenty of patients who work at or near Warner Bros., NBC Universal, and Disney, along with crew and staff from productions filming around Burbank more broadly.
Can I book around an unpredictable production schedule? We do our best to work with it. Call the office to discuss timing, and we’ll find a schedule that fits your production’s rhythm as closely as possible.
Do you accept union health plans or production insurance? Align is a cash-based practice and doesn’t bill insurance directly. Some plans reimburse out-of-network visits if you submit a receipt yourself — check with your specific plan.
Working long days on set or in the edit bay? Call (818) 848-2225 to schedule your visit, or book online — Align is a short drive from Warner Bros., NBC Universal, and Disney.