- Areas of Practice:
- Chiropractic
- Spinal Disorders
DeFabio Spine & Sports Rehab
Your path to pain-free living and lasting wellness starts here. At our practice, we focus on restoring your body’s natural balance and function through personalized, holistic care.
Located in the heart of Berkeley Heights, our team believes in the body’s remarkable ability to heal itself—when given the right support. We’re here to help you harness that innate power so you can get better, feel better, and stay better.
Donald DeFabio, D.C., DACRB, DACBSP, DABCO
Dr. Donald DeFabio has been helping patients achieve lasting wellness since 1984. A graduate of Trinity College and New York Chiropractic College, he brings an exceptional blend of chiropractic, orthopedic, nutritional, and sports medicine expertise to his practice.
As a Certified Corrective Exercise and Sports Performance Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Dr. DeFabio empowers his patients to move better, move more, and live stronger. His integrated approach combines chiropractic care with targeted exercise programs, ensuring every patient receives personalized, results-driven treatment.
Guided by a simple philosophy—to treat every patient like family—Dr. DeFabio provides care that is both compassionate and effective. His genuine connection to the community and dedication to doing what’s best for each individual define his practice. When needed, he readily collaborates with other specialists to ensure the best outcomes.
At DeFabio Chiropractic, the mission is clear: to exceed expectations and deliver #TheDeFabioDifference—exceptional care that restores balance, performance, and well-being.
- 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 and classifier for the US Wheelchair Fencing Team 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.
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.
- May 2024 – present Author, representing Foot Levelers, for Chiropractic trade journals.
- Jan 2018 – present Columnist, Dynamic Chiropractic: Multi-Modal Chiropractic a bimonthly series.
- 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.
- Diplomate, American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists
- Fellow, Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists
- Diplomate, American Board of Chiropractic Sports Physicians
Additional Certifications
- Active Release Techniques, Spine, Upper and Lower Extremity
Graston - Selective Functional and Movement Assessment
- Manipulation Under Anesthesia
- Whiplash Traumatology
- National Academy of Sports Medicine
- Corrective Exercise Specialist
- Performance Enhancement Specialist
Achievements
- 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
- American Chiropractic Association
- Association of NJ Chiropractors
- ACA Orthopedics Council
- Council of Chiropractic Orthopedics
- ACA Rehab Council
- ACA Sports Council
- Board of Directors Association of NJ Chiropractors
- Chair, ANJC Council on Physical Rehabilitation and Performance
- Senior Classifier for the International Wheelchair Fencing Association. First physician outside of Europe and the Middle East to be appointed to the committee.
- Chairman, Classification Committee for International Triathlon Union Physically Challenged Division.
- Chairman, Endurance Sports Symposium.
- Chairman, Ethics Committee, New Jersey Chiropractic Society.
- Race Day and Race Week coordinator for the ACA Ironman Triathlon treatment team
- Board of Directors, New Jersey Chiropractic Society.
- Served on the Board of Directors and Secretary, First Vice President, President of the Berkeley Heights Lions Club.
- Diagnose the underlying cause of your health problem
- Recommend a care plan to produce the fastest results possible
- Offer ways patients can participate in their recovery
- Transition the patient to corrective exercises and rehabilitative care
- Teach you the proper exercises to restore your flexibility, strength and stability
- Create new muscle and joint memory to “hold” your treatments better
- Introduce wellness and preventive care for long-term correction
- Prevention of sickness and re-injury with diet, nutrition, exercise and wellness visits.
- Active Release Technique
- Cold Laser
- Cox Flexion-Distraction
- Decompression
- Diversified
- Graston
- Motion Palpation
- Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT)
Fax: 908-771-0114
Tuesday: 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday: 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed