Chiropractic, massage therapy business moves to Freeville

Earlier this month, Finger Lakes Spine and Body Works, which had been in Dryden for about a decade, moved to a new location on Main Street in Freeville. The decision, as one of the owners explained, was spurred by the pandemic.

While Finger Lakes Spine and Body Works used to be in Dryden, its roots actually began in Freeville. Dr. Sybil Coburn, owner, chiropractor and licensed massage therapist, started the business as Coburn Family Chiropractic out of a friend’s dental clinic in 2009. Coburn explained why she wanted to start her own practice after 13 years as a dental hygienist.

“I had gone to massage therapy school, and I really enjoyed learning about the human body and how structure affects function,” she said. “I also wanted to advance my education and be self-employed. And so, chiropractic seemed like a really good fit for me. I love using my hands to help people.”

Shortly after starting Coburn Family Chiropractic, Coburn’s husband, Jason Coburn, and other practitioners joined the practice, so they moved to 87 W. Main St. in Dryden and renamed the business Finger Lakes Spine and Body Works to accommodate the growth. Now, the business has two chiropractors (Sybil and Jason) and two massage therapists in addition to Sybil.

Sybil said that the Dryden community was a welcoming one, and she enjoyed practicing there.

“I just love the Dryden community,” she said. “I love the people of the Dryden community. I felt like, for the first time of my life, I really fit somewhere and was actually part of a community.”

That’s why Sybil’s worked to give back to the community when she could. She was the fundraising coordinator in building the Montgomery Park playground and a hub master for a Mutual Aid Tompkins blue food pantry box in front of her business. She was also active in her school district, helping the PTA in Freeville and participating in other school efforts.

The recent move to Freeville was not a new idea, as Sybil explained.

“We had actually, about five years ago, met with an architect and started thinking about different options for if and when we wanted to bring the business closer to our home,” she said. “At that time, we went through the town of Dryden — we got a special use permit to practice out of our home. We put in the parking lot. We weren’t ready to move home, but I did see some people, like maybe on weekends or something if I just didn’t want to go over to Dryden.”

But, like it has for many others, the pandemic changed those original plans.

“We just sort of figured, someday when we’re ready to retire or slow down a bit, we would move the business home,” Sybil said. “But after COVID-19 hit, and everything really changed for most everyone, it was looking like … I was going to homeschool my son. And so, I wanted to be closer to home just for ease of homeschooling.”

Sybil said she wanted to keep the business going through the pandemic not just for financial reasons, but also because she values the role her business plays in the Dryden and Freeville communities.

“We provide a really important service to the Dryden community,” she said. “And although we’re located in Freeville, and some people see that as a disconnect or divide, … this is the Dryden community still. … It didn’t even cross my mind that we would be closing the doors. We’re definitely here to serve the Dryden community.”

Finger Lakes Spine and Body Works officially opened in Freeville on Nov. 5. Overall, the moving process was a smooth one, though Sybil said staff did have some technology issues in the beginning. Adjusting to COVID-19 safety restrictions took some extra work, but it was nothing she and her staff couldn’t handle.

“We have to keep in mind all of the restrictions that the governor’s placed on our type of small business, the professional services,” Sybil said. “Between massage therapy and chiropractic, we’ve had to modify quite a few things. We always practiced universal precautions of disinfecting cleaning surfaces, but now times that by 1,000 or so.”

Sybil said the work is worth it, particularly as COVID-19 cases spike throughout the country, and urged residents to remain diligent.

“Certainly, it is a concern that our community is on the rise with COVID-19,” she said. “We’re all getting weary and tired and wishing that this would go away, but that’s unrealistic. So, … now more than ever, we need to stay stringent in our efforts to keep everybody safe with social distancing. And I think that my practice members do a really good job of that. And I think that my staff does a good job of that.”

Moving forward, Sybil said she’s hoping to keep the business going at a stable pace. The new location is smaller than the old one, but Sybil said the space is perfect for the practice and where she wants to keep it.

“We have a very full practice,” she said. “In our other location, we had room for growth, and we have done different growth and restructuring over the years. At this location, I don’t have the room for that type of growth. But I’m really OK with that. We’re really happy just seeing our people, seeing our community members. I don’t see any big shifts.”

So far, the response to Sybil’s move has been positive from Dryden and Freeville communities alike, and Sybil expressed her appreciation for that support.

“The biggest thing I’d like to say always is just thank you,” Sybil said. “We’re so grateful to be able to serve this really awesome community, be a part of it, to be able to live here, raise my kiddo here and to be able to have a living here, too.”

Finger Lakes Spine and Body Works is open by appointment at 145 W. Main St. in Freeville. Visit its website at spineandbodyworks.com or call 607-844-3304 for more information.