About Dr. Petersen
Where Science Meets Grit
30 years of chiropractic expertise. A world-record freediving spearfisherman. A provider who treats your body the way he treats his own — with precision, respect, and zero shortcuts.
30 Years of Hands-On Expertise
The Chiropractor
Dr. Craig Petersen has been practicing chiropractic care for over 30 years — the entirety of his career dedicated to one thing: finding what's actually wrong and fixing it. Not masking pain with medication. Not guessing. Diagnosing, treating, and getting patients back to the life they want.
His approach starts with thorough diagnostics — a comprehensive exam, digital X-rays when clinically needed, and an honest conversation about what he finds. From there, he builds a treatment plan tailored to your specific condition, timeline, and goals. Spinal adjustments, non-surgical decompression, cold laser therapy, rehabilitative exercises — Dr. Petersen uses whatever combination of evidence-based techniques your body needs, and nothing it doesn't.
He's proud to serve the Laguna Hills community and greater South Orange County, including veterans through VA Community Care, seniors on Medicare, and patients of all ages and activity levels. His license number is DC25168.
World-Record Freediving Spearfisherman
The Athlete
Dr. Petersen isn't just someone who treats athletes — he is one. As a world-record holding freediving spearfisherman, he pushes his body to extremes that most people never experience: diving to depth on a single breath, hunting in open ocean, and demanding peak physical performance from every system in his body.
That experience shapes everything about how he practices. He understands what it feels like when your body isn't performing at its best — not from a textbook, but from personal experience at the highest level. He knows the difference between pain you can train through and pain that signals real damage. He knows what recovery actually requires because he's lived it.
When a competitive surfer, a CrossFit athlete, or a weekend warrior walks into his office, they're not talking to someone who read about sports injuries in school. They're talking to someone who has stood on the world stage and put his own spine, joints, and nervous system through exactly the kind of demands they face.
Trusted by World-Class Athletes
The Provider
Because of who he is and what he's accomplished, Dr. Petersen has become the chiropractor that serious athletes seek out. Competitive surfers, martial artists, triathletes, freediving champions, and professional athletes trust him with their bodies because he speaks their language and holds himself to the same standard.
But you don't need to be a world-class athlete to benefit from world-class care. The same diagnostic precision and treatment quality that keeps elite performers competing is exactly what Dr. Petersen brings to every patient — whether you're a retiree dealing with spinal stenosis, a desk worker with chronic neck pain, or a parent who threw out their back lifting groceries.
At Sycamore Chiropractic, every patient gets the same thing: thorough diagnostics, honest communication, a treatment plan that makes sense, and a provider who genuinely cares about getting you better. That's been the standard for 30 years, and it's not changing.
Ready to Get Started?
Take advantage of our $49 New Patient Special — includes consultation, exam, X-rays if needed, and a custom treatment plan.