Chiropractic Research & Spinal Manipulation Evidence
Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis
"...manipulation and mobilization are likely to reduce pain and improve function for patients with chronic low back pain; manipulation appears to produce a larger effect than mobilization." Spine J. 2018 May; 18(5): 866–879.
The association between use of chiropractic care and costs of care among older Medicare patients with chronic low back pain and multiple comorbidities
"...older multiply-comorbid patients who used only [chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT)] during their [chronic low back pain (cLBP)] episodes had lower overall costs of care, shorter episodes, and lower cost of care per episode day than patients in the other treatment groups. Further, costs of care for the episode and per episode day were lower for patients who used a combination of CMT and conventional medical care than for patients who did not use any CMT." J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016 Feb; 39(2): 63–75.e2.
Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial
"Six to eight sessions of upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation were shown to be more effective than mobilization and exercise in patients with [cervicogenic headache], and the effects were maintained at 3 months." BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016; 17: 64.
Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study.
"Non-surgical spinal decompression was associated with a reduction in pain and an increase in disc height." BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010 Jul 8;11:155. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-11-155.
Risk of Vertebrobasilar Stroke and Chiropractic Care
"We found no evidence of excess risk of [vertebrobasilar artery] stroke associated [with] chiropractic care compared to primary care." Eur Spine J. 2008 Apr; 17(Suppl 1): 176–183.
Risk of Stroke Following Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation in Medicare B Beneficiaries Aged 66–99 Years with Neck Pain
"Among Medicare B beneficiaries aged 66–99 with neck pain, incidence of vertebrobasilar stroke was extremely low. Small differences in risk between patients who saw a chiropractor and those who saw a primary care physician are probably not clinically significant." J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2015 Feb; 38(2): 93–101.
Changes in Pain Sensitivity following Spinal Manipulation: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
"[Spinal manipulation (SMT)] demonstrated a favorable effect over other interventions on increasing [pressure pain threshold (PPT)]. Subgroup analysis showed a significant effect of SMT on increasing PPT at the remote sites of stimulus application supporting a potential central nervous system mechanism." J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2012 Oct; 22(5): 752–767.