The Science Behind Chiropractic Care: What Research Shows About Your Spine and Nervous System
At Up! Chiropractic, we love helping patients understand the “why” behind their care. Chiropractic adjustments don’t just ease discomfort, they also influence how your brain and body communicate, how your spinal discs stay healthy, and how your nervous system adapts to stress.
Here are 6 relevant research studies that shed light on the science of chiropractic.
🧠 Spinal Adjustments and the Brain–Body Connection
What does this mean? Chiropractic adjustments can immediately boost the brain’s ability to send stronger signals to muscles. In stroke patients, this effect was measurable within minutes.
Why does this matter to you? It suggests chiropractic adjustments may help your nervous system communicate more effectively.
💧 Hydration Keeps Spinal Discs Healthy
Study: Bezci, S. E., et al. (2015). Effect of hydration on healthy intervertebral disk mechanical stiffness. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031416 .
What does this mean? Your spinal discs act like fluid-filled shock absorbers. When hydrated, they stay stronger and healthier. Dehydrated discs weaken over time, increasing wear and tear.
Why does this matter to you? Chiropractic adjustments may help fluid exchange around the disc. Staying hydrated supports better spine mechanics.
⏳ Why Movement and Rest Matter for Your Discs
Study: McMillan, D. W., et al. (1996). Effect of sustained loading on the water content of intervertebral discs: implications for disc metabolism. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.55.12.880).
What does this mean? Long periods of sitting or standing can dehydrate discs, up to 30% of their water content after 6 hours. Lying down or moving helps them rehydrate.
Why does this matter to you? Chiropractic adjustments may help movement of the structures around intervertebral discs. This shows why posture breaks, stretching, and good sleep are vital.
⚡ Chiropractic and Brain Plasticity
Study: Lelic, D., et al. (2016). Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex. Neural Plasticity.
What does this mean? Adjustments may alter how the brain processes signals from the body, improving coordination, reaction time, and efficiency. Chiropractic adjustments don’t just move joints, they change how your brain processes body signals. These “neuroplastic” changes may improve coordination, reaction time, and overall nervous system performance.
Why This Matters for You? These studies show chiropractic is about more than pain relief. Adjustments influence brain-body communication, disc hydration, and nervous system efficiency, helping you move, adapt, and thrive.
👵 Chiropractic Care Helps Seniors Stay Steady on Their Feet
Study: Holt, K. R., Haavik, H., Lee, A. C. L., Murphy, B., & Elley, C. R. (2016). Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PubMed link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27050038
What does this mean? A 12-week trial in adults 65+ found chiropractic care improved reaction time by 119 ms, proprioception, and quality of life
Why This Matters for You? Chiropractic care was shown to improve sensorimotor function in older adults, which may reduce falls risk (Holt et al., 2016).”
❤️ Chiropractic and Blood Pressure
Study: Bakris, G., Dickholtz, M., Meyer, P. M., Kravitz, G., Avery, E., Miller, M., Brown, J., Woodfield, C., & Bell, B. (2007). Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study. Journal of Human Hypertension. Full text PDF
What does this mean? In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with high blood pressure who received a gentle Atlas (C1) adjustment saw an average reduction of 17 mmHg systolic and 10 mmHg diastolic, results comparable to taking two blood pressure medications. No pills, no side effects.
✅ Ready to Learn More?
These studies show chiropractic is about more than pain relief. Adjustments may influence brain-body communication, disc hydration, fall prevention, and even blood pressure, helping you move, adapt, and thrive.
📅 Book your next appointment and ask us how these findings connect with your care plan.
👉 Book Online Now https://upchiropractic.com.au/book
📚 Further Reading
Bakris, G., Dickholtz, M., Meyer, P. M., Kravitz, G., Avery, E., Miller, M., Brown, J., Woodfield, C., & Bell, B. (2007). Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: A pilot study. Journal of Human Hypertension, 21(5), 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1002133
Bezci, S. E., Nandy, A., & O’Connell, G. D. (2015). Effect of hydration on healthy intervertebral disk mechanical stiffness. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 137(10), 101007. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4031416
Holt, K. R., Haavik, H., Lee, A. C. L., Murphy, B., & Elley, C. R. (2016). Effectiveness of chiropractic care to improve sensorimotor function associated with falls risk in older people: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 39(4), 267–278.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2016.02.003 PubMed link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27050038
Lelic, D., Niazi, I. K., Holt, K., Jochumsen, M., Dremstrup, K., Yielder, P., Murphy, B., Drewes, A. M., & Haavik, H. (2016). Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: A brain source localization study. Neural Plasticity, 2016, 3704964. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3704964
McMillan, D. W., Garbutt, G., Adams, M. A., & Dolan, P. (1996). Effect of sustained loading on the water content of intervertebral discs. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 55(12), 880–887. https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.55.12.880
Navid, M. S., Samani, A., Akbari, M., & Shokouhi, N. (2022). Chiropractic spinal adjustment increases the cortical drive to the lower limb muscle in chronic stroke patients. Frontiers in Neurology, 12, 747261. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.747261
Schmidt, H., Shirazi-Adl, A., Galbusera, F., Wilke, H. J., & Rohlmann, A. (2016). Review of the fluid flow within intervertebral discs: Can permeability measurements and modeling help us understand disc nutrition and degeneration? Journal of Biomechanics, 49(11), 2083–2096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.10.021