Recent research efforts have served up significant findings in terms of the effect of the nervous system on our skeletal muscles. However, less research has gone the other way: i.e. How does our posture, and specifically head and upper neck posture, effect our nervous system and sensorimotor function? The Journal of Gait and Posture has…
In the last article, we talked about depression as an inflammatory issue (as recent research has revealed). But obviously, it’s not that simple a story. Depression, anxiety, and indeed mental-emotional wellbeing is an issue spanning mindset, environmental triggers, personal resilience and much more. But what does the research say about psychological ramifications for the endocrine…
Since the inception of the profession itself, chiropractors have claimed to be doctors of the Central Nervous System, masters of connecting the brain and body and removing interferences so that health can be expressed to a higher level. This is all well and good, but in a world where research is currency, how do we…
A recent study appearing in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics has examined spinal manipulative therapy and tactile allodynia (or hypersensitivity to touch). The results present a possibility laden with meaning for chiropractic: that “manually assisted lumbar spinal manipulation therapy modulates systemic oxidative stress, which possibly contributes to the analgesia and recovery of peripheral…
A recent study appearing in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics has examined spinal manipulative therapy and tactile allodynia (or hypersensitivity to touch). The results present a possibility laden with meaning for chiropractic: that “manually assisted lumbar spinal manipulation therapy modulates systemic oxidative stress, which possibility contributes to the analgesia and recovery of peripheral…
While heart rate variability has been stealing its share of headlines in terms of new research, another solid performer has been quietly waiting on the side lines: pulse pressure. This indicator of cardiovascular health is simply the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure and represents a measure of autonomic nervous system function. It is…
At the Australian Spinal Research Foundation, we exist to fund, facilitate and disseminate chiropractic research – specifically research into the vertebral subluxation. We caught up with Dr Adrian Wenban who had recently applied to have his study funded through the ASRF. The study, titled “Effects of Cervical Chiropractic Adjustments on Heart Rate Variability, Quality of…
This week, we thought we’d throw you something different. For an organisation that funds and disseminates research, there’s no greater treat than breaking the good news. We caught up with Tanja Glucina (Chiropractor and PhD candidate) for what she thought was a run-of-the-mill interview. Check out her reaction and hang around to hear about the…
At this year’s Spinal Research Gathering we had the good fortune of interviewing Dr Phillip Ebrall, a reputable veteran in the world of chiropractic and research, on the topic of case reports. As an academic with one PhD completed, one in progress and one in planning, his perspective on chiropractic research is a notable…
A new study published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association has presented some interesting considerations for both healthy, young patients and researchers. It looked at the topic of postural influences on neck proprioception and head/neck stabilisation and found “a significant effect of both posture and vision for both vertical and horizontal head movements during…
A new study emerging from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic has examined the effect of chiropractic spinal manipulation on central processing of tonic pain. Published in the journal ‘Scientific Reports’, the study is the latest in a long line of research examining the effect of chiropractic on the brain. We caught up with one…
We often hear about cases of increased thoracic kyphosis – that of forward head posture due to lifestyle or other factors. But straight back syndrome (SBS) is somewhat lesser known. A thoracic deformity characterized by “loss of the normal upper thoracic spinal kyphosis”, this condition can lead to reduced antero-posterior chest diameter, compression or displacement of the…
Chronic neck pain, headaches, involuntary neck muscle contractions, and a tremor on the right side: these were the presenting symptoms of the subject of a recent case report carried in the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic. But behind the symptoms was a condition not unfamiliar to many chiropractors: a diagnosis of cervical scoliosis and cervical dystonia…
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics posed an interesting question: how does chiropractic compare to medical treatments on 1-year changes in self-reported function, health and satisfaction with care measures? It was a representative sample of American Medicare beneficiaries, but it’s a study worth a second look as it examines…
Recent history has shown a renewed and revealing look at concussion. From movies that flagged public interest in the phenomena, to new research flagging concussions as a public health priority, it is now understood to be a potentially significant “mild traumatic brain injury” rather than simply a knock to the head. While prevention and early…
Dr. Michael Hall (a chiropractor, and the man behind “Brain DC”) caught up with the Australian Spinal Research Foundation to talk about spinal and motor tone in children; its role, its importance in cognitive development, the existing measurement tools and where we need to go in terms of research. So for this week’s blog, clear…
What exactly does chiropractic do if it isn’t a ‘treatment’ per se? It’s a question often asked, and there are countless potential answers. While we cannot claim to treat all and sundry, and we tend to rest our claims on removing interference from the nervous system and letting the body do the rest, research is…
What happens when surgery fails to solve the problem it was prescribed for? For many people, the answers to this question aren’t encouraging. But for a 65-year old female (and the topic of a recent case report), a failed surgical intervention was thankfully not the last resort in her quest for answers when it came…
