Structure = Function

“Research is revealing that structural shifts in spinal alignment and the nerve obstruction they cause may be a factor in a number of disorders” stated Dr. Matthew McCoy a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the journal that published the study.  

The purpose of this study was to help gain insights into the nerve, bone and joint related mechanisms involved in determining if someone has nerve obstruction in their spine. According to researchers the nervous system controls and coordinates all functions of the body and structural shifts in the spine can occur that obstruct the nerves and interfere with their function. By removing the structural shifts, chiropractic improves nerve supply and function. 

In this study the researchers examined the subjects and found structural shifts in their necks. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, called vertebral subluxations, that chiropractors correct. 

The study showed that patients exhibiting vertebral subluxations in their necks had greater difficulty determining where their heads were positioned in space.   

The study’s authors called for additional research to investigate the clinical implications of chiropractic in this population.