Core Stability & Low Back Health

The Real Job of the Core

The word “core” gets used constantly in fitness culture, usually in reference to getting six-pack abs. But the core’s actual job has nothing to do with aesthetics. It is a three-dimensional cylinder of muscle that wraps around the lumbar spine, including the deep stabilizers like the transversus abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. These muscles fire before any arm or leg movement begins, bracing the spine in anticipation of load.

Core Stability

When that system breaks down, the lumbar spine absorbs stress it was never designed to handle alone. Discs compress unevenly, facet joints get overloaded, and the surrounding musculature tightens up to compensate. This is one of the most well-documented pathways to chronic low back pain. Left unaddressed, those compensation patterns tend to become self-reinforcing, making the problem harder to unwind over time.

Where Chiropractic Fits In

A chiropractor evaluating a patient with low back pain is not just looking at where it hurts. They are assessing spinal alignment, movement patterns, and whether joint restrictions are preventing the core stabilization system from engaging properly. A lumbar vertebra that is restricted or misaligned sends distorted feedback to the muscles that are supposed to support it. Those muscles then either underfire or overfire, creating instability or chronic tension.

Research published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulation combined with stabilization exercises produced greater long-term reductions in low back pain and disability than either approach used alone. (1) That combination makes mechanical sense: adjustments restore joint mobility and normalize neurological input, while targeted exercise rebuilds the muscular support the spine needs. Patients who understand this connection tend to engage more actively in their own recovery.

Building a Resilient Spine

Patients who address both components, spinal alignment and core function, tend to have fewer recurrences than those who focus on only one. A spine that moves well is a spine the nervous system can actually communicate with. Once that feedback loop is restored, the deep stabilizers can resume their job. Consistency matters here; sporadic care rarely produces the same lasting results as a structured plan that includes both adjustment and rehabilitation.

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Much of it is mechanical in origin, which means much of it is addressable without surgery or long-term medication.

Come visit us in Grand Ledge. Call today for an appointment: 517.627.4547

 

  1. Wilkey A, Gregory M, Byfield D, McCarthy PW. “A comparison between chiropractic management and pain clinic management for chronic low back pain in a National Health Service outpatient clinic.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2008;31(2):133-139.

Athletic Performance & Injury Prevention

Why Elite Athletes Use Chiropractic

It is not a coincidence that virtually every professional sports team in North America has a chiropractor on staff. Athletes place extraordinary demands on the musculoskeletal system, and performance at the highest level requires more than strength and conditioning. It requires the nervous system to fire accurately, joints to move freely, and the body to recover efficiently between sessions. Chiropractic care directly supports all three.

Athletes Use Chiropractic

Joint restrictions in the spine or extremities do not always cause pain, especially in well-conditioned athletes who have compensated for them. But those compensations come with a cost: altered movement patterns, reduced power output, and increased injury risk at the sites doing the extra work. Catching and correcting those restrictions early is far less costly than managing the injuries they eventually produce.

The Biomechanics of Better Performance

A pitcher with restricted thoracic rotation will recruit more aggressively from the shoulder and elbow to generate the same velocity. A runner with a restricted sacroiliac joint will shift load to the hip flexors or knee. These compensations are invisible until they produce an overuse injury, which often occurs months after the original restriction developed.

Chiropractic assessment identifies those restrictions before they cascade into injury. Research published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine demonstrated that athletes receiving regular chiropractic care showed measurable improvements in reaction time, agility, and proprioception compared to control groups.3 Proprioception, the body’s sense of its own position in space, depends heavily on accurate signaling from spinal and joint mechanoreceptors. Adjustments stimulate those receptors, essentially recalibrating the system. For athletes whose split-second timing and spatial awareness matter, that recalibration can directly translate into better performance.

Recovery Is Part of Performance

Recovery is where adaptation happens, and anything that accelerates it gives an athlete a real edge. Chiropractic adjustments reduce joint inflammation, improve circulation to surrounding soft tissues, and lower the resting tension of muscles that have been working hard. Athletes often report that regular care allows them to train more consistently without the accumulation of stiffness and restriction that would otherwise force rest days.

Whether the patient is a weekend recreational runner or a professional competing at the highest level, the underlying principle holds: a body that moves well, recovers well. Investing in spinal health is not separate from athletic investment; it is a core part of it.

Spring’s Most Energizing Essential Oils

Peppermint & Lemon: Spring’s Most Energizing Essential Oils

Seasonal Reset in a Bottle

Spring has a way of making people want to open the windows, clear out the clutter, and feel more alive. Peppermint and lemon essential oils fit that energy perfectly. Both have been used for centuries for their refreshing, uplifting properties, and both have a growing body of research supporting their practical benefits. Used individually or blended together, they are among the most versatile oils available for everyday wellness.

Spring Essential Oils

Peppermint’s primary active compound, menthol, is responsible for its signature cooling sensation and much of its therapeutic reputation. Lemon oil, cold-pressed from the rind, carries a bright citrus scent that has been shown to influence mood and mental clarity almost immediately upon inhalation.

What the Research Supports

A study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that inhaling peppermint oil significantly improved memory, alertness, and physical performance in healthy adults.4Spring is a natural time to shake off the mental fog that accumulates through winter, and peppermint offers a simple, drug-free way to support that shift.

Lemon oil has been studied for its anxiolytic properties, meaning its ability to reduce anxiety and elevate mood through the olfactory system’s direct connection to the brain’s limbic region. That same pathway influences stress hormone regulation, which makes aromatherapy more than just a pleasant experience; it is a legitimate input into the nervous system.

For those dealing with seasonal congestion as allergens ramp up in spring, peppermint’s natural decongestant properties offer additional practical value. Diffusing it in a room or applying it diluted to the temples and chest can ease breathing and reduce sinus pressure without the drowsiness that often accompanies over-the-counter options.

Simple Ways to Use Them

Diffusing a blend of three drops of peppermint and three drops of lemon in the morning creates an energizing start that supports focus and lifts mood. Both oils can be added to an unscented carrier lotion and applied topically, though lemon oil should be avoided on skin exposed to direct sunlight due to its photosensitive nature.

Spring cleaning takes on a whole new meaning when these oils are added to homemade surface sprays. Both have natural antimicrobial properties, making them both functional and fragrant.

Gut Health & the Spine

A Connection Worth Paying Attention To

The Gut-Brain Axis Goes Both Ways 

Most people think of digestion as a standalone system. Food goes in, nutrients come out, and the rest is plumbing. The reality is considerably more interesting. The gut and the brain are in constant two-way communication through the vagus nerve, a sprawling highway that runs from the brainstem down through the chest and abdomen. This connection, commonly called the gut-brain axis, means that what happens in the digestive system does not stay there.

gut health

Chronic gut inflammation, driven by poor diet, stress, or bacterial imbalance, sends distress signals through this network that affect pain sensitivity, mood, and even muscle tension throughout the body. Patients with chronic low back pain have been found to have distinct gut microbiome compositions compared with pain-free individuals, a finding that has shifted how researchers think about musculoskeletal health.

What Weston A. Price Understood Early

Long before microbiome research became mainstream, nutritional pioneer Weston A. Price documented the relationship between traditional whole-food diets and physical health across cultures worldwide. His research, compiled in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, showed that populations eating nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, including fermented foods, organ meats, and bone broths, maintained superior skeletal structure and far lower rates of degenerative disease. (1)

Price’s observations align remarkably well with what modern research now confirms: a gut fed on refined, processed foods produces systemic inflammation that affects joints, muscles, and connective tissue. The spine, as the central structural pillar of the body, is not immune to that inflammatory environment. Disc health, facet joint integrity, and the surrounding soft tissue all depend on a nutritional foundation that supports rather than undermines them.

Feeding the Spine From the Inside Out

Rebuilding gut health does not require an extreme overhaul. Incorporating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and plain yogurt introduces beneficial bacteria that help regulate inflammation. Reducing refined sugar and seed oils removes two of the most significant dietary drivers of gut disruption. Bone broth, a staple in Price’s research populations, provides collagen precursors that directly support spinal disc and joint tissue.

Chiropractic care addresses the spine structurally. Nutrition addresses it biochemically. Patients who attend to both tend to heal faster, hold their adjustments longer, and experience less chronic pain overall.

  1. Price WA. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. 8th ed. Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation; 2008.

 

Researching Chiropractic: Neck Pain, Blood Pressure & the Atlas Vertebra

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception. There seems to be no limit to the health problems that respond positively to chiropractic care. How many people suffering, reliant on medication and drugs, and facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care?

Probably most of them.

atrial fibrillation

Neck Pain & Spinal Manipulation

A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 6 compared chiropractic care with medication for patients with acute and subacute neck pain. Researchers found that chiropractic patients reported faster and greater improvements in both pain levels and overall function, with spinal manipulation showing greater benefits than drug-based management. For patients looking for a non-pharmaceutical approach to neck pain, the evidence is solid.

Blood Pressure & the Atlas Vertebra

Published in the Journal of Human Hypertension (1), this study examined the effect of a single chiropractic adjustment to the Atlas vertebra, the topmost bone in the cervical spine, on blood pressure in patients with hypertension. The results were striking. Participants experienced a significant drop in blood pressure following the adjustment, an outcome that researchers compared to taking two blood pressure medications simultaneously. This highlights the significant impact that spinal alignment can have on bodily systems that extend far beyond just the muscles and bones.

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

  1. .Bakris G, Dickholtz M, Meyer PM, et al. “Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal.” Journal of Human Hypertension. 2007;21:347-352.

Protein Intake for Muscle, Ligament, and Disc Health

That question comes up often in Chiropractic offices, especially from patients dealing with slow recovery, stiffness, or ongoing aches. Many assume protein only matters for athletes or bodybuilders. In practice, patients of all ages rely on protein every day to maintain muscle tone, support ligaments, and keep spinal discs resilient. One chiropractor recalls a long-time patient in her late 60s who ate “light” meals for years. Once she increased protein at breakfast and lunch, her post-adjustment soreness eased, and her strength improved within weeks. No gimmicks, just better building blocks.

Protein Intake

Why protein matters more with age
Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and spinal discs are built from amino acids. These come directly from dietary protein. As people get older, the body becomes less efficient at using protein for repair. That means older adults often need more, not less, protein. Skipping protein earlier in the day or relying solely on toast, cereal, or fruit leaves tissues short of raw materials. Patients often notice fatigue, slower healing, or loss of muscle tone without realizing food plays a role. Chiropractors see it when progress stalls, even with consistent care.

Protein does not work alone. Vitamin C supports collagen formation, and adequate hydration keeps tissues pliable. Still, protein remains the foundation. Muscles stabilize the spine, ligaments guide motion, and discs cushion each step. All depend on a consistent supply of amino acids. Research shows that higher protein intake supports muscle maintenance and connective tissue health in older adults [1].

Patients often expect adjustments to do all the work. Chiropractors know the body rebuilds between visits. Food choices decide how well that rebuilding happens.

Are you eating enough protein?

  1. Wolfe RR, Miller SL, Miller KB. Optimal protein intake in the elderly. Clinical Nutrition. 2008;27(5):675-684.

When Should I Bring My Baby in for Their First Adjustment?

Those First Days Matter

Many chiropractors can recall the first time a newborn was brought into the office. The baby was only days old, still curled from the womb, sleeping peacefully in a parent’s arms. The parents were not looking to fix a problem. They wanted reassurance. Birth is physical. Even smooth deliveries place pressure on a baby’s spine, neck, and nervous system. Prolonged labor, fast deliveries, C-sections, and assisted births can add more strain. Parents often notice signs early. A baby may favor turning their head one way, struggle to latch, seem uncomfortable during diaper changes, or cry without an apparent reason. These moments often prompt questions about timing.

first adjustment

Many chiropractors who work with families share that the earliest visits are often the calmest. Newborn care uses light touch and gentle contact, frequently no more pressure than checking the ripeness of a tomato. The goal is to support balance and ease during a stage of rapid growth and adaptation, not to force change.

Birth Stories and Real-Life Observations

A familiar story shared in practice involves feeding struggles. A parent may describe a baby who cannot latch well on one side or tires quickly during nursing. Another parent might mention reflux-like behavior or frequent hiccups. Some notice an uneven head shape beginning to form. These patterns are often connected to how a baby moved through birth and how their body is adjusting afterward.

Pediatric chiropractic care focuses on how the spine and nervous system communicate during this early stage of life. Research shows that spinal strain can occur during the birth process, even in uncomplicated deliveries, due to the forces involved as the baby rotates and passes through the birth canal. Supporting alignment early may help babies settle, move more freely, and rest more comfortably.

Many parents are surprised by how peaceful these visits feel. Babies often sleep through them. Parents relax when they see the approach firsthand.

Timing Is Personal, Not Rigid

There is no single correct age. Some families bring their baby in within days of birth. Others come weeks or months later after noticing feeding issues, sleep challenges, or uneven movement. Pediatric chiropractors often say earlier visits allow the body to adapt with less effort, since newborn tissues are soft and responsive.

Parents do not need to wait for a problem to appear. Some simply want a check after a difficult birth or surgical delivery. Others wait until they notice something feels off. Both paths are common.

For many families, the first adjustment becomes part of a wellness routine, much like regular checkups. It offers peace of mind during a season filled with questions, exhaustion, and wonder.

Do you know someone who is pregnant or just had a baby?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547

Researching Chiropractic: Elbow Pain & Spinal Curve

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception.

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.

researching chiropractic

A 48-year-old man with a 2-year history of left-elbow pain consistent with lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) reported significant functional limitations, including inability to play golf. Chiropractic care focused on Active Release Techniques (ART) applied to the soft tissues around the elbow. After five sessions over three weeks, the patient reported complete pain resolution and was able to play 18 holes of golf up to 3 times per week at both 4- and 8-week follow-up, demonstrating improved function and symptom resolution.(1)


A pediatric patient presented with a spinal curve caused by leg-length inequality and pelvic tilt, identified as functional (non-structural) scoliosis. Chiropractic care focused on correcting pelvic imbalance and muscular asymmetry, leading to resolution of the curvature and preventing progression to structural adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. This case emphasizes the value of early chiropractic evaluation in identifying reversible spinal patterns. (2)

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547

  1. Gliedt JA, Daniels CJ. Chiropractic treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a case report utilizing active release techniques. J Chiropr Med. 2014;13(2):104-109. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2014.06.009.
  2. Plaugher G. Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Can You Evaluate and Manage It? Dynamic Chiropractic. 2002.

How Chiropractic Helps Desk Workers Stay Out of Trouble

The desk does more damage than people expect

Chiropractic Helps Desk Workers

Many chiropractors can describe the same scene without thinking twice. A patient spends eight to ten hours a day at a computer, feels fine in the morning, and ends the workday with a stiff neck, tight shoulders, tingling in the hands, or an ache across the lower back. Headaches creep in by midafternoon. Sleep feels less refreshing. This pattern shows up so often that it almost feels routine.

Office work locks the body into a seated position that the spine was never built to hold for long stretches. The head drifts forward toward the screen, the shoulders round, and the lower back collapses into the chair. Over time, joints stop moving the way they should, and muscles stay switched on far too long. Research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health links prolonged computer use with neck pain, upper extremity discomfort, and low back strain among office workers (1). That research matches what chiropractors see week after week in practice.

Small breaks make a big difference

Desk workers do not need hour-long workouts during the workday. Short, frequent movement changes matter more. A simple stand-and-stretch every 30 to 45 minutes gives spinal joints a chance to move and restores circulation. Rolling the shoulders, gently turning the head side to side, or standing to open the hips can interrupt the slow buildup of tension.

One chiropractor often shares how a long day of charting once left him with wrist pain and a dull headache. He started setting a quiet timer to stand, walk ten steps, and reset his posture. The wrist pain faded, and the headaches stopped showing up at the end of the day. Patients hear this and recognize their own habits right away.

Chiropractic adjustments support these small habits by keeping spinal joints mobile and balanced. When the spine moves well, muscles do not need to work as hard to hold the body upright. Nerves communicate more cleanly with the arms and hands, which matters for people typing and using a mouse all day.

Staying ahead of the desk

Regular chiropractic care helps desk workers stay out of trouble by addressing spinal stress before it becomes a constant companion. Neck joints that move freely place less strain on the muscles that often trigger headaches. A balanced pelvis and low back reduce fatigue from long periods of sitting. Wrists and shoulders benefit when nerve signals flow without interference.

Many patients notice that adjustments also make posture corrections easier to maintain. Sitting tall feels less forced when the spine cooperates. Combined with brief movement breaks and a workstation set up at eye level, chiropractic care becomes a practical ally for anyone tied to a desk.

Office work may not be optional, but constant discomfort does not have to be part of the job.

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547

  1. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors. NIOSH Publication No. 97-141.

Researching Chiropractic: Migraines, Torticollis & Tic Douloureux

How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.

hypnic headaches

Migraine and hypnic headaches

A 59-year-old woman suffered from chronic migraines and hypnic headaches (headaches that wake people from sleep) along with nausea and skin rashes. Migraine has a global prevalence of 10% and is the seventh leading cause of time spent disabled. Hypnic headaches are less common.

The patient’s migraines began 15 years prior and significantly affected her quality of life. During that time, her care consisted of RelpaxT, a prescription drug, massage and TylenolT. Her headaches continued unabated. She also recalled that her mother had migraines that began around her menopause.

Chiropractic care of two visits a week for 3 months and then once per week for 6 weeks resulted in resolution of her headaches as well as additional health benefits. (1)

Torticollis, cranial distortion and difficulty feeding

A 13-day-old boy and his twin sister were brought in for chiropractic evaluation and possible care. The boy had torticollis, difficulty latching to his mother’s left breast and cranial distortion. The parents reported that the baby was very gassy and seemed uncomfortable daily. The pediatrician could offer no options. 

The parents reported that the boy was in the head down position for most of his time in utero with the weight of his sister on top of him.

After analysis for subluxations of his spine and skull, the boy was adjusted while he was lying on a pillow on his back or on his mother’s chest while she was lying on her back on the chiropractic table. 

The child had seven visits over 6 weeks with continued improvements. He was able to latch onto both breasts, the gassiness had decreased and the torticollis had resolved. Improvements were noticed by his third appointment. (2)

Tic douloureux

Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as “tic douloureux,” is a chronic nerve disorder characterized by intense, persistent and often debilitating shooting sensations of pain in the face. The pain is so intense people have killed themselves and for that reason it is sometimes called the “suicide disease.” 

A 62-year-old woman came to a chiropractic clinic with a chief complaint of chronic right-sided facial pain of 2 years’ duration which she said felt like stabbing and throbbing, “like a bunch of pitch forks.” 

She had experienced three separate automobile accidents over the past 27 years but had no residual symptoms. The pain began four months after she had had a dental surgical procedure, either a filling or root canal on a wisdom tooth on the right side of her face. Over the course of two years, numerous prescription drugs and alternative supplements had been prescribed by multiple doctors and specialists. She had spent over $9,000 in personal funds seeking relief.

Over the course of six months, the patient received 26 chiropractic adjustments. As a result, she experienced significant reductions in frequency and duration of pain. (3)

Do you know someone with any of these issues?

Please encourage them to make an appointment with us!

(517) 627-4547

  1. Niddery E, Alcantara J. Resolution of chronic migraines and hypnic headaches in a 59-year-old female: a case report & review of the literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. September 2, 2019:117-126.
  2. Green S, Alcantara J. Resolution of torticollis, breastfeeding difficulties & cranial distortion in a twin infant undergoing chiropractic care for vertebral subluxation: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic. July 10, 2019:78-81.
  3. Cramer J, Persky A. Reduction of chronic trigeminal neuralgia following upper cervical specific chiropractic care: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research. September 9, 2019:56-62.