Since its birth in 1895, chiropractic has supported the possibility of influencing the function of the nervous system through a manual approach to joint mobility in the spine.
Over the years, these theories have gradually been refined thanks to new scientific discoveries. The relationship between joint mobility and nervous system plasticity, although often recognizable in clinical practice, long remained less clear from a scientific standpoint. This was partly due to research that was not always well structured, and partly to the limitations of general knowledge about how the nervous system functions.
Recently, however, things have begun to change. Thanks to the work of leading figures such as Dr. Heidi Haavik and Dr. Frederick Carrick, who have dedicated a significant part of their careers to research, increasingly concrete evidence is emerging.
An interesting paper published in December 2025, in which Dr. Haavik also participated, begins to explore the link between chiropractic and biomarkers, representing a first noteworthy study in this direction.
A group of chiropractors designed a randomized double-blind study to understand whether, during a three-month course of care, patients’ physiology could also change from a biochemical perspective.
The study, conducted in Australia and Pakistan at university facilities, involved two groups of patients who underwent a 12-week chiropractic care program. One group received real treatment, while the other received a simulated treatment, without joint mobilization.
Before the start of the care program, a blood sample was taken to assess nine biomarkers related to the subjects’ health status. A second blood test was performed at the end of the three-month treatment period, while a further follow-up was carried out at 16 weeks, that is, one month after the end of care.
The protocol included three treatments per week, with corrections performed according to the chiropractors’ clinical assessment. The biomarkers analyzed included indicators related to neuroplasticity, such as BDNF; inflammation, such as CRP and interleukin-6; and cellular stress, such as cortisol.
The results observed at 12 weeks in the group that received real treatment are promising. The study showed changes in biomarkers associated with nervous system plasticity, inflammation, and immune response.
The most interesting conclusions are essentially two.
The first is that a treatment of a mechanical nature, often interpreted over the years as an exclusively joint- and muscle-based intervention, also appears to have neurophysiological and biochemical implications. This supports the original idea that chiropractic adjustment may influence overall health, going beyond the mechanics of movement alone.
Naturally, the results are still preliminary and not conclusive, also due to the limitations of the study. However, they represent an important first step toward further investigation.
The second conclusion concerns the way in which spinal manipulative treatment may specifically stimulate certain deep muscular structures, generating a biochemical response similar to that produced by physical exercise.
The difference lies in the possibility of intervening in a targeted way on joint mechanics, with an effect that is not easily reproduced through exercise alone. The latter, however, remains a fundamental component in recovery and in maintaining health.
Chiropractor
Isokinetic Turin
