Category: Sports Performance

Most people don’t think about how complex the human voice really is. Speaking and singing require precise coordination between breathing, posture, muscles, and the nervous system. For professional singers, even small changes in the body can make a big difference in performance. When posture, breathing, or muscle balance is off, it can affect not only comfort but also the ability to produce strong, clear sound.

A case study published on April 1, 2026, in the Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal followed a 42-year-old male professional opera singer who had been struggling with posture problems, ongoing discomfort, and reduced breathing capacity. These issues began to interfere with his ability to perform at the level his career required. Singing demands controlled airflow, proper spinal support, and relaxed muscle coordination, so any imbalance in the body can create added strain and limit vocal ability.

Chiropractic care was started focusing on improving overall body function, including the correction of subluxation, with the goal of restoring better alignment and coordination. Over time, the patient experienced noticeable improvements not only in comfort and posture, but also in breathing and overall energy. These changes are important because efficient breathing and balanced muscle function are essential for producing and controlling the voice.

One of the most meaningful outcomes was the improvement in vocal performance. The singer reported being able to access his voice more easily, with less effort and significantly less warm-up time before performing. He also experienced an increase in vocal range, including notes that had previously been difficult or impossible to reach. In addition, his voice became more consistent and powerful during performances.

These improvements likely relate to better coordination between the spine, muscles, and nervous system. When the body is more balanced, breathing mechanics can improve, allowing for better airflow and support of the voice. Reduced tension in the neck and upper body may also help the vocal structures function more efficiently, leading to clearer, stronger sound with less strain.

While this is a single case, it highlights an important idea: the health of the spine and nervous system can influence many aspects of everyday function, even something as specialized as singing. By supporting proper alignment, improving movement, and enhancing overall body coordination, care that includes correction of subluxation may help people perform at their best, whether on stage or in daily life.

Some people think of chiropractic care as something you turn to when your back or neck hurts. But growing evidence suggests it may play a much bigger role in how the body performs and recovers. A case published in the first quarter 2026 issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal followed a physically active middle-aged man who sought chiropractic care for long-standing back pain and a recent neck injury. What stood out in this case was not only his pain relief, but the surprising improvements he experienced in how his body moved, recovered, and performed overall.

Before care began, the 44-year-old man had dealt with stiffness, limited movement, and recurring discomfort for more than two decades. Mornings were especially difficult, often requiring up to an hour just to feel mobile. A chiropractic examination showed multiple areas of imbalance, weakness, reduced range of motion, and poor coordination—signs that the nervous system and body were not working together as efficiently as they should. These kinds of findings are commonly associated with spinal subluxation, where joint dysfunction interferes with normal nerve communication.

As care progressed, measurable changes began to appear fairly quickly. Follow-up evaluations showed steady improvements in posture, muscle strength, balance, reflexes, and flexibility. By the end of the initial care period, most of the original problem indicators had resolved. Just as importantly, the individual reported feeling looser, stronger, and more comfortable in daily activities, with far less stiffness and pain than before.

One of the most interesting outcomes went beyond symptom relief. The patient noticed clear improvements in athletic performance, particularly in running. He reported feeling muscles engage more effectively, moving with better coordination, and recovering faster after physical activity. Instead of feeling worn down, his body seemed more responsive and resilient. These changes were significant enough that he noticed them early on and continued to experience them throughout care.

Researchers believe this may be explained by how chiropractic care influences the brain-body connection. Studies referenced in this paper suggest that correcting subluxation may improve how efficiently the brain communicates with muscles, leading to better strength, coordination, and reaction time. In simple terms, when nerve signals flow more clearly, the body can move with greater precision and less wasted effort—something that benefits athletes and everyday movers alike.

While this was a single case study, it highlights an important idea: chiropractic care supports more than pain relief alone. By improving nervous system function and overall movement quality, chiropractic helps people feel stronger, move better, and recover faster. As research continues to explore this connection, cases like this offer a real-world glimpse into how restoring proper spinal function can positively influence overall performance and well-being.

Published on August 12, 2025, in the open access journal Cureus, was the results of a case study documenting chiropractic care helping a pediatric patient who was suffering from abdominal migraines.

The American Migraine foundation described this condition on their website as, “Abdominal migraine is a form of migraine with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting episodes. It’s different from typical migraine attacks because it doesn’t usually have head pain as a symptom. This disease is mostly seen in children. Attacks can last from two to 72 hours, and in between attacks, a person has no symptoms.”

The author of this study begins by pointing out that abdominal migraines (AM) are a debilitating condition that affects about 1% to 4% of the pediatric population. During these attacks, the child may experience moderate to severe stomach pain as well as feeling sick and vomiting. These AM attacks are not accompanied by headaches.

In this case, a 10-year-old girl was brought to the chiropractor for help with mild scoliosis and back stiffness. Although the scoliosis was mild, there was a noticeable asymmetry in her posture and occasionally the girl did experience some discomfort during prolonged sitting or physical activities, like sports. In addition to these issues, the girl was also suffering with moderate to severe recurrent stomach pains for the past 16 months. The stomach pains would typically last from 2 to 24 hours and was accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. This issue had caused the girl to miss eight days of school in the last six months alone.

A chiropractic examination with spinal x-rays confirmed the presence of a mild scoliosis. Specific forms of age-appropriate chiropractic care were started along with recommendations for home exercises. The girl was initially seen at the rate of three visits per week for the first month, after which her frequency was reduced as she showed improvement.

The study reports that by the second month of care, the stomach pains had significantly reduced. Shortly thereafter, the stomach pains had completely stopped. The girl also showed improvement with her back and overall movement. Three months into her care, a second set of spinal x-rays were taken which showed significant improvements in her scoliosis. In an eleven-month follow-up, the girl was still completely symptom free.

In the conclusion of this study, the author explained, “The resolution of symptoms following chiropractic manipulations suggests a possible interplay between spinal misalignment and gastrointestinal symptoms, possibly mediated by the autonomic nervous system.” He continued, “This novel case indicates that chiropractic care may serve as a promising non-pharmacological option, calling for further trials to assess its effectiveness against traditional therapies and to investigate processes such as gut-brain axis modulation in the management of abdominal migraines.”

The Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a case study in their 2025 third quarter issue that documents the reduction in back and joint pain along with an increase in performance for a child competitive swimmer.

The authors of this study begin by noting that chiropractic care goes well beyond just pain care. “Chiropractic care beyond musculoskeletal pain remains arguably the most promising area of emerging research. Adjusting and correcting the vertebral subluxation has led to discoveries regarding the brain and how it drives muscles.” They also describe several additional studies showing that chiropractic care improves brain function and human performance.

In this case study, a 10-year-old boy was brought in for chiropractic care for the first time. His primary complaints were lower back pain, right shoulder pain and some ankle pain. The boy was a competitive swimmer and was hoping to make the State Swim Team if he could improve his swim times. He was currently training five days per week.

A comprehensive chiropractic examination was performed which included a variety of postural analyses showing asymmetries in multiple areas. The result of the examination was the determination that multiple areas of vertebral subluxation were present in the boy’s spine. According to the study, “The agreed aims of care were to improve swimming times by enhancing the function of the nervous system.”

Chiropractic care was started with one regular adjustment visit every other week. Additionally, the boy would also receive extra adjustments after swimming competitions. A reevaluation was performed every 12 visits where the results of the exam findings were compared to the initial visit findings. The boy’s swim times were also tracked to determine if there was an increase in his swimming performance.

The results of the study showed that as the boy’s subluxations improved, there was a significant decrease in his shoulder, ankle and low back pains. Additionally, the study recorded a dramatic improvement in the boy’s swimming times. The study notes that after chiropractic care, the boy was able to achieve a nearly 10% reduction off his original 200m freestyle time, improving it by 29.2 seconds. He was also able to improve his 200m breaststroke time by 12.7 seconds. As a result of his performances, the boy was able to qualify for the State Swim Team.

Since there was no change in the boy’s training schedule, the authors of this study attribute the boy’s increased swimming performance to his chiropractic care. They stated, “We, as Chiropractors, know that the potential of a person can be impacted by the presence of vertebral subluxations. The child’s swimming times are a clear demonstration of the potential that can be achieved by having no interference on the nervous system.”

The Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a case study on July 1, 2025, documenting the improvement in dizziness and hearing loss under chiropractic care of a patient with Meniere’s Disease. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, “Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear.”

The authors of this study note that “Meniere’s Disease is a rare and chronic inner ear disorder marked by recurrent episodes of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus, or feelings of fullness in the ear. During attacks of Meniere’s Disease, balance may be compromised, headaches may occur, and nausea and vomiting may accompany the attacks.”

The study points out that medical care for Meniere’s disease is geared toward the treatment of symptoms and usually involves a pharmacological approach. In some cases, dietary changes are made as well as trigger avoidance and stress management.

In this case, a 29-year-old man sought chiropractic care for help with episodes of dizziness and hearing loss. The man had been suffering with these episodes for the past two years. He had been previously diagnosed by an ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT), with Meniere’s disease. The man reported that the episodes of dizziness had decreased but the hearing loss was getting worse, and he was experiencing a fullness and ringing sound in his left ear. After a recent plane flight, his hearing loss got more severe, and he was prescribed hearing aids.

The man’s hearing issues were having a profound impact on his daily life. The study records that he was “…experiencing difficulties with reading, concentrating, travelling, being in loud or public places, going outside, engaging in hobbies and sports, and even struggling with meeting family, talking to friends, working, sleeping or studying.”

A chiropractic examination including nerve scans and spinal x-rays revealed the presence of multiple vertebral subluxations. With these findings, a course of specific chiropractic adjustments was started at the rate of three visits per week.

On the tenth chiropractic visit, the man reported that he was no longer wearing his hearing aids. He noted that the hearing in his left ear had returned. On visit 12, the man reported that he was experiencing a significant reduction in spinning spells and dizziness.

On the man’s 24th chiropractic visit, he reported that he was in a better mood and felt a reduction in his anxiety. The man’s ENT doctor confirmed that his hearing had improved and was now within normal limits. Because of his improvements in all his issues, he was able to return to normal social interactions and daily activities, thus dramatically improving his overall quality of life.

In the conclusion of the study, the authors wrote, “Chiropractic care may impact hearing loss and dizziness related to Meniere’s disease, and provide a conservative, non-pharmaceutical intervention that can move towards remission of symptoms.”

The Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic published the results of a case study on March 19, 2025, documenting the improvement in the symptoms related to spondylolisthesis in a young adolescent athlete.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition where the front body portion of one of the bones in the spine slips forward on the bone below it. This is usually caused when there is a separation in the connecting part of the bone that holds the front and rear portion of the vertebrae together. This part of the vertebrae is known as the pars interarticularis. This separation can be genetic, age related, or caused by trauma.

In this case, the patient was a 15-year-old girl. She was a competitive softball pitcher who started having progressively worse back pain after pitching back-to-back days in a softball tournament a week prior. The pain was rated as 7 out of 10 with 10 being the worst. The girl reported that her pain was somewhat better with rest and exacerbated with activity, especially movements involving lower back extension and rotation. Her history showed no previous neuromusculoskeletal injuries and no other medical history that would have contributed to her problem.

A chiropractic examination was conducted and revealed multiple areas of muscle tightness and tenderness along the girl’s lumbar spine. Her range of motion was also restricted due to muscle spasm and pain. There were no additional neurological signs or symptoms.

Initially, two weeks of conservative care with activity avoidance was tried, with little results. It was then determined that an MRI should be conducted. The results of the MRI showed that the girl did indeed have a bilateral fracture or separation of the pars interarticularis, and therefore was suffering from a spondylolisthesis. With the new information about the girl’s condition, an intensive regime of specific forms of chiropractic care, patient education, and exercises were started and maintained over an initial 8-week period. The patent education involved information on short-term restrictions as well as a plan for reintroduction to sports activities over time.

After an 8-week evaluation, the study reports that there was improvement in both subjective and objective findings. The patient reported a decrease in pain from the previous 7 out of ten, down to just 1 out of ten. The girl also showed an increase in her range of motion as well as the ability to perform certain spinal movements without having any pain.

As the girl continued to improve, she was able to begin softball pitching and was again able to gradually participate in competitive softball. Over time, she was able to return to 100% of her competitive level.

The 2025 second-quarter issue of the Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case series documenting the chiropractic care of three students diagnosed with dyslexia and struggling with learning disabilities.

According to this study, “Dyslexia is a neurobiological learning disability, defined by word recognition difficulty and poor spelling abilities despite normal intelligence and adequate education and exposure to written material.” Estimates vary by authority, but it is commonly believed that between 5% and 15% of the world’s population has some form of dyslexia.

This case series involved three students who were underperforming in school and had been diagnosed with dyslexia. The first student was a 9-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with dyslexia by her pediatrician. The second student was a 7-year-old girl who was diagnosed with dyslexia by her psychiatrist. The third student was a 15-year-old boy with no formal diagnosis of dyslexia but who was struggling with academic performance in school.

These students were all expressing a variety of symptoms associated with dyslexia including poor long-term and short-term memory, poor concentration, struggling with reading, writing and spelling, as well as difficulty retaining information, and a lack of motivation for learning.

Each of these students received a comprehensive chiropractic and neurological examination. All three started specific forms of chiropractic care in addition to other forms of brain and neurological therapies.

The study documents that each of the three students experienced improvements in their various symptoms. These improvements included better concentration, improved reading including reading out loud, better comprehension, more motivation for learning, and a noticeable improvement in memory. One of the student teachers even reported that her student had improved 5 levels of reading within 1 term. Another student became more talkative, more willing to accept challenges, showed improved handwriting, began enjoying homework, and was generally happier.

All three students involved in this case series saw various improvements with their dyslexia symptoms. They authors explained “Case 1 and 2 student subjects were both diagnosed with specific learning disability with impairment in reading (Dyslexia) under DSM-5 criteria. Case 3 student was not formally diagnosed, but was identified by his school as struggling in academic performance.” They concluded, “A 12-week treatment program yielded significant improvement in reading levels, learning behavior as well as academic grades across all subjects.”

The science behind chiropractic is concerned with the proper function of the nervous system. When there is interference to the nervous system from spinal subluxations, there is a resulting malfunction somewhere in the body. This concept has been shown to be true in the tens of millions of satisfied patients who have visited chiropractors over the years.

Although the anatomies are different, this same principle can also be applied to animals with a spinal column. To date, horses and dogs have been the most common non-human recipients of chiropractic care. A new study now adds a new animal to that group, but this one may have a larger impact on humans, our food chain, and the economy.

On November 24, 2024, the journal Veterinary Science published the results of a study that shows that chiropractic care helped dairy cows with lameness. This study suggests that chiropractic for dairy cows could result in a large financial benefit for the dairy industry. The research was performed at the Institute of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, in Germany.

The authors of this study begin by explaining, “Lameness, also attributed to musculoskeletal disorders of the back, is a major issue in dairy cow farming, affecting both animal welfare and economics. Chiropractic techniques are well studied in humans and horses for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders.”

This study reviewed five individual cases of dairy cows that were having a variety of problems due to lameness. Each of the dairy cows had issues from lameness causing activities and behaviors that resulted in a decrease of their productivity as a dairy cow.

In each of these cases chiropractic adjustments appropriate to the specific anatomy of cows were applied to areas that were determined to be subluxated. The cases were each documented for changes resulting from the chiropractic care.

The results showed that all of the cows in this study benefited from chiropractic care and eliminated their symptoms and activities. This allowed the cows to act normally and become productive dairy producers again.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote, “Chiropractic treatment can relieve pain without the waiting period required by many medications. It can promote healing and improve performance parameters and cow comfort. This is desirable from an economic and animal welfare perspective.”

The Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case study on October 1, 2024, documenting the improvement under chiropractic care of a patient suffering with obstructive sleep apnea.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by episodes of a complete airway collapse or a partial collapse with an associated decrease in oxygen saturation or arousal from sleep.” The NCBI goes on to explain that obstructive sleep apnea can cause a loss of quality of sleep resulting in a variety of other health issues.

This study begins by noting that “Sleep loss has been associated with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity, impaired mood and cognition, and increased age-specific mortality.” The authors further explain the importance of finding solutions for OSA when they say, “Current treatment options for OSA include lifestyle changes, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, oral appliances, and surgery.” They continue, “With many of the treatments being invasive and the outcomes unreliable, there is a significant need for alternative and effective management options for individuals with OSA, not only to improve their quality of life day-to-day but also to avert the potentially serious long-term effects of inadequate sleep.”

In this case, a 26-year-old man who was employed as a bartender, presented himself for chiropractic care due to sports injuries he suffered previously that were causing chronic ankle, shoulder, and elbow pain. His history revealed that, several years earlier, the man had been diagnosed with OSA and had been using a CPAP machine. His CPAP monitoring showed he was having about thirty episodes each night where he would go from three to forty-nine seconds without breathing.

A chiropractic examination revealed the presence of multiple vertebral subluxations. Based upon the findings of subluxations, chiropractic care was started at the rate of two or three visits per week for the initial seven weeks. According to the study, “The care plan aimed to detect and correct chronic subluxations, and to support recovery from musculoskeletal pain due to sports injuries.”

After seven weeks of care, the man reported that he had a significant increase in his range of motion and his pains were significantly reduced allowing him to engage in sports related activities. Additionally, it was noted that his CPAP machine reported a 50% reduction in his sleep apnea episodes, and he reported that he was experiencing better sleep as well as waking feeling rested.

In the study discussion, the authors commented that, “This case details the successful management of a patient with obstructive sleep apnea through a course of Chiropractic care. The patient reported a 50% decrease in sleep apnea episodes, as recorded by his CPAP machine, and noted more restful sleep. There was also a concurrent reduction in pain and an improvement in function when playing sport, as reported by the patient.”

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published the results of a case study on May 20, 2024, documenting the complete resolution of long-term persistent atrial fibrillation in a patient receiving chiropractic care.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, an NIH official website of the United States government, “atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat.” They continue by explaining, “Long-term persistent atrial fibrillation occurs when abnormal heart rhythms last for more than a year without getting better.”

This study’s authors begin by emphasizing the dangers of atrial fibrillation, aka. AFib, by stating, “Atrial fibrillation can be episodic or persistent, and it has dangerous complications if not managed appropriately.” They continue, “Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia. This condition is marked by irregular heartbeat, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, fatigue, dyspnea, and chest pain.” They also report that AFib increases a person’s risk for stroke by four to five times, and that a stroke from AFib is often more severe.

In this case, a 64-year-old man, who was a preacher, presented himself for chiropractic care. His entered with a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation and right elbow pain. He explained that his AFib had been long-standing as he had been suffering with symptoms from the condition since he was 16 years of age.

The man reported that when he was younger, he would occasionally become very dizzy and feel strong palpitations if he physically exerted himself or was subjected to sudden emotional or physical stress. His problems prevented him from participation in sports. As his condition progressed, the man would have attacks weekly causing him to feel extremely weak. During these attacks, he would also suffer with severe tachycardia and his heart rate would elevate to as high as 400 beats per minute.

His AFib attacks regularly continued throughout the man’s entire adult life and lasted anywhere from 20 minutes up to 7 hours. He eventually sought medical care where his MD gave him a variety of medications. The man reported that the medications many times would either aggravate his symptoms or that they would do nothing to help him. Over time, the man discontinued all his medications as he felt they were not helping him. His condition was severe enough that he had been hospitalized multiple times.

The man initially decided to go to the chiropractor because of the occasional elbow pain and back pain that he was having. He was also curious to see if chiropractic could do anything to help with the life-long symptoms of AFib he was suffering with.

After a full chiropractic examination, it was determined that the man had multiple vertebral subluxations. A specific care plan of chiropractic adjustments was started with the man being seen initially twice per week.

The results of care were nothing short of life changing. After his initial chiropractic adjustment, the man experienced complete remission of all symptoms and signs of his AFib. He stated that he was completely free of fatigue, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, and shortness of breath. After his tenth visit, the man had still not experienced any attacks, symptoms or issues with AFib. Over the course of the next year, he reported only having one minor AFib episode.