Top Chiropractic Research from 2025: Advancing Evidence-Based Care for Chiropractors
Chiropractors continue to benefit from an expanding body of high-quality chiropractic research articles that validate our role in conservative musculoskeletal care. But with the volume of new chiropractic studies increasing every year, it can feel overwhelming to sort through the data and extract what’s actually useful in everyday practice.
That’s why your team at ChiroUp has distilled the top chiropractic research 2025 has to offer, highlighting the most impactful findings, from improved functional outcomes to reduced medication use, cost-effectiveness data, and advances in pediatric chiropractic research.
This year’s updates reaffirm the effectiveness and value of chiropractic care, particularly spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) and other hands-on interventions. These chiropractic research studies highlight our profession’s role as leaders in evidence-based musculoskeletal care, offering practical insights that you can apply today.
1. Cervical Manipulation Outperforms Other Therapies for Cervicogenic Headache
A meta-analysis of manual therapies for cervicogenic headache concluded:
“[Cervical Spine Manipulation] may be the most effective short-term intervention for reducing pain and disability compared to mobilization, massage, and exercise.” (1) Xu et al. Frontiers in Neurology. May 2025 Link
Deeper dive: The article also concluded that SNAG mobilizations are effective, with benefits maintained long-term. For a deeper clinical breakdown of SNAG techniques for cervicogenic headache, check out this prior top-rated chiropractic blog.
Headache SNAG
SNAG Rotation (C1-C2 Focus)
2. Cervical Spine Manipulation Remains Safe
Each year, new research reinforces the same conclusion: chiropractic spinal manipulation poses no greater risk than other forms of treatment.
“[Data] supports the use of SMT as an effective and safe intervention for reducing pain, improving Cervical ROM, and decreasing disability in patients with acute neck pain” (2) Diao et al. Systematic Reviews. May 2025 Link
This echoes a systematic review from last year: “no statistically significant difference in AEs [Adverse Events] between manipulation and control groups. All reported AEs were mild (e.g. temporary pain aggravation, soreness); no moderate or serious AEs occurred… HVLA cervical manipulation does not increase the risk of mild or moderate AEs compared to controls.” (3) Pankrath et al. Pain Physician. 2024 Link
And a new systematic review confirms what several prior biomechanical studies have shown: “consistent evidence that cervical SMT induces less strain on the vertebral artery, particularly within the V3 segment, compared to passive cervical ROM.” (4) Fagundes C et al. Clinical Biomechanics. Dec 2025. Link
And… an extensive Medicare study of neck pain patients also confirmed: “Management with chiropractic care was associated with lower rates of adverse events than primary medical care. The prescription drug therapy group had the highest risk of any measured adverse outcome.” (5) Whedon et al. JMPT. Sept 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: A validated new screening tool for early CAD recognition was published this year (20), and a full clinical tutorial is available for subscribers in the ChiroUp Clinical Evaluations tab.
The ChiroUp Safety of SMT Toolkit includes several additional essential resources for communicating and ensuring the safety of cervical manipulation: patient-facing infographics that clearly explain the data, clinician infographics for recognizing early warning signs of emerging strokes, and our most popular webinar ever—an expert-led deep dive into stroke evaluation, safety considerations, and evidence-based communication with patients.
3. BMJ Meta-Analysis Confirms the Effectiveness of Neck Manipulation
A BMJ systematic review analyzing over 100 prior RCTs on neck pain concluded: “...multimodal treatment [the combined use of two or more musculoskeletal manipulations] was the most effective for reducing neck disability, whereas manipulation was the most effective for improving cervical range of motion.” (6) Gong et al. BMJ Open. Oct 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: Share potent chiropractic research like this with patients and social media followers via our Natural Solution for Pain and Stiffness infographic.
4. HVLA is Effective for Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy
“[at short- and medium-term follow-up] in both cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, HVLA was associated with reduced pain compared to conventional physical therapy……and spinal mobilization” (7) Giovannico et al. JOSPT. Oct 2025 Link
This study also concluded that Mobilization with Leg Movement was a potent tool for managing lumbar radiculopathy. Check out the ChiroUp Clinical Skills Library for a step-by-step tutorial video on Mobilization with leg movement.
Deeper Dive: Want to hear this Mobilization with Leg Movement technique broken down by the docs themselves? Stay tuned for next week’s episode of Mic’d Up with ChiroUp—the top-rated chiropractic podcast. Explore all episodes here.
5. Elastic Therapeutic Taping Is Effective For CTS
"Kinesiology taping may effectively improve long-term pain relief and functional outcomes in patients with [carpal tunnel syndrome]."(8) Li et al. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. Feb 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: ChiroUp subscribers can watch Dr. Todd Riddle from FAKTR demonstrate how to apply elastic therapeutic taping for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Bonus: Automated SOAP Tools Save Over One Minute per Note for 82% of Providers
A previous ChiroUp study surveying thousands of chiropractors identified SOAP-note documentation as the #1 workflow burden in modern chiropractic practice. (9) And…that problem hasn’t gone away, but fortunately, the solution has never been clearer.
The Fix: ChiroUp’s SOAP Wizard + Voice-to-Chart Workflow
A study of current ChiroUp EHR users revealed game-changing results: 81.8% of providers report that the SOAP Wizard + Voice to Chart saves them more than 1–2 minutes per note.
Over the course of a day, a week, or a year, these minutes translate into hours of reclaimed time — time that you can reinvest into patient care, staff communication, or simply getting home earlier. This is research you can feel in your schedule immediately:
“SOAP notes used to be the worst part of my day. Now they’re just… done.”
If you want to see why hundreds of providers say this workflow changed their day, click here to schedule a walk-through of the ChiroUp EHR.
6. Three New Studies: Chiropractic Care Reduces Medications, Opioid Use, and Adverse Drug Events
“Adults [with tension-type headache] receiving chiropractic SMT had a significantly lower likelihood of butalbital prescription and, tentatively, MOH [Medication Overuse Headache] compared to controls not receiving SMT.” (10) Trager et al. Health Science Reports. Nov 2024 Link
In LBP patients, this study found a “significantly lower risk for receipt of an opioid prescription among chiropractic care users in the 365-day follow-up” (11) Lisi et al. Journal of General Internal Medicine. May 2025 Link
“Adults with sciatica who initially received Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation had a lower risk of an Opioid-Related Adverse Event compared to matched controls not initially receiving CSM, likely explained by a lower probability of opioid prescription” (12) Trager et al. PLoS ONE. Jan 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: Want to help patients understand why manipulation often outperforms medication? Check out our Natural Solutions infographic in the Forms Library.
7. Chiropractic Patients Report Higher Satisfaction
A systematic review of 43 studies showed that: “[Chiropractic] patient satisfaction was consistently high in comparison to other professions. The review identified key factors that contribute to patient experience, which were not limited to clinical outcomes, but also the clinical interaction and clinician attributes.” (13) Newell & Holmes. Journal of Patient Experience. Dec 2024 Link
An unrelated study in Denmark of approximately 18,000 patients demonstrated “Patients reported ‘very high’ or ‘high’ degree of overall satisfaction with care (97%). Overall satisfaction was associated with…the areas of examination and communication, patient involvement and information, and perceived effectiveness and reassurance.” (14) Lyskjær et al. BMC Health Services Research. November 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: Review the ChiroUp Clinical Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction Synopsis for many more interesting stats supporting the effectiveness, affordability, and safety of chiropractic care.
8. Sciatic Nerve Flossing Superior For Sciatic LBP
"The sciatic nerve slider technique, whether applied in the slump or supine position, demonstrated superior outcomes compared to conventional therapy alone in managing LBP with sciatica." (15) Shaheen et al. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2025. Link
Deeper Dive: Check out this sciatic nerve flossing tutorial video, or read our prior sciatic nerve flossing blog for the full rundown.
9. Manual Therapy Plus Exercise Improves Outcomes in Chronic LBP
“Manual therapy [spinal manipulation, soft tissue mobilisation, and myofascial release] as an adjunct to exercise provides increased improvements in short-term pain, function and disability outcomes than exercise alone in the management of LBP.” (16) Narenthiran et al. Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies. June 2025 Link
An umbrella review of 21 prior systematic reviews concluded: “manual therapy outperforms other interventions regarding pain and disability.” (17) Conde-Vázquez et al. Ann Phys Rehabil Med. Nov 2025. Link
Deeper Dive: If you want to create condition-specific exercise prescriptions quickly and consistently, check out this tutorial on how to deliver custom exercise programs and videos in just four clicks with ChiroUp.
10. Thoracic Manipulation Helps Shoulder Impingement
“High-quality evidence showed large effect size in favor of thoracic SMT at short terms (2-6 wk after baseline) and at intermediate-term (4-6 wk after intervention completion) follow-up. Disability improved significantly at intermediate-term follow-up.” (18) Zhang X, et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. Oct 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: For a complete walkthrough of today’s best-practice assessments and treatments for shoulder disorders, check out our Rotator Cuff Webinar, which breaks down the exact clinical skills that pair perfectly with this new evidence.
Bonus - Honorable Mention: "Bad" X-Rays Do Not Predict "Bad" Outcomes
In chronic LBP patients undergoing 12 weeks of chiropractic SMT & exercise: “We found no association between a predetermined subset of radiographic findings [Moderate and severe disc degeneration, anterolisthesis, retrolisthesis, and scoliosis] and improvement in back-related disability among this sample of older adults.” (20) Jenkins H, et al. Chiropr Man Therap. Jan 2025 Link
Deeper Dive: Share this message with patients using our Degeneration & Pain Infographic. This simple visual tool reinforces the evidence: radiographic changes do not automatically equal pain, and improvement is absolutely possible.
Staying current with the latest chiropractic research isn’t just academic; it directly elevates patient outcomes, practice efficiency, and the profession as a whole. The newest research continues to validate the effectiveness and impact of chiropractic care.
If you want to stay at the forefront of the profession while streamlining your workflow, ChiroUp is your next step. Unlock free access through December 31 and explore the evidence-based platform that is elevating chiropractic practices worldwide.
-
1. Xu X, Ling Y. Comparative safety and efficacy of manual therapy interventions for cervicogenic headache: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology. 2025 May 16;16:1566764. Link
2. Diao Y, Liu Y, Pan J, Chen J, Pan J, Liao M, Liu H, Liao L. Efficacy and safety of spinal manipulative therapy in the management of acute neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews. 2025 Dec;14(1):1-4. Link
3. Pankrath N, Nilsson S, Ballenberger N. Adverse Events After Cervical Spinal Manipulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Pain physician. 2024;27(4):185-201. Link
4. Fagundes C, Duarte FC, Herzog W. STRAIN in vertebral artery during passive cervical range of motion and spinal manipulation therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Biomechanics. 2025 Oct 22:106685. Link
5. Whedon JM, Anderson B, Mackenzie TA, Grout L, Moonaz S, Lurie JD, Haldeman S. Observational Study of the Safety of Chiropractic vs Medical Care Among Older Adults With Neck Pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2025 Sep 9. Link
6. Gong Z, Liu W, Gao Y, Chen S, Feng X, Li J, Li W, Wu X. Effectiveness of musculoskeletal manipulations in patients with neck pain: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ open. 2025 Oct 1;15(10):e098682. Link
7. Giovannico G, Cioeta M, Giannotta G, Bargeri S, Brindisino F, Pellicciari L. Efficacy of Spine High-Velocity Low-Amplitude Thrust Manipulations in Patients With Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy. 2025 Oct;55(10):649-60. Link
8. Li Z, Liu X, He S, Wu J, Zhu Z, Lu W. Kinesio taping can relieve symptoms and enhance functions in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice. 2025 Feb 15:1-6. Link
9. Bertelsman T. Four Tools to Cut Your Chiropractic SOAP Note Time in Half [Internet]. ChiroUp; 2025 May 8. Link
10. Trager RJ, Williamson TJ, Makineni PS, Morris LH. Association Between Spinal Manipulation, Butalbital Prescription, and Medication Overuse Headache in Adults With Tension‐Type Headache: Retrospective Cohort Study. Health Science Reports. 2024 Dec;7(12):e70218. Link
11. Lisi AJ, Bastian LA, Brandt CA, Coleman BC, Fenton B, King Jr JT, Goulet JL. The Impact of Chiropractic Care on Opioid Prescriptions in Veterans Health Administration Patients Receiving Low Back Pain Care: Lisi et al. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2025 May 20:1-9. Link
12. Trager RJ, Cupler ZA, Srinivasan R, Harper EG, Perez JA. Association between chiropractic spinal manipulation for sciatica and opioid-related adverse events: A retrospective cohort study. PLoS One. 2025 Jan 28;20(1):e0317663. Link
13. Newell D, Holmes MM. Patient experience and satisfaction with chiropractic care: A systematic review. Journal of Patient Experience. 2024 Dec;11:23743735241302992. Link
14. Lyskjær L, Vach W, Nim C, Harsted S, Terkelsen MØ, Jensen RK. Patient experience and satisfaction with chiropractic care: a national survey. BMC Health Services Research. 2025 Nov 26. Link
15. Shaheen HM, Belgen Kaygisiz B. Comparison of different treatment positions of nerve slider technique for patients with low back pain: a randomized control trial. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2025 Jan 28. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.24.08541-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39873676. Link
16.Narenthiran P, Smith IG, Williams FM. Does the addition of manual therapy to exercise therapy improve pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain: A systematic review. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies. 2025 Jun 1;42:146-52. Link
17. Conde-Vázquez O, García-Cancela J, Navarro-Ledesma S, Pruimboom L. The effectiveness of manual therapy in people with chronic non-specific low back pain: an umbrella review with meta-analysis. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2026 Mar 1;69(2):102049. Link
18. Wu D, Wen Z, Ke H, Zhang J, Zhong S, Teng J, Xu L, Li J, Shao Y, Zeng C. Specific modes of exercise to improve rotator cuff-related shoulder pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 2025 Apr 8;13:1560597. Link
19. Maiers, M.J., Albertson, A.K., Major, C., Mendenhall, H. and Petrie, C.P., 2025. The association between individual radiographic findings and improvement after chiropractic spinal manipulation and home exercise among older adults with back-related disability: a secondary analysis. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, 33(1), p.2. Link
20. Thomas L, Fowler M, Marsh L, Chu K, Muller C, Wong A. Validation of a diagnostic support tool for early recognition of cervical arterial dissection in primary care. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery. 2024 Dec 1;247:108627. Link
