25/10/2026
🧠 What does research say about spinal manual therapy and the nervous system?
A 2025 systematic review (Jupin et al., Journal of Clinical Medicine) looked at 11 randomised controlled trials on the short-term effects of spinal manual therapy in people with musculoskeletal pain and in healthy volunteers.
What they found:�🔹 Effects on pain were variable, with more consistent results when treatment was applied frequently and followed standardised protocols�🔹 Some studies showed short-term changes in brain and spinal cord activity�🔹 Autonomic nervous system responses varied between studies and populations
The authors concluded that spinal manual therapy "may induce short-term neuromodulatory effects on pain, CNS, and ANS activity," and that these effects "appear to be context-dependent."
It's important to keep this in perspective. The findings were inconsistent, the studies were small, blinding was limited, and only short-term effects were measured. More high-quality research is needed. The authors suggest manual therapy is best used as one part of a broader, clinically reasoned care plan, which may include exercise, education and other approaches.
Results vary from person to person. If you have questions about whether chiropractic care is suitable for you, we're happy to chat.
📍 Life Chiropractic Goondiwindi, 13 Pratten St�📞 0481 306 606�🌐 www.chirogoondiwindi.com
Reference: Jupin C, Beltran Aibar V, Sarhan F-R. Short-Term Effects of Spinal Manual Therapy on the Nervous System in Managing Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med. 2025;14(11):3830. doi:10.3390/jcm14113830
