Case-series · July 29, 2026
Retrospective Case Series: Chiropractic Care for Low Back Pain at a Portage, MI Clinic
By Back To Health Chiropractic - Portage
Abstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent condition, leading to significant disability and healthcare costs. Chiropractic care is a common treatment approach for LBP. This study retrospectively evaluates the outcomes of chiropractic interventions for LBP in a private practice setting. Methods: A case series design was employed, analyzing de-identified patient data (n=15) from Back To Health Chiropractic - Portage over an unspecified period. Inclusion criteria required documented LBP complaints and subsequent chiropractic care with outcome metrics. Primary outcomes included patient-reported pain reduction percentages. Results: The aggregate data from 15 patients demonstrated a mean pain reduction of 86% (median 90%) following chiropractic care. Individual cases frequently reported a return to normal activities and resolution of specific pain-related limitations. For instance, one patient with 'Pain 7/10, missing work and avoiding workouts' reported a 70% pain reduction and returned to normal activities within 12 weeks. Conclusions: The findings suggest that chiropractic care, incorporating techniques such as adjustments, corrective exercises, and adjunctive therapies, may be effective in reducing low back pain and improving functional outcomes for patients in this clinical setting. Further prospective research with larger cohorts is warranted.
Methods
This study employed a retrospective case series design to evaluate the outcomes of chiropractic care for low back pain (LBP) patients at Back To Health Chiropractic - Portage. Data were collected from existing patient records, focusing on individuals who presented with a chief complaint of LBP and subsequently underwent a course of chiropractic treatment at the clinic. Inclusion criteria for this case series required that patients had a verified LBP diagnosis, received care from Dr. Anna Schueneman or Dr. Lauren Meisel, and had documented baseline and post-treatment outcome metrics related to pain. A total of 15 de-identified patient records meeting these criteria were included in the analysis. The primary outcome metric captured was the percentage of pain reduction, calculated from patient-reported baseline pain levels to post-treatment pain levels. Baseline metrics included qualitative descriptions of pain intensity (e.g., 'Pain 7/10'), functional limitations (e.g., 'missing work and avoiding workouts'), and descriptions of the nature of their LBP (e.g., 'sharp low back pain with stiffness on rising in the morning'). Post-treatment metrics similarly included descriptions of pain improvement and functional recovery (e.g., 'returned to normal activities'). Treatment protocols varied among patients but generally included Chiropractic Adjustment, and could also involve Corrective Exercises & Mobility Work, as well as adjunctive therapies like class IV laser therapy, spinal decompression, and SoftWave therapy. The timeframe for treatment varied between individuals, ranging from a few weeks to several months or a specific number of visits. Data analysis was descriptive, focusing on aggregate mean and median pain reduction percentages, and qualitative summarization of individual case outcomes. Limitations of this design include its retrospective nature, the lack of a control group, reliance on self-reported pain scores, potential for selection bias inherent in a single-clinic study, and the inability to establish definitive causality.
Discussion
The outcomes observed in this retrospective case series suggest that chiropractic care, as practiced at Back To Health Chiropractic - Portage, appears to be an effective intervention for patients experiencing low back pain. The aggregate mean pain reduction of 86% and a median of 90% are substantial and indicate that a significant majority of patients experienced considerable relief from their symptoms. These results compare favorably with general clinical expectations for conservative care of LBP, where a 30% reduction in pain is often considered clinically meaningful. The individual case reports further underscore these aggregate findings, consistently describing dramatic improvements in pain levels, often ranging from 70% to 100% reduction, and, crucially, a return to previously limited daily activities such as work, exercise, lifting, and comfortable sleep. The frequent mention of specific therapies like chiropractic adjustments, class IV laser therapy, spinal decompression, and SoftWave therapy within the successful cases suggests that a multi-modal approach may contribute to these positive outcomes. The clinic's broad range of techniques, including Corrective Exercises & Mobility Work and Lifestyle & Wellness Coaching, implies a comprehensive approach to patient care that likely addresses not only symptomatic relief but also underlying biomechanical issues and lifestyle factors that contribute to LBP. The ability of patients to resume activities like 'missing work and avoiding workouts' or being 'limited to sitting <20 minutes at a time' highlights the functional restoration achieved, which is a key goal in LBP management. While this study does not establish causality due to its design, the consistent pattern of positive change aligns with existing literature on the efficacy of chiropractic care for LBP. These findings imply that chiropractic services can play a vital role in the management of LBP, offering significant symptomatic relief and functional improvement for patients in this clinical setting. Further investigation with more rigorous study designs would be beneficial to confirm these outcomes and explore specific treatment protocols.
Limitations
This retrospective case series is subject to several important limitations. Firstly, its retrospective design means that data were collected from existing patient records, which can introduce biases due to variations in documentation and a lack of standardized outcome measures across all cases. Secondly, the study was conducted at a single site, Back To Health Chiropractic - Portage, limiting the generalizability of these findings to other clinical settings or broader populations. The results may reflect the specific patient population, clinical protocols, and expertise of the practitioners at this particular clinic. Thirdly, the primary outcome of pain reduction was based on self-reported metrics, without objective pain assessments or validated scales in all instances, which can be prone to recall bias or subjective interpretation. Fourthly, the absence of a control group precludes definitive conclusions regarding the direct causality of chiropractic interventions for the observed improvements; natural history or other unmeasured factors might have contributed to patient recovery. Finally, there is potential for selection bias, as only patients with documented outcome metrics were included, and those who dropped out or had less favorable outcomes may not have been fully captured or reported in the same detail.