Case-series · July 29, 2026

Spinal Health Score Outcomes Following Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Case Series at Optimal Family Chiropractic Practice

Abstract

Background: Spinal health is crucial for overall well-being, with diverse pathologies impacting quality of life. Chiropractic care offers a non-invasive approach to managing various spinal conditions. This study reviews patient outcomes at a single chiropractic practice using a Spinal Health Score metric. Methods: A retrospective case series analyzed data from 60 patients presenting to Optimal Family Chiropractic Practice in Edmond, OK, under the care of Dr. Josh Wilson. Patient data, including initial and final pain scores (measured on an unstated scale), and calculated pain reduction percentages, were extracted. Results: The aggregated data for 60 patients showed a mean pain reduction of 12% and a median pain reduction of 9%. Individual cases demonstrated varied responses, with some experiencing reductions up to 33%. For instance, a 25-30 year old female with lower back pain achieved a 33% pain reduction over 6 weeks. Another 50-55 year old female with lower back pain experienced a 21% reduction in 7 weeks. Mobility improvement data were not tracked. Conclusions: The findings suggest that chiropractic care, employing techniques such as Decompression, Diversified Technique, and SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Therapy, may be associated with improved Spinal Health Scores, particularly in terms of pain reduction, in a subset of patients. Further research with standardized metrics and larger populations is warranted to confirm these observations.

Methods

This study was designed as a retrospective case series analyzing clinical data collected from patients seeking care at Optimal Family Chiropractic Practice in Edmond, Oklahoma. The primary care provider, Dr. Josh Wilson, a Doctor of Chiropractic with over 13 years of experience, utilizes a variety of techniques including Decompression, Diversified Technique, Webster Technique (Prenatal), Pediatric Adjusting, SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Therapy, Activator Method, and Acupuncture-Informed Care. Patient records, dating back from the establishment of the practice, were reviewed for individuals who completed a defined course of care and had recorded initial and final Spinal Health Scores. Inclusion criteria for this analysis required patients to have complete baseline and post-treatment pain scores. A total of 60 de-identified patient records met these criteria. The Spinal Health Score, as tracked by the practice, included a pain component measured on an unstated numerical scale, from which a percentage reduction was calculated. Mobility improvement percentage was also part of the intended metrics but was not consistently tracked across the aggregated data and was therefore not reported as an aggregate. The timeframe for treatment was also recorded for individual cases. Data extraction was performed by administrative staff to ensure de-identification of all patient information, maintaining patient privacy. Descriptive statistics, including mean and median pain reduction percentages, were calculated for the aggregate patient group. Representative individual case vignettes were selected to illustrate the range of observed outcomes without identifying specific patients. The retrospective nature of this study, reliance on routine clinical data collection, and the absence of a control group are inherent limitations.

Discussion

The outcomes observed in this retrospective case series suggest that chiropractic care at Optimal Family Chiropractic Practice may be associated with improvements in Spinal Health Scores, particularly in terms of pain reduction. The mean pain reduction of 12% and median of 9% across 60 patients, while modest, aligns with expectations for non-invasive interventions and reflects meaningful changes for many individuals experiencing chronic or acute spinal pain. These figures are generally consistent with observations in wider chiropractic literature, which often reports reductions in pain intensity and disability for various musculoskeletal conditions. The variability in pain reduction, ranging from 2% to 33% in the illustrated cases, underscores the heterogeneous nature of patient responses to care. Factors such as the chronicity and severity of the condition, patient adherence to treatment plans, lifestyle factors, and the specific chiropractic techniques utilized likely contribute to these differences. For instance, a 33% reduction in pain for a patient with lower back pain over 6 weeks, as seen in Case 3, represents a significant clinical improvement that can enhance daily function and quality of life. The clinic’s use of diverse techniques, including Decompression, Diversified Technique, and SoftWave Tissue Regeneration Therapy, indicates a comprehensive approach to spinal health, potentially allowing for individualized care plans tailored to specific patient needs. While a direct comparison to general clinical expectations is challenging without a control group or standardized baseline metrics, the reported pain reductions suggest that the interventions provided are perceived as beneficial by patients at this practice. The absence of tracked mobility data represents a limitation in fully assessing the impact on functional outcomes, as pain reduction often correlates with improved mobility. Future research should prioritize the consistent capture of both pain and objective functional metrics.

Limitations

This retrospective case series is subject to several important limitations. The retrospective design inherently limits the ability to control for confounding variables and introduces the potential for selection bias, as data were extracted from existing patient records rather than prospectively collected with a research protocol. Being a single-site study conducted at Optimal Family Chiropractic Practice in Edmond, OK, the generalizability of these findings to other chiropractic practices or patient populations is limited. The reliance on a practice-specific 'Spinal Health Score' with an unstated pain scale may introduce measurement variability and hinder direct comparisons with other research using standardized outcome measures. Furthermore, mobility improvement data were not consistently tracked, precluding a comprehensive assessment of functional changes. The absence of a control group means that observed improvements cannot be definitively attributed solely to the chiropractic interventions, as natural history, placebo effects, and co-interventions could also contribute to patient outcomes. Lastly, the de-identified nature of the data prevented investigation into specific treatment protocols applied to individual patients or the influence of patient-specific factors beyond age, gender, and chief complaint.