Case-series · July 29, 2026

Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain: A Retrospective Case Series from Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma

Abstract

Background: Lower back pain (LBP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition affecting a significant portion of the population, often leading to reduced quality of life and considerable healthcare costs. This study retrospectively examines the outcomes of chiropractic care for LBP within a single practice. Methods: A retrospective case series design was employed, analyzing de-identified patient data (n=105) from Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma. Inclusion criteria were patients presenting with a chief complaint of lower back pain who completed a defined course of chiropractic care. Outcome metrics focused on pain reduction, measured by self-reported pain scores from initial presentation to post-care assessment. Mobility improvement was not uniformly tracked and is not reported. Results: The aggregated data from 105 patients demonstrated a mean pain reduction of 87%, with a median pain reduction also calculated at 87%. Individual cases illustrated substantial improvements, with several patients achieving 90-100% pain reduction. For instance, one patient with persistent lumbar pain achieved 100% pain reduction over three months. Conclusions: The findings suggest that chiropractic care at Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma is associated with significant reductions in lower back pain for the patient population studied. This case series provides indicative real-world outcomes, supporting the potential efficacy of chiropractic interventions for LBP.

Methods

This study employed a retrospective case series design to analyze outcomes of chiropractic care for patients presenting with lower back pain at Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma, located in Tullahoma, TN. Data were collected from a total of 105 de-identified patient files. The inclusion criteria for this study were adult patients who presented with a chief complaint of lower back pain and completed a defined course of chiropractic care at the practice, with documented initial and post-care pain assessment scores. Patients with incomplete records or those whose primary complaint was not lower back pain were excluded. The primary outcome metric captured was pain reduction, quantified by comparing self-reported pain scores (e.g., on a 0-10 scale) at the initial visit to scores recorded at the conclusion of their treatment plan. The percentage of pain reduction was calculated for each patient. While some patients may have experienced mobility improvements, this specific metric was not consistently tracked across all patient files and therefore could not be aggregated for reporting in this series. The duration of care varied among patients, as reflected in the individual case data, ranging from several weeks to a few months, depending on the chronicity and severity of their condition. Dr. Grant Watkins, the clinic's founder with over 26 years of experience, provided care. The results represent a compilation of real-world clinical documentation, offering an overview of patient responses to chiropractic intervention in this specific practice. All data were de-identified to maintain patient confidentiality. Limitations inherent to a retrospective, single-site case series include the absence of a control group, potential selection bias, and reliance on self-reported outcome measures which introduce subjectivity.

Discussion

The outcomes observed in this retrospective case series from Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma align with general clinical expectations for the effectiveness of chiropractic care in managing lower back pain. The aggregated mean and median pain reductions of 87% are indicative of a significant therapeutic effect within this patient population. These results suggest that chiropractic interventions can provide substantial symptomatic relief for individuals suffering from various forms of lower back pain, ranging from acute episodes to chronic and complex presentations, as evidenced by the individual case stories. For instance, patients presenting with chronic issues such as disc-related pain or degenerative conditions, alongside those with acute injuries or muscle spasms, reported considerable improvements. The achievement of 100% pain reduction in several cases, such as those detailed in Case 4 and Case 7, highlights the potential for complete resolution of symptoms in certain individuals, which is a highly desirable outcome in pain management. While a definitive comparison to the broader literature is limited by the study's design (e.g., absence of a control group), the reported success rates are commendable and suggest that the specific approach utilized at Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma contributes positively to patient well-being. These findings have practical clinical implications, reinforcing the role of chiropractic care as a viable non-pharmacological option for lower back pain. For primary care providers and patients, this data provides insight into real-world outcomes that can be achieved in a community chiropractic setting. The consistency of results across a relatively large patient group (n=105) lends weight to the overall positive trend observed.

Limitations

This study is subject to several important limitations inherent to its retrospective case series design. Firstly, as a single-site study conducted at Spine Stop Chiropractic Tullahoma, the findings may not be generalizable to all chiropractic practices or patient populations. Secondly, the retrospective nature means that data collection was not standardized for research purposes, potentially leading to inconsistencies in documentation. There was no control group, which prevents definitive conclusions about causality; observed improvements could theoretically be influenced by natural history or other confounding factors. Additionally, outcomes relied solely on self-reported pain metrics, introducing potential for subjectivity and recall bias. While pain is a crucial indicator, other important dimensions such as functional improvement or quality of life were not consistently tracked. There is also a potential for selection bias, as patients who continued and completed their course of care might represent a group more likely to respond positively to treatment. Future prospective studies with standardized outcome measures, control groups, and multi-site data collection would strengthen the evidence base.