May 2026 Healthy News from Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers: Stay Upright: New Science on Falls and Chiropractic
THE SURPRISING WAY YOUR ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE PROTECTING YOU FROM FALLS
Falls are one of the most serious — and preventable — threats to healthy aging, and the science supporting chiropractic care as part of the solution keeps growing. What's happening inside your body tells the story — new research explains that muscle loss and weakening physical performance are among the strongest predictors of falls in older adults, especially for those carrying extra weight. (1) The good news? Chiropractic care appears to be part of the answer. A large real-world study drawing on over 116 million patient records found that older adults with spinal pain who underwent chiropractic spinal manipulation had a meaningfully lower fall rate over 13 months compared to matched patients who did not — 3.8% versus 5.4%. (2) A systematic review from Harvard's Osher Center also reports that multiple fall risk factors fall squarely within the scope of chiropractic care, making your regular adjustments more than just pain relief — they may be assisting in keeping you steady on your feet. (3) Ready to chat about your (and/or a loved one’s) fall risk? So are we here at Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nate McKee on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses the treatment of a common condition affecting older spines known as spinal stenosis and how using The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helps with pain and function.
CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Good Balance Isn't Luck — It's Practice
Recent research gives us powerful reasons to take balance seriously — and the good news is you can start assessing your own risk today using the same tests doctors rely on in the office. Try the Timed Up and Go: stand from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn around, and sit back down. Taking longer than 12 seconds is a clinically recognized signal worth discussing with your chiropractor at Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers. A 2022 pilot study found that chiropractic Cox® flexion-distraction care for lumbar spinal stenosis improved scores on exactly these kinds of functional tests — Timed Up and Go and Five Times Sit to Stand — alongside measurable gains in balance. (4) And if you want to go further, try the single-leg stand: balance on one foot with eyes open for 10 seconds, then eyes closed. Most healthy adults can handle it; struggling is a sign your balance system needs attention. A 2026 meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials confirmed that targeted balance training — the kind that challenges your body's sensory systems the way these tests do — significantly reduced fall risk and bolstered stability scores in older adults. (5) Balance, like strength, responds to training. The first step is identifying where you stand…literally! Let’s see how you are doing at your next chiropractic appointment!
May your May be full of steady steps, strong balance, and a bit of self-care — we'd love to see you soon!