A new study of patients with chronic neck pain found no difference between spinal manipulation by a chiropractor, a band exercise program, or having patients talk about the problem every 8 weeks and giving them self care options. The study was small, and the exercises described were traditional and not posture focused, leading to the conclusion that regular chiropractic preventive care "designed to preserve optimum health...and...minimize the recurrence of clinical problems, might hold true when intervention is geared towards reassurance, patient education, help with self-management and active care strategies. "

My Observation: Making people conscious of their body to address motion dysfunction cognitively had as significant an effect on their pain as did addressing motion dysfunction actively (exercise) or passively (chiropractic).

My Hypotheses:
#1- A greater effect can be created by focusing a patient's cognitive awareness on their body motion. CPEPs (Certified Posture Exercise Professionals) call this effect building Posture Consciousness, which is consists of training focused motion awareness of a single PostureZone, and then sequencing to integrate control of the new awareness with the next new motion pattern.

#2- An even greater effect is created by focusing a person's awareness on coupled control of body motion AND facilitating motion mechanically (active+passive).  This approach is taken by motion professionals using the StrongPosture^TM exercise protocols.

We are working to create research of these concepts.

A randomised controlled trial of preventive spinal manipulation with and without a home exercise program for patients with chronic neck pain. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2011, 12:41 doi:10.1186/1471-2474-12-41 Johanne Martel,Claude Dugas, Jean-Daniel Dubois , Martin Descarreaux 8 February 2011

Stand Taller~Live Longer: An Anti- Aging Strategy, 10 Minutes a Day to keep your body Active and pain Free,2008, Steven Weiniger