Balance and Coordination

Chiropractic care enhances proprioceptive input from the spine, improving the brain’s ability to sense body position and movement. Adjustments stimulate mechanoreceptors that help regulate cerebellar and vestibular function, leading to better balance and motor control. This has been especially helpful for older adults and those with neurological impairments.

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Chiropractic Care for Better Balance and Coordination

Balance and coordination are essential functions that support posture, gait, athletic performance, and safe interaction with the environment, and they depend on continuous communication between the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system. These functions are governed by integrated input from the vestibular apparatus, visual system, proprioceptive receptors in muscles and joints, and central processing within the cerebellum, brainstem, and cerebral cortex. When this communication is disrupted, individuals may experience dizziness, impaired postural control, unsteady gait, clumsiness, or an increased risk of falls. Spinal joint dysfunction can alter afferent sensory input from mechanoreceptors to the central nervous system, which in turn can impair sensorimotor integration and balance regulation. Chiropractic care addresses this dysfunction by restoring spinal motion and improving the quality of sensory signaling from the spine to the brain. Research has demonstrated that spinal adjustments can influence proprioceptive accuracy, postural stability, and neuromuscular coordination, indicating a direct effect on the neurological pathways responsible for balance and movement control. By optimizing spinal function and nervous system communication, chiropractic care represents a nonpharmacological approach to supporting balance and coordination across diverse populations, from older adults at risk of falls to individuals seeking improved motor control and physical performance.

The Neurology of Balance and Coordination

Neurological pathways transmit balance and proprioceptive information between the body and the brain and must function coherently to maintain stable posture and coordinated movement. The dorsal column medial lemniscus pathway within the spinal cord conveys proprioceptive input such as joint position sense from peripheral receptors to higher brain centers, while spinocerebellar tracts deliver continuous position and movement data directly to the cerebellum, which serves as a primary coordination and timing center. Motor output from the brain is returned to the body through descending pathways including the corticospinal tract, which governs voluntary movement, and the vestibulospinal tracts, which regulate postural tone and balance reflexes. When any component of this integrated network is disrupted, balance and coordination can deteriorate. Altered proprioceptive signaling from spinal joints, particularly in the cervical region, can distort sensory input to the brain, forcing compensatory changes in motor control and muscle tension throughout the body from the head to the feet. Clinical and experimental evidence demonstrates that dysfunction of the cervical spine is associated with dizziness and impaired balance because sensory input from cervical joints and muscles plays a critical role in spatial orientation and postural control chiromt.biomedcentral.com. This relationship is commonly described as cervicogenic dizziness, emphasizing the direct cause and effect link between cervical spine dysfunction, altered proprioceptive input, and disturbances in balance and coordination.

The cerebellum plays a central role in balance and coordinated movement by continuously regulating posture, muscle timing, and motor precision. It integrates sensory input from the vestibular organs, visual system, and proprioceptors throughout the body, then modulates motor output to ensure smooth and adaptive movement. When spinal or cervical function is altered through joint restriction or misalignment, the quality of proprioceptive input reaching the cerebellum can be distorted. This altered afferent signaling changes how the cerebellum interprets body position and motion, which can disrupt sensorimotor integration over time. As a result, the brain receives inconsistent or inaccurate information about spatial orientation, leading to impaired coordination, balance instability, or clumsy movement patterns pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Chiropractic care seeks to restore normal joint motion and sensory input from the spine, thereby improving the accuracy of proprioceptive feedback to the cerebellum and supporting normalization of motor coordination and equilibrium.

Spinal Alignment and Nervous System Communication

Chiropractors have long observed that spinal alignment and segmental mobility are essential for normal nervous system function because the spine provides both structural support and protection for the spinal cord while containing a dense network of mechanoreceptors that detect joint position, movement, and mechanical load. When vertebral segments lose normal alignment or motion, commonly described as spinal subluxations or areas of segmental dysfunction, the quality and quantity of afferent sensory input transmitted from the spine to the central nervous system can become distorted. Altered sensory signaling from these dysfunctional segments disrupts the brain’s ability to accurately integrate proprioceptive information required for posture, balance, and coordinated movement. As Dr. Matthew McCoy, chiropractor and public health researcher, has explained, emerging research demonstrates a clear relationship between abnormalities in spinal structure and movement and changes in nervous system and brain function, with optimal brain performance dependent on proper spinal mechanics inspirechiro.com. When a spinal segment is misaligned or hypomobile, it can generate aberrant neural input or reduce critical sensory feedback, impairing the brain’s capacity to regulate balance, coordination, and overall neuromuscular control.

Just as the feet provide continuous sensory feedback about contact with the ground to maintain balance, the small joints of the cervical and spinal regions supply critical proprioceptive information regarding the position and movement of the head and torso. These spinal joints contain a high density of mechanoreceptors that transmit afferent signals to the central nervous system, informing the brain about body orientation in space. When spinal vertebrae adopt abnormal positions or lose normal motion, commonly described as subluxations, the quality of this sensory input can be degraded, altering neural signals transmitted to the limbs and to central balance processing centers within the brain. Impaired spinal proprioceptive signaling can disrupt integration with vestibular and visual inputs, resulting in reduced balance and coordination. For example, cervical joint dysfunction can produce dizziness during head rotation because inaccurate sensory information from the neck conflicts with vestibular input regarding head movement and spatial orientation. In contrast, a spine with normal alignment and mobility provides continuous, accurate sensory feedback to the brain, supporting effective postural control, coordinated movement, and stable balance.

Chiropractic adjustments are designed to address dysfunctional spinal segments by applying precise and controlled forces to joints that have lost normal alignment or mobility. Restoring joint motion and structural alignment directly alters afferent sensory signaling from spinal mechanoreceptors to the central nervous system. This change in input modifies how the brain receives and integrates sensory information from the body. Experimental research led by neurologically focused chiropractors such as Dr. Heidi Haavik has demonstrated that spinal adjustments measurably influence brain processing, including enhanced communication between spinal sensory receptors and higher cortical centers involved in sensorimotor integration and perception connectedchiropractic.co.uk. Improved quality and accuracy of sensory input strengthens proprioception, defined as the brain’s awareness of joint position and movement in space. Enhanced proprioceptive processing supports more accurate postural control, refined motor planning, and improved balance and coordination. When spinal joints function optimally, the nervous system receives clearer sensory information, allowing the brain to coordinate movement more efficiently and maintain stability, highlighting the direct and biologically meaningful relationship between spinal function and brain function in human balance and coordination.

How Chiropractic Enhances Balance and Coordination

Chiropractic care can enhance balance and coordination through multiple interacting neurological mechanisms. By correcting spinal dysfunctions that interfere with normal neural transmission, chiropractic adjustments reduce disruption within sensorimotor pathways and restore accurate proprioceptive input, defined as position and movement information, from the spine and extremities to the brain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Improved quality and consistency of this sensory input allows central nervous system structures to update and refine internal representations of body position, which directly supports improved postural stability and coordinated movement. In addition, spinal alignment influences reflexive control systems and baseline muscle tone. Normal motion and alignment of the upper cervical spine affect vestibular reflex pathways that stabilize gaze and maintain upright posture during movement. As proprioceptive and vestibular signals become more coherent, the nervous system can generate more precise motor responses. This neurological recalibration explains why many individuals report a subjective sense of improved balance, spatial orientation, and bodily awareness following chiropractic adjustments, in addition to relief of musculoskeletal symptoms.

In addition to neurological mechanisms, muscular function plays a critical role in balance and coordination. Spinal restrictions and joint dysfunctions often lead to compensatory muscle patterns in which some muscles become overactive while others are inhibited, creating inefficient movement strategies and reduced stability. Chiropractic adjustments restore normal joint motion, which directly influences motor neuron output and improves the timing and coordination of surrounding muscle activation. As joint motion normalizes, afferent feedback to the central nervous system improves, allowing muscles to engage in more synchronized and efficient patterns that support postural control. Research has documented increases in muscle strength and endurance following chiropractic care, indicating improved neural drive to skeletal muscle. In a controlled trial involving active duty military personnel with low back pain, four weeks of chiropractic care resulted in significant improvements in isometric strength and trunk muscle endurance compared to a control group researchgate.net. That same study demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in balance, with the chiropractic group increasing single leg balance time with eyes closed by nearly half a second, while the control group showed no improvement p = 0.01 researchgate.net. These findings illustrate a clear cause and effect relationship in which improved spinal function enhances neuromuscular coordination, core stability, and proprioceptive control, resulting in measurable gains in balance and functional movement.

Chiropractic care may also enhance coordination by influencing cerebellar processing and cortical motor networks. Experimental studies using electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods indicate that spinal adjustments can alter brain activity in regions responsible for motor control and sensorimotor integration. For example, research using somatosensory evoked potentials has demonstrated that cervical spinal adjustments produce measurable changes in cortical responses, indicating modified integration of sensory input within the brain pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In addition, an electroencephalography based source localization study reported that adjusting dysfunctional spinal joints altered activation patterns in the prefrontal cortex, a region involved in executive function, motor planning, and coordination connectedchiropractic.co.uk. These findings support a clear cause and effect relationship in which normalized spinal afferent input influences higher order brain centers. By modifying the quality and timing of sensory signals reaching the cerebellum and cortex, chiropractic care may promote adaptive neuroplastic changes that improve movement efficiency, postural control, and balance regulation.

Research Evidence: Chiropractic’s Impact on Balance

Older adults commonly experience age related declines in balance and coordination that increase the risk of falls. A randomized controlled trial published in 2016 investigated whether chiropractic care could improve sensorimotor factors associated with fall risk in community dwelling older adults pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Over a twelve week period, participants who received chiropractic adjustments demonstrated statistically significant improvements compared to a control group across multiple domains of balance related neurological function pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Specifically, the chiropractic group showed faster stepping reaction times, which are critical for recovering balance during unexpected perturbations, as well as improved multisensory integration as measured by visual auditory processing tasks pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Proprioceptive accuracy also improved, with enhanced ankle joint position sense indicating more precise awareness of foot placement pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Because ankle proprioception plays a central role in postural stability and gait control, these findings provide a direct mechanistic explanation for improved balance. The authors concluded that chiropractic care enhanced sensorimotor function and integration relevant to fall prevention, while also improving physical quality of life measures. These results suggest that by improving nervous system processing of sensory and motor information, chiropractic care may help older adults become more stable, confident, and less prone to falls.

A clinical trial examining older adults with chronic neck pain and associated dizziness found that chiropractic care may significantly improve symptoms that directly compromise balance. In this study, participants over the age of sixty five received one month of chiropractic care consisting of gentle spinal adjustments, including instrument assisted techniques, and were compared to a sham treated control group chiromt.biomedcentral.com. The chiropractic group demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in both dizziness severity and neck related disability scores relative to controls chiromt.biomedcentral.com. Although conducted as a pilot study, the findings support a clear physiological mechanism in which restricted or dysfunctional cervical joints generate aberrant proprioceptive input to the brainstem and vestibular nuclei, a process commonly described as cervicogenic dizziness. By restoring normal cervical joint motion and reducing abnormal sensory signaling from the neck, chiropractic adjustments can reduce dizziness and improve postural confidence. These results indicate that addressing cervical spine dysfunction may play an important role in improving balance and stability in older adults experiencing neck related dizziness.

A feasibility study conducted in a chiropractic college clinic evaluated adults presenting with dizziness and balance impairments over an eight week course of chiropractic care and reported meaningful clinical improvements pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Balance was assessed using the Berg Balance Scale, a validated functional measure, and a substantial proportion of participants demonstrated clinically significant gains following care pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Several patients also experienced concurrent reductions in dizziness severity and neck pain, indicating a linked improvement in cervical function and sensorimotor control. The authors reported a large effect size for balance improvement and concluded that the findings justified further controlled investigation pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. These results support a plausible neurological mechanism in which restoring normal spinal joint motion and proprioceptive signaling improves central balance processing, leading to greater postural stability. The observed outcomes are consistent with clinical observations that patients with dizziness and unsteadiness often report feeling more stable and coordinated following chiropractic care.

Taken together, these findings indicate that chiropractic adjustments are associated with measurable improvements in balance and postural stability in older adults. The observed benefits appear to arise from enhanced proprioceptive accuracy and reduced neck related dizziness, both of which are established contributors to fall risk. By improving sensory integration and cervical spine function, chiropractic care targets physiological mechanisms directly involved in maintaining equilibrium. Improved balance has important clinical implications because it reduces the likelihood of falls and supports greater mobility, confidence, and functional independence in aging populations.

Research Evidence: Chiropractic’s Impact on Coordination and Performance

Balance represents one component of coordination, but coordination also depends on precise timing, reflex integration, visuomotor control, and whole body agility. Scientific studies indicate that chiropractic care can positively influence these domains by improving the quality of sensory input from the spine to the central nervous system and by enhancing sensorimotor integration within cortical and subcortical networks. Improved spinal joint motion and mechanoreceptor signaling support more accurate reflex modulation, faster reaction timing, and more efficient communication between sensory and motor systems. These effects have been observed across diverse populations, including athletes seeking improved performance, children with developmental coordination difficulties, and individuals undergoing neurological recovery, suggesting that optimizing spinal and nervous system function can contribute to broader improvements in coordinated movement and functional motor control.

Athletic coordination depends on rapid sensory processing, efficient motor planning, and precise neuromuscular execution, and research suggests chiropractic adjustments may enhance these processes. A 1991 study published in The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation reported that athletes receiving chiropractic adjustments demonstrated reaction times that were eighteen percent faster than a control group that did not receive chiropractic care thrivecedarfalls.com. Faster reaction speed is functionally meaningful in sport because milliseconds can determine successful responses to auditory or visual stimuli. Supporting these findings, a study by Murphy and colleagues in 2000 measured reaction speed and found that following chiropractic adjustments participants showed an average improvement of ninety seven milliseconds on specific reaction tasks, indicating more efficient sensorimotor processing. Chiropractic care has also been associated with broader coordination gains beyond reaction time. A 2018 study documented an approximately thirty percent improvement in visual motor coordination following spinal adjustments in individuals with mild cervical dysfunction without overt pain thrivecedarfalls.com. The authors proposed that improved cervical spine function enhanced integration between visual input and motor output through cerebellar and cortical pathways. In addition, a small clinical trial reported increased vertical jump height after a single pelvic adjustment in female athletes thrivecedarfalls.com, suggesting improved neuromuscular recruitment and intermuscular coordination. Collectively, these findings indicate that chiropractic adjustments may positively influence reaction time, coordination, and motor efficiency by optimizing spinal sensory input and central nervous system integration.

A randomized controlled trial published in 2020 examined response speed and coordination in elite military personnel from Special Operations Forces during combat simulation tasks. The study assessed multiple measures of reaction and coordination and found no sustained differences in simple reaction time over a two week period, with one important exception. Participants who received chiropractic adjustments demonstrated an immediate improvement in complex tasks requiring integrated whole body responses, whereas no such immediate change was observed in the control group . After a single chiropractic session, soldiers completed a demanding movement driven response test more rapidly than their own baseline performance, indicating an acute enhancement in neuromuscular responsiveness . This immediate effect suggests that chiropractic adjustments can temporarily optimize nervous system function by improving joint mechanics and sensory input, thereby reducing inhibitory interference and enabling faster coordinated motor output. Although long term differences were not significant in this short duration trial, the observed acute improvement in highly trained and asymptomatic individuals indicates that optimizing spinal function can enhance coordination and reflexive performance even in populations already operating at a high physical level.

The widespread use of chiropractic care among professional athletes reflects its perceived value in optimizing neuromuscular performance and injury prevention. It is frequently reported that approximately ninety percent of world class athletes incorporate chiropractic care into their training routines, and chiropractors are integrated into the medical staff of every NFL and NBA team, with extensive utilization also reported among professional golfers, Olympians, and Major League Baseball players. These patterns are attributed to the role of spinal health in supporting efficient nervous system function, which directly influences balance, coordination, reaction speed, and movement efficiency. By maintaining optimal spinal joint motion and sensory input, chiropractic care supports precise sensorimotor integration, allowing athletes to respond more quickly to external stimuli, move with greater efficiency, and sustain high performance over time.

Coordination challenges are not limited to aging populations, as children may also experience balance and motor control difficulties that affect play, sports participation, and social engagement. Chiropractic care is adapted to pediatric populations and delivered with gentle techniques, and early clinical reports suggest potential benefits for children with coordination impairments. One published case in a pediatric chiropractic journal described a nine year old boy with developmental delays, balance deficits, and Klippel Feil syndrome affecting spinal structure. Following a course of chiropractic care aimed at improving spinal alignment and motion, the child demonstrated measurable improvements in balance and coordination during daily activities and avoided a previously recommended surgical intervention. Caregivers reported reduced clumsiness, increased participation in physical play, and improved confidence. Although this represents a single case, it illustrates a plausible mechanism whereby reducing spinal dysfunction and improving afferent sensory signaling to the central nervous system may support the development of balance reflexes and motor planning in children. Additionally, postural stressors common in modern childhood, including prolonged device use and forward head posture, may impair proprioceptive and vestibular integration. Early chiropractic intervention targeting spinal mechanics and posture may therefore contribute to healthier neuromotor development and improved coordination as children mature.

Neurological rehabilitation represents a growing area of investigation into how chiropractic care may support recovery from conditions that impair coordination such as stroke. Stroke frequently disrupts motor regions of the brain, resulting in deficits in balance, muscle strength, and coordinated movement, often affecting one side of the body. Conventional rehabilitation emphasizes task specific exercise to restore function, yet recent research has explored whether spinal adjustments can further enhance central nervous system recovery. A randomized controlled trial published in 2021 evaluated this question by integrating chiropractic spinal adjustments into standard post stroke rehabilitation and comparing outcomes with a group receiving rehabilitation plus sham adjustments mdpi.commdpi.com. After four weeks, participants receiving chiropractic care demonstrated significantly greater improvements in motor performance, particularly in lower limb coordination and strength. Functional recovery measured by the Fugl Meyer Assessment showed larger gains in the chiropractic group, indicating enhanced motor control and neuromuscular integration. Measures of mobility and balance also improved, with faster performance on the Timed Up and Go test reflecting more efficient transitions from sitting to walking and improved postural stability mdpi.commdpi.com. These findings support the concept that restoring spinal afferent input through chiropractic adjustments may facilitate neuroplastic changes within motor networks, thereby augmenting functional recovery during neurological rehabilitation.

The mechanism underlying the observed improvements in stroke patients receiving chiropractic care appears to be related to central nervous system modulation rather than direct treatment of the affected limbs. In the referenced randomized trial, chiropractic interventions consisted of standard spinal adjustments targeting identified areas of spinal subluxation rather than the extremities or the primary site of neurological injury mdpi.com. By restoring normal spinal joint motion and afferent signaling, these adjustments are proposed to reduce aberrant sensory input and improve the quality of information ascending to the brain. This normalization of spinal sensory input likely facilitates more effective sensorimotor integration and enhances the brain’s ability to reorganize motor control following injury. The study authors specifically reported that combining chiropractic care with physical therapy further enhanced the beneficial effects of rehabilitation on motor recovery mdpi.com, indicating an additive effect on neuroplastic processes. These findings suggest that optimizing spinal function can support central motor relearning and coordination even in the presence of cortical injury, highlighting the spine’s critical role in balance, movement control, and neurological rehabilitation.

Conclusion: A Balanced, Coordinated Life with Chiropractic

The ability to move confidently without dizziness, instability, or fear of falling depends on precise coordination between the spine, peripheral sensory receptors, and central nervous system processing centers. Across diverse populations including older adults at risk of falls, athletes seeking performance optimization, and individuals experiencing subtle balance disturbances, chiropractic care has been shown to support this coordination by addressing spinal subluxations that disrupt afferent and efferent neural signaling. By restoring normal joint motion and mechanoreceptor input, chiropractic adjustments enhance communication between the body and brain, leading to measurable improvements in proprioception, reaction time, postural stability, and complex motor performance. The collective findings from the cited research demonstrate that optimized spinal function supports more accurate sensorimotor integration, improved neuromuscular control, and more efficient balance strategies. These outcomes support a consistent conclusion that spinal alignment and mobility are fundamental contributors to effective nervous system regulation and coordinated human movement.

Chiropractic care is widely regarded as a safe and holistic approach to improving balance and coordination because it works through neuromuscular regulation rather than pharmacological or surgical intervention. By restoring normal spinal joint motion and optimizing afferent sensory input, chiropractic adjustments recalibrate postural control systems without the sedating effects or procedural risks associated with many conventional treatments. Clinical observations and patient reports consistently describe secondary benefits that accompany improved coordination, including reductions in pain, improved sleep quality, and enhanced overall wellbeing connectedchiropractic.co.uk. These outcomes are biologically plausible because efficient nervous system function influences motor control, autonomic regulation, and sensory integration throughout the body. The neural pathways governing balance and coordination span from peripheral receptors in the inner ear, muscles, and joints to central processing centers in the brain, and accurate signaling through the spinal cord is essential for their integration. By improving the clarity and accuracy of neural transmission between the spine and brain, chiropractic care supports smoother movement, greater stability, and increased confidence in physical performance across daily activities and demanding athletic tasks alike.

Sources:

Holt K. et al. (2016). Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JMPT. – Showed improved stepping reaction time, proprioception, and multisensory integration in older adults under chiropractic carepubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Strunk R. & Hawk C. (2009). Effects of chiropractic care on dizziness, neck pain, and balance: a single-group study. J Chiropr Med. – Most patients had improved balance and reduced dizziness after 8 weeks of carepubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Vining R. et al. (2020). Chiropractic Care on Strength, Balance, and Endurance in Military Personnel with Low Back Pain. J Alt Complement Med. – Found increased muscle strength/endurance and better eyes-closed balance after 4 weeks of chiropractic vs controlresearchgate.net.
Kendall J. et al. (2018). Chiropractic treatment for dizziness and neck pain in older people: a feasibility RCT. Chiropr Man Therap. – Indicated chiropractic including instrument-assisted adjustments tended to improve dizziness and neck disability in seniorschiromt.biomedcentral.comchiromt.biomedcentral.com.
Haavik H. & Murphy B. (2012). The role of spinal manipulation in addressing sensorimotor integration and motor control. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. – Review of research showing spinal adjustments produce neurophysiological changes that improve sensory processing and motor outputpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
DeVocht J. et al. (2019). Chiropractic manipulative therapy on reaction time in special operations forces: RCT. Trials. – Single chiropractic session immediately improved complex whole-body response time in elite military personnelpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Lauro A. & Mouch B. (1991). Chiropractic effects on athletic ability. J Chiro Research Clin Invest. – Athletes under chiropractic had 18% faster reaction times than those without carethrivecedarfalls.com.
Kelly D., Murphy B. (2000). Effect of spinal manipulation on reaction time. JMPT. – Demonstrated about 97 ms quicker reaction times post-adjustmentthrivecedarfalls.com.
Baarbé J. et al. (2018). Subclinical neck pain treatment impacts motor training-induced plasticity. PLoS ONE. – Showed improved hand-eye coordination (~30% increase) after chiropractic adjustments, highlighting cerebellar motor plasticitythrivecedarfalls.com.
Holt K. et al. (2021). Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments and Motor Function in Stroke: RCT. Brain Sciences. – Adding chiropractic to rehab enhanced lower-limb motor recovery and functional mobility in stroke survivors vs shammdpi.commdpi.com.