What the research shows, and what it doesn't
A plain-language guide to the published research on Network Spinal Care, with links to every original study.
Network Spinal Care has been studied in peer-reviewed research for several decades, and it's genuinely interesting work. But the evidence base is still developing, and the honest thing is to show you exactly what each study looked at, what it found, and what its design allows us to conclude.
I've linked the original publications wherever possible, so you can read the research yourself rather than relying on a summary of a summary.
- Published research includes large wellbeing surveys, lifestyle research, studies of the Network Spinal Wave, and a heart rate variability study.
- These findings are interesting and point to areas worth studying further.
- They don't amount to strong randomised controlled evidence, or show that Network Spinal treats specific conditions.
Different research designs answer different questions. Understanding which question a study can answer is the key to reading it fairly.
- Mechanism researchWhat happens during a phenomenon
- Retrospective surveyWhat people reported
- Cross-sectional studyWhich things are associated
- Prospective studyWhat changes over time
- Randomised controlled trialWhether a treatment causes an outcome
Much of the published Network Spinal literature sits in the first three groups. That doesn't make it irrelevant. It means each finding needs to be read according to its design, and not presented as stronger evidence than its methods support.
Choose a topic, or browse them all. Each study shows what it examined, what was reported, and its most important limitation.
A Retrospective Assessment of Network Care Using a Survey of Self-Rated Health, Wellness and Quality of Life
One of the largest published assessments of Network Care, with 2,818 respondents from 156 Network offices in the United States, Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico. Participants rated physical and emotional wellbeing, stress, life enjoyment and overall quality of life, and recalled their status before beginning care.
Participants reported positive changes across several health and quality-of-life domains, with greater perceived improvement among people with longer durations of care.
A retrospective, self-reported study without a randomised control group. Participants recalled their status before care, so the findings cannot establish that Network Care caused the reported changes.
Blanks RHI, Schuster TL, Dobson M. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. 1997;1(4).
Read the original study recordWellness Lifestyles I: A Theoretical Framework Linking Wellness, Health Lifestyles, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Developed a theoretical framework connecting complementary and alternative medicine, health promotion, wellness and lifestyle practices.
A conceptual and review paper, not a clinical trial of Network Spinal care.
Schuster TL, Dobson M, Jauregui M, Blanks RHI. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(2):349–356. PMID: 15165416.
View on PubMedWellness Lifestyles II: Modeling the Dynamic of Wellness, Health Lifestyle Practices, and Network Spinal Analysis
A self-administered survey of 2,596 patients from 156 offices, examining relationships between Network Spinal Analysis, self-reported wellness and health lifestyle practices.
Positive relationships between Network Spinal Analysis, reported wellness and reported positive lifestyle changes within the researchers' statistical model.
A cross-sectional, observational study. Its statistical associations do not establish that Network Spinal caused changes in wellness or lifestyle.
Schuster TL, Dobson M, Jauregui M, Blanks RHI. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(2):357–367. PMID: 15165417.
View on PubMedOn a Standing Wave Central Pattern Generator and the Coherence Problem
Analysed the wave-like electrophysiological and movement phenomenon that can run along the spine after light-pressure contact, using surface electromyography and mathematical techniques to study its wave and coherence characteristics.
Mechanism-focused research, not a clinical trial testing whether Network Spinal improves a disease, symptom or general health outcome.
Jonckheere E, Lohsoonthorn P, Musuvathy S, Mahajan V, Stefanovic M. Biomedical Signal Processing and Control. 2010;5(4):336–347. DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2010.04.002.
View the publicationThe Network Spinal Wave as a Central Pattern Generator
Reviewed the research into the Network Spinal Wave, including earlier electromyography and mathematical work. It described the wave as a repeatable phenomenon and discussed the hypothesis that it has the mathematical properties of a central pattern generator.
A narrative review of the wave literature. It is not a randomised clinical trial and does not establish broad treatment effectiveness.
Senzon SA, Epstein DM, Lemberger D. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2016;22(7):544–556. PMID: 27243963.
View on PubMedImprovement in Heart Rate Variability in 46 Patients Undergoing Network Spinal Analysis
Heart rate variability (HRV), the variation in time between heartbeats, is widely used in research on autonomic regulation. This study compared HRV at the start of care with measurements after 90 days in 46 people receiving Network Spinal Analysis.
Two of four analyses comparing baseline and 90-day HRV reached statistical significance: the subgroup with below-average initial HRV, and the male subgroup.
A small retrospective study without a randomised control group. It shows observed changes in this clinical population rather than establishing that Network Spinal caused them.
Knowles D, Knowles R, Kotur D. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. 2017:232–237.
Read the studyWhat the literature supports
- Network Spinal has been the subject of published research for several decades
- Self-reported wellbeing and quality of life have been investigated
- Relationships with wellness and lifestyle practices have been studied
- The Network Spinal Wave has been studied with physiological and mathematical methods
- Heart rate variability has been examined in a small retrospective study
What it does not establish
- That Network Spinal cures named diseases
- A reliable separation of treatment effects from other influences
- Clinical effectiveness from self-reported improvements alone
- Patient benefit from mechanism research alone
- A large body of high-quality randomised controlled evidence
The most accurate summary is that there are published findings of interest, particularly around self-reported wellbeing, physiological measures and the Network Spinal Wave, but the overall clinical evidence base remains limited and would benefit from larger, well-controlled studies.
That distinction matters. A paper can show that a phenomenon exists, that an association was observed, or that a physiological measure changed. Those are different questions from whether a treatment causes a specific health outcome.
The most useful next steps for the field would include larger prospective studies, appropriate control groups, preregistered protocols, clearly defined outcomes, and independent replication by researchers without a direct connection to Network Spinal organisations.
Randomised controlled trials comparing Network Spinal with appropriate comparison conditions would be particularly useful for determining whether specific clinical outcomes are caused by the care itself.
"Interesting findings are worth exploring, but they should never be presented as stronger evidence than the research design allows. That's the standard I think patients deserve."
Part of what makes this field fascinating is that the questions are still open. Researchers are still exploring what happens in the nervous system during Network Spinal care, and why people describe it the way they do.
The research can help you understand what has been studied, but it can't tell you what your own experience will be. If you're curious, the best next step is a conversation: talk through your circumstances with Dr Euan, and decide together whether this approach is right for you.
- The complete guide to Network Spinal Care
- The Network Care process: what happens in a session
- EpiEnergetics Foundation research archive: maintained within the Network Spinal field
Curious what it feels like for yourself?
Research can only take you so far. Your first visit is unhurried: a conversation about what's been happening for you, a gentle assessment, and, if it suits you, your first session. Dr Euan will be honest about what is and isn't known. No pressure, and no obligation.
Is there scientific research on Network Spinal Care?
Yes. Published research includes large retrospective wellness surveys, studies of the Network Spinal Wave, and analyses of measures such as heart rate variability.
Has Network Spinal been tested in randomised controlled trials?
The published research to date is mostly observational and retrospective. Larger randomised controlled trials would be needed to establish whether Network Spinal causes particular clinical outcomes.
Does the research show that Network Spinal treats specific conditions?
No. The current evidence does not establish that Network Spinal treats or cures specific diseases. It points to areas worth further study, particularly self-reported wellbeing and physiological responses.
Why offer care if the evidence is still developing?
Network Spinal is practised by registered chiropractors. Dr Euan explains plainly what is and is not known, so you can make an informed decision about whether this care suits you.
Where can I read the studies?
Links to the original publications are included with each study on this page, along with a summary of what it examined, what it reported and its limitations.