Chiropractic Founders Day highlights nearly a century of care, paves way for National Upper Cervical Care Association's continued commitment to precise patient care in spinal health

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Each year, Chiropractic Founders Day is celebrated on Sept. 18, reminding the chiropractic community of the life-changing benefits it brings to millions worldwide. The date also marks a pivotal day in history in 1895 for the first adjustment by chiropractic founder D.D. Palmer.

Celebrating their centennial anniversary, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA), which honors chiropractic origin, has been at the forefront of advancement. Under the leadership of D.D.’s son, B.J. Palmer, the practice expanded into a respected healthcare profession with foundational principles, including chiropractic licensure and education as cornerstones.

In 1941, Michigan-based doctors Ralph R. Gregory and John Grostic Sr. collaborated to correct misalignments in the upper cervical spine and improve neurological function of the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC). A year after Grostic’s death in 1966, Gregory created the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA)–a federally-recognized non-profit organization–to further advance education and training.

The NUCCA celebrates its 60th year, continuing the legacy of Chiropractic Founders Day which dates back to 1895.

This helped establish what today is the Upper Cervical Research Foundation (UCRF), which studies clinical and physiological effects of upper cervical spinal corrections on overall health and function.

To date the Association has contributed 60 years to restoring balance, using a specialized technique that focuses exclusively on adjusting the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae at the top of the neck to correct spinal alignment. Simply put, it creates optimal function and health.

While NUCCA doctors continue to embody Palmer's core chiropractic principles with a non-invasive, drug-free and patient-centered technique, it also embraces new research and technology to restore balance through precise upper cervical care through adjustments.

Rather than focusing on symptom relief, it supports the body's natural ability to regulate itself by optimizing its structural balance and reducing stress on the compromised nervous system.

“All NUCCA doctors have cases that give you goosebumps or bring you to tears … we have an opportunity and duty to help these patients,” said NUCCA doctor Glenn Cripe.

Proper alignment corrects a wide range of health issues, including a majority of patients with head and neck injuries. These misalignments can disrupt a person’s center of gravity, affecting function. Many people experience this without knowing how to address it and are left in an ongoing cycle seeking help.

“People don’t understand how chiropractic can help them,” Dr. Cripe said. “When you’re off balance, the spine compensates causing inflammation, pain and other symptoms.”

The NUCCA technique is light and controlled, unlike the forceful twisting, popping and cracking used in traditional chiropractic care. Its doctors follow a multi-step protocol that includes a comprehensive health history, physical assessment, imaging as needed, and precise measurements to determine the most appropriate correction for each patient.

The clinical research, physical assessment, safety protocols, pre and post imaging and accuracy are main points of divergence. For the past six decades, NUCCA clinicians and researchers have developed a growing body of scientific literature examining the relationship between upper cervical alignment, posture and human function.

Landmark blood pressure and migraine studies have given validity to the NUCCA technique with results showing significant reductions following upper cervical corrections.

“NUCCA is one of the few chiropractic organizations with a dedicated research foundation supporting continued investigation into the safety, precision and clinical effects of its procedures,” said NUCCA doctor Daiki Ishiyama.

In clinical practice, carefully standardized X-rays are used to measure the individual three-dimensional relationship of the upper cervical spine and determine the precise direction of correction. Advanced MRI is used in research to investigate possible changes in brain physiology, blood and cerebrospinal fluid flow, and neurological function.

“Because the correction is individually calculated, follow-up X-rays may be taken when clinically indicated to verify its accuracy,” Dr. Ishiyama said. “Once a satisfactory correction has been achieved, the goal is to help the patient maintain that improvement and avoid unnecessary adjustments.”

Upper cervical care bridges the gap when navigating a variety of health journeys. For the future, NUCCA doctors are focused on continued technological progress, innovation and expansion of its chiropractic doctors to ensure NUCCA’s evidence-based practice will continue to thrive, bring health and hope to countless individuals, globally.

NUCCA doctor Danielle Bush is curious about research that shows how adjustments affect the internal jugular vein, which becomes compromised when compressed and is responsible for draining deoxygenated blood from the brain, skull, face, and neck back toward the heart.

“This causes a wide range of medical issues that can be treated,” Dr. Bush said. “For example, C1 rotation patients have excellent results when it’s corrected.”

Another potential research focus she offered is the relationship between rib cage mechanics and breathing capacity in overall athletic performance.

Dr. Ishiyama suggested that NUCCA treatment be used for individuals diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a chronic multisystem disorder that mostly affects girls and women through puberty and early adulthood.

While Chiropractic Founder’s Day preserves the history of the first chiropractic adjustment, its legacy evolves through NUCCA in maintaining protocols for its doctors and practitioners.

“The NUCCA technique has the highest standards and reproducible results,” Dr. Ishiyama said. “That’s the strength of NUCCA and it needs to continue. Whatever we accomplish with technology to make the procedure more simple will allow us to focus on the adjustment and have an even better understanding of biomechanics for the future.”

Dr. Bush said the NUCCA technique is a significant practice because the top of the neck acts as ‘Grand Central Station of the body’. “Once you clear the main neurological hub, the whole system heals,” she said.

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