Research Program Overview
Clear Life Scoliosis & Chiropractic integrates clinical care with scientific investigation into spinal biomechanics, spinal alignment, and conservative rehabilitation strategies.
Dr. Justin M. Dick is a clinician-researcher whose work examines the relationship between spinal alignment, neurological function, and musculoskeletal health. His publications explore clinical outcomes associated with structural spinal rehabilitation and non-surgical scoliosis treatment.
Research referenced on this page has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals and indexed in biomedical databases including PubMed.
The purpose of this research program is to contribute to scientific understanding of how spinal alignment influences biomechanics, neurological function, and long-term musculoskeletal outcomes.
Research Focus Areas
Non-Surgical Scoliosis Management
Clinical investigations examining conservative treatment strategies for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and the role of structured rehabilitation protocols in spinal curvature management.
Cervical Spine Biomechanics
Research evaluating cervical sagittal alignment, cervical lordosis, and the interaction between cervical posture and global spinal balance.
Motor Vehicle Collision Injury Rehabilitation
Clinical research documenting spinal rehabilitation strategies following traumatic spinal injury, including radiographic and neurological outcomes.
Structural Spinal Rehabilitation
Studies examining how targeted rehabilitation protocols influence spinal alignment and biomechanical function.
Research Methods
Research described on this page includes multiple methodological approaches used in clinical spinal research:
• radiographic analysis of spinal alignment
• clinical case reports
• retrospective cross-sectional analysis
• longitudinal patient follow-up studies
• biomechanical interpretation of spinal structure and function
These methods are commonly used within clinical biomechanics and musculoskeletal research to examine structural and functional changes of the spine.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Publications are listed below using standard scientific citation format. Each article links to a dedicated page containing the abstract, clinical summary, and access to the original publication.
2026 Publications
Radiographic Sagittal Alignment and Neurological Changes Following Conservative Cervical Structural Rehabilitation After Motor Vehicle Collision in a Patient With Pre-existing Scoliosis
Dick JM, Paige P. Radiographic Sagittal Alignment and Neurological Changes Following Conservative Cervical Structural Rehabilitation After Motor Vehicle Collision in a Patient With Pre-existing Scoliosis: A Case Report. Cureus. 2026 Mar 2;18(3):e104584. doi: 10.7759/cureus.104584. PMCID: PMC12954460.
This clinical case report documents radiographic and neurological findings following conservative cervical structural rehabilitation in a patient with pre-existing scoliosis who sustained a motor vehicle collision.
Refractory Lumbar Pain Following Motor Vehicle Collision in a Geriatric Patient With Prior Lumbar Surgery: Clinical Resolution After Multimodal Conservative Spinal Structural Rehabilitation
Dick JM. Refractory Lumbar Pain Following Motor Vehicle Collision in a Geriatric Patient With Prior Lumbar Surgery: Clinical Resolution After Multimodal Conservative Spinal Structural Rehabilitation. Cureus. 2026 Feb 13;18(2):e103540. doi: 10.7759/cureus.103540. PMID: 41694169; PMCID: PMC12906243.
This case report describes conservative management of persistent lumbar pain following motor vehicle collision in a geriatric patient with a history of lumbar spine surgery.
Reduction of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Utilizing the Labyrinthine Righting Reflex: A Case Report
Dick J M, Whelan J (January 12, 2026) Reduction of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Utilizing the Labyrinthine Righting Reflex: A Case Report. Cureus 18(1): e101343. PMID: 41685001 PMCID: PMC12892820 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.101343
This publication examines neuromuscular reflex integration within scoliosis rehabilitation.
A Non-Surgical Multimodal Approach to Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (Lenke 5C) Using an Intensive Two-Week CLEAR Institute Protocol: A Report of Two Cases
Dick JM, Whelan J, Paige P.
Cureus. 2026.
This case series reports radiographic and clinical observations following an intensive conservative scoliosis rehabilitation protocol.
2025 Publications
A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients With Scoliosis
Dick J M (August 27, 2025) A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients With Scoliosis. Cureus 17(8): e91098. PMCID: PMC12466043 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.91098
This retrospective study evaluates radiographic cervical alignment patterns among patients diagnosed with scoliosis.
Reduction of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Thirteen-Month Follow-Up
Dick JM, Spurgeon S. Reduction of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A 13-Month Follow-Up. Cureus. 2025 Feb 7;17(2):e78669. doi: 10.7759/cureus.78669. PMID: 40062184; PMCID: PMC11890522.
This follow-up study evaluates the longer-term stability of scoliosis correction following conservative treatment.
Improved Health Outcomes in a Military Veteran Following Vertebral Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Report
Improved Function of a military veteran that had a poor quality of life.
Published with Sarah Hock DC with Sherman College of Chiropractic
Justin Dick, Sarah Hock, Improved Health Outcomes in a Military Veteran Following Vertebral Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Report.Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, September 7, 2017, Pages 147-151.
Scientific Context and Supporting Literature
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The studies listed above contribute to a broader body of research examining spinal biomechanics, spinal alignment, and structural rehabilitation.
Representative studies from the scientific literature have examined relationships between sagittal spinal alignment, spinal biomechanics, and patient outcomes.
For example, investigations by Glassman et al. demonstrated associations between sagittal spinal alignment and health-related quality-of-life measures in adult spinal deformity patients.
Additional work by Lafage et al. examined global sagittal alignment and its relationship to patient-reported outcomes following spinal deformity treatment.
Research on cervical sagittal parameters has also emphasized the importance of measurements such as cervical lordosis, C2–C7 sagittal vertical axis, and T1 slope in evaluating spinal balance.
Biomechanical modeling studies have demonstrated that alterations in spinal curvature may influence load distribution across vertebral bodies, discs, and facet joints.
These findings contribute to ongoing scientific investigation regarding the biomechanical and clinical significance of spinal alignment.
Scientific Impact
Research examining spinal alignment and biomechanics continues to evolve as clinicians seek improved understanding of how spinal structure influences musculoskeletal function and neurological outcomes.
Studies such as those listed on this page contribute to a growing body of literature examining conservative approaches to spinal deformity management and spinal injury rehabilitation.
Research Collaborations
Collaborative research relationships may include clinicians, biomechanical researchers, and institutions involved in spinal biomechanics and scoliosis research.
Examples include collaboration with researchers involved in scoliosis rehabilitation programs and spinal biomechanics research initiatives.
Conference Presentations and Academic Engagement
Research findings may be discussed or presented at professional meetings, conferences, or academic events focused on spinal biomechanics, chiropractic research, and musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
These academic discussions contribute to the broader scientific exchange surrounding spinal biomechanics and conservative rehabilitation.
Academic Presentations & Research Dissemination
A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients With Scoliosis
Presented at: Clear Symposium Fall 2025 Celebration (Florida) AND invited at Sherman IRAPS 2026
Presenter: Justin M. Dick, DC
Affiliation: Clear Life Scoliosis And Chiropractic Center, Charlotte, NC
Presentation Summary:
This academic presentation reviewed original research examining cervical spine mechanics in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. Utilizing a retrospective cross-sectional radiographic analysis, the study quantified patterns of cervical lordosis, translational segmental motion, and abnormal motion patterns compared with normative expectations. Results demonstrated a high prevalence of mechanical abnormalities in the cervical region, including increased mid-cervical translational instability and loss of normal sagittal curvature in this patient population. Discussion emphasized the clinical relevance of these findings for structural assessment and conservative management of complex spinal biomechanics in scoliosis, highlighted limitations of current standard evaluations, and suggested directions for future research.
Context and Educational Scope:
This work was disseminated in formal academic settings including the Clear Symposium Fall 2025 Celebration and the International Research and Philosophy Symposium (IRAPS) 2026 hosted by Sherman College of Chiropractic. These presentations were delivered to audiences of clinicians, researchers, and advanced trainees interested in evidence-based biomechanical assessment and structural rehabilitation strategies.
Relation to Peer-Reviewed Research:
The content of this presentation is rooted in peer-reviewed clinical research published in Cureus with PubMed indexing. This study provides quantitative radiographic evidence on aberrant cervical mechanics in scoliosis patients and forms part of an integrated research program exploring spinal alignment and biomechanics in conservative care settings.
Dick JM. A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients With Scoliosis.
Cureus Journal of Medical Science. 2025.
PubMed ID: 41018459.
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.91098
A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis of Abnormal Cervical Mechanics in Patients With Scoliosis - PubMed
External Indexing
Dr. Dick’s publications can be accessed through biomedical indexing platforms including:
PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Dick+JM&cauthor_id=41694169
Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=BwI3LnYAAAAJ&hl=en
Cureus Author Profile https://www.cureus.com/users/944261-justin-m-dick
ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2794-2159
These platforms provide access to peer-reviewed publications and bibliographic records.
Research Ethics
Research referenced on this page was conducted in accordance with applicable ethical guidelines and standards governing clinical research and publication.
Ongoing Research
Additional investigations examining spinal biomechanics, scoliosis progression, and spinal rehabilitation are currently in preparation and will be added to this page as publications become available.
Related Clinical Services
Research findings inform clinical services provided at Clear Life Scoliosis & Chiropractic, including:
Non-Surgical Scoliosis Treatment
Spinal Corrective Care
Motor Vehicle Collision Injury Rehabilitation
Wellness Chiropractic Care
These services incorporate clinical evaluation with rehabilitation strategies informed by current research.
Schedule a Consultation
Clear Life Scoliosis & Chiropractic
8814 Rachel Freeman Way Suite 103
Charlotte, North Carolina
Patients seeking evaluation for scoliosis, spinal injury, or spinal alignment concerns may schedule a consultation to discuss treatment options.
