Why I Chose Chiropractic BioPhysics: A Clyde North Chiropractor on the Technique Most People Have Never Heard Of

I didn't always practise this way.

When I graduated, I adjusted spines the way most chiropractors do. Find the stiff joint, adjust it, and move on. And for a lot of people, that worked. They felt better, they moved better, and they came back when things flared up again.

But the "came back when things flared up again" part started to bother me.

I kept seeing the same people, for the same problems, in the same pattern. Relief, return, relief, return. The adjustments were helping. But they weren't changing the thing that was causing the problem in the first place.

That's when I started looking into Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP. And it changed the way I practise completely.

This article isn't a sales pitch for my clinic. It's my honest explanation of what CBP is, why I chose it, and why it's different from most chiropractic care.

What most chiropractic care focuses on

To understand what CBP does differently, it helps to understand what standard chiropractic care does well.

A typical chiropractic visit looks something like this. You come in with pain. The chiropractor examines you, finds where the joints are stiff or restricted, and adjusts them. The adjustment restores movement to the joint. The muscles around it relax. You feel better.

That's a good thing, and I still do this every day. Adjustments are a core part of what I offer. They reduce pain, improve movement, and help your body function better.

But here's the honest truth. Most adjustments are based on how the joint feels at that moment. The chiropractor uses their hands to find the restriction and corrects it. That approach treats the symptom well. What it often doesn't do is ask why that joint got stuck in the first place.

If the reason the joint keeps locking up is a curve change in that part of the spine, the adjustment will help short term. But the problem will keep coming back. Because the structure driving it hasn't changed.

What CBP does differently

Chiropractic BioPhysics starts with a different question. Instead of asking "where does it hurt?", CBP asks a different question. What does the spine look like? How far has it shifted from where it should be?

Your spine has a specific shape it's designed to hold. Three natural curves that allow it to absorb shock, share load evenly, and protect the nerves running through it. When those curves change, which they do over years of sitting, driving, and looking down, the load shifts. Certain joints take more pressure. Certain discs compress. Certain nerves get irritated.

CBP measures those curves. On X-ray, to the degree.

That's the key difference. Instead of adjusting based on feel, CBP sets a measurable target. That target is based on where the curves should be. Then it builds a plan to move toward it over time. Every adjustment, every exercise, and every piece of traction is designed around your specific measurements.

It's the difference between guessing and knowing. And in my experience, that difference shows up in the results.

CBP measures the actual shape of your spine on X-ray and sets a target for correction. Left: a healthy neck curve. Right: a neck that has lost its curve.

What CBP is backed by

One of the reasons I chose CBP is the evidence behind it. It has more published, peer-reviewed research than any other chiropractic technique. Over 300 studies have been published across areas including reliability, clinical outcomes, and structural correction.

But before looking at what CBP achieves, it helps to understand the problem it's solving.

Research consistently shows that a loss of spinal curvature is directly linked to pain and disability. A meta-analysis of 13 studies found a strong link between a reduced lower back curve and lower back pain. A separate study found that loss of the neck curve was present in roughly 42% of people with neck pain, and that the degree of curve loss was directly linked to how quickly the discs wore out. Further research found that greater loss of lumbar curve was linked to higher pain, more disability, and reduced flexibility.

The pattern across the research is clear. The more curve you lose, the more pain and stiffness you tend to develop. Which means that lasting relief isn't found in chasing the pain. It's found in restoring the curve.

That's exactly what CBP is designed to do. Here's what the research shows.

A review of controlled trials on the lower back found that CBP methods increased the natural inward curve by 7 to 11 degrees over 10 to 12 weeks. Most groups held that correction at the six-month check. That's not just pain relief. That's a measurable change in the shape of the spine that was maintained over time.

For the neck, a trial following patients for two full years found that patients who received cervical traction increased their neck curve and held it at both three months and two years. The control group showed no structural change at all.

This is the key point. If losing the curve drives the pain, then restoring the curve addresses the cause. Not the symptom. The cause. And when the research shows those corrections holding at six months, one year, and even two years after treatment, that's evidence of lasting structural change rather than temporary relief.

For the purpose of transparency, results do vary from person to person. Not every presentation needs CBP. And the trials, while consistent, are still relatively small in size. But the evidence is strong and continues to grow. For a structural problem, I believe a structural approach makes the most sense.

What a CBP care plan actually involves

If you've read about CBP online, you've probably encountered a lot of jargon. Mirror-image adjustments. Spinal remodelling. Sagittal balance. Postural subluxation. It can feel overwhelming.

Here's how it actually works in my clinic, in plain terms.

Step 1: We measure. 

Before any treatment begins, we do a thorough assessment. This includes a postural analysis, a thermography scan to check where the nerves along your spine are under stress, and X-rays where needed. The X-rays let us measure the exact angles of your curves and compare them to the healthy range.

Step 2: We build a plan. 

Based on your measurements, we design a care plan that targets the specific areas where your spine has shifted. This isn't a template. It's built around your spine.

Step 3: We correct. 

Treatment combines three things. Specific adjustments to restore movement to the joints. Corrective exercises designed to retrain the muscles around those joints. And traction, which is a slow, controlled stretch that gradually encourages the curves back toward their normal shape.

Step 4: We track. 

Progress is measured along the way. We don't guess whether things are improving. We reassess with objective tools and, at the right point, follow-up X-rays to confirm that the structure has changed.

The goal isn't to keep you coming in forever. It's to make a measurable change, confirm that it's holding, and hand you the tools to maintain it.

Why I chose it

I could give you a long answer, but the honest, short one is this.

I didn't want to spend my career providing relief that didn't last. I wanted to offer something that could show, in black and white, that the spine had changed. Not just that the pain had reduced, but that the cause of the pain had been addressed.

CBP lets me do that. It's not perfect, and it's not for everyone. The presentations I see most are neck pain, lower back pain, headaches, and posture problems. For those, it's the most honest, measurable approach I've found.

That's why I chose it. And it's why I'm still using it every day.

How to know if CBP is right for you

CBP isn't the answer for every person or every problem. It's designed for structural and postural issues. If your pain is coming from a recent injury, a muscle strain, or something unrelated to spinal alignment, a different approach may be more suitable.

But if your pain keeps coming back despite treatment, the structure of your spine may be part of the picture. The same applies if your posture won't change despite your best efforts. CBP is built to assess and address exactly that.

Where to start: Chiropractic BioPhysics in Clyde North

The first step is always the same: find out what your spine actually looks like.

That's what our ClearSpine Pain Assessment is designed to do. We perform five targeted tests that tell you where your spine has shifted, what's driving your symptoms, and what the path forward looks like. You'll leave with a clear picture rather than a guess.

I see people from across Melbourne's southeast, including Berwick, Cranbourne, Narre Warren, Officer and Beaconsfield, here at the clinic in Clyde North.

If you're ready to understand what's going on in your spine, book your ClearSpine Pain Assessment or call us on (03) 5915 9895.

The right technique doesn't just make you feel better for a day. It shows you, in black and white, that something has changed.

Dr. Ashley Cherrett (BAppSc(Chiro), BHlthSc) is the principal chiropractor and owner of Cherrett Chiropractic in Clyde North, Melbourne. He practises using the Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) technique, a structured, evidence-based approach to spinal correction. This article is educational and does not constitute medical advice. Individual results vary, and all care is based on individual assessment.