Welcome to the 17th Annual Small Steps to Success Campaign
November 1 - November 30, 2025

Research Focus Areas for 2025

This year, UCRF is advancing a comprehensive portfolio of projects that strengthen NUCCA care today and build credibility for the future.

• Anatometer / GSA Validation Study

Accurate posture measurement is one of the most visible and essential outcomes of NUCCA care, serving as a strong indicator of overall health. To ensure confidence in these assessments, UCRF is validating two key tools:

• The Anatometer – a long-standing tool in NUCCA practice, used to measure pelvic tilt, balance, and the deviation of C7 from the centre.
• The Gravity Stress Analyzer (GSA) is a well-established measurement system that incorporates multi-plane assessments for efficient postural evaluation.

This study is designed to confirm that these tools provide consistent, reproducible, and scientifically sound measurements. Reliable posture data not only strengthens clinical decisions in everyday practice but also ensures that NUCCA research meets the highest standards of evidence.

✨ Your support enables the validation of these tools, providing NUCCA doctors with the precision they require and patients with the quality care they deserve.

2. Radiographic Positioning Agreement Study – R.A.S. System

Accurate x-ray positioning is crucial for every NUCCA correction. The Radiographic Alignment System (R.A.S.) study was created to assess the consistency and reliability of NUCCA pre- and post-x-ray positioning across clinics.

Our team has gathered extensive data to measure how doctors of varying training and experience approached NUCCA x-ray positioning. The results revealed that experience and training have a significant impact on accuracy—a finding that underscores the importance of both validated NUCCA protocols and ongoing professional education.

We are now finalizing a peer-reviewed paper to present these significant results. This publication, authored by Drs. Jaimie Johnson, PhD, Gordon Hasick, Craig Lapenski and David Vasquez will help establish clearer guidelines for NUCCA imaging and strengthen the credibility of radiographic procedures used in NUCCA clinical care worldwide.

✨ Your support through the Small Steps campaign ensures that studies like this are published and shared, thereby providing NUCCA practitioners with essential standards and building trust among patients.

• The Optimal Correction of the ASC, Stability, and Quality of Life Impact

At the core of NUCCA care is the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC). This study investigates how NUCCA adjustments, carried out with the highest precision and thoroughness, affect long-term spinal stability, neurological function, and overall quality of life.

Our goal is to define what “optimal correction” truly means in clinical practice:

• Measuring outcomes over time, not only immediately after correction.
• Assessing stability by ensuring patients maintain their corrections longer.
• Tracking patient-reported quality of life improvements using standardized measures to capture changes in function, comfort, and well-being.

By examining both structural and patient-centred outcomes, this project presents a series of papers that further strengthen the gold standard for NUCCA corrections.

✨ Your support through the Small Steps campaign helps fund vital research, giving NUCCA doctors a clear care plan and patients confidence in evidence-based results.

4. Prevalence of the ASC Syndrome in the General Population

How prevalent is the Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC) Syndrome? Until now, we haven’t had a clear answer—an issue that may have hindered wider recognition of NUCCA’s significance.

In response to recommendations from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), UCRF is launching a landmark study to determine the actual prevalence of ASC Syndrome in the general population. This is one of the most significant projects ever undertaken in NUCCA research, with the potential to: 

• Establish a scientific baseline for the true prevalence of the ASC Syndrome.
• Argue convincingly for NUCCA care as an essential healthcare service.
• Open new opportunities for collaboration and funding by aligning with NIH research priorities.

This study could fundamentally alter the perception of NUCCA within healthcare by illustrating the potential impact on many lives through ASC Syndrome.

✨ With your support through the Small Steps campaign, we can take this bold step forward—producing data that not only benefits patients but also elevates NUCCA on the global healthcare stage.

5. Developing a NUCCA Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN)

We are creating a Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN)—a collaborative community of NUCCA clinics working together across North America. This network will enable us to:

• Accelerate multi-site data collection to ensure research accurately reflects real-world practices across diverse patient groups.
• Enhance research capacity by involving more doctors and clinics in active studies.
• Broaden NUCCA’s scientific influence by linking our efforts to wider healthcare research communities.

The NUCCA PBRN will serve as the backbone for future large-scale studies, enabling us to ask bigger questions, publish stronger evidence, and demonstrate NUCCA’s impact within chiropractic and beyond.

✨ Your support through the Small Steps campaign helps turn this shared vision into reality—transforming everyday clinical practice into impactful research that shapes the future of NUCCA care.

6. Student Research Mentoring Scholarships

The UCRF Student Research Scholarship Program is shaping the future of NUCCA by investing in the next generation of researchers.

Each year, five outstanding chiropractic students are selected to partner with seasoned NUCCA doctors. Together, they design, conduct, and publish research that strengthens the scientific foundation of NUCCA care.

• A $1,000 award supports each student’s research journey.
• Mentorship by NUCCA doctors provides students with practical experience and professional guidance to educate them on NUCCA standards and protocols, which are developed for optimal clinical care and research. 
• Published outcomes enhance NUCCA’s credibility and broaden our influence within the wider healthcare community.

These scholarships are more than just financial aid—they provide an educational opportunity to ignite passion for research, foster collaboration, and prepare the future leaders who will advance NUCCA. 

✨ Your gift to the Small Steps campaign helps mentor the next generation, ensuring NUCCA research continues to thrive for decades to come.

7. Ongoing Blood and CSF Flow Migraine Study Data Review

The Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Flow Study is among the most advanced projects ever undertaken in NUCCA research. This ongoing review aims to understand how NUCCA care might influence blood and CSF circulation in the brain and spinal cord, and what that means for patients living with migraines and related neurological conditions.

Our current work involves:

• Analyzing extensive imaging data collected from previous study participants.
• Focusing on migraine outcomes, exploring how NUCCA correction may relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
• Investigating vascular and neurological function, helping us understand the deeper mechanisms behind NUCCA’s impact.
• Further understanding the relationship between the ASC and its effect on CSF flow. 

This study has the potential to link NUCCA care with measurable changes in brain physiology—a vital step toward greater scientific recognition and medical collaboration.

✨ With your support through the Small Steps campaign, we can bring these findings to publication and share them with the world, giving patients and doctors stronger evidence of NUCCA’s profound impact.