Manipulating the Neck: CCY Policy, February 2026
In January 2025, a coroner issued a Regulation 28 report recommending chiropractors consider obtaining recent medical records before assessment of neck pain. The British Chiropractic Association issued support to it's members and the public, including the following:
"A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, either due to a blockage (ischaemic stroke) or bleeding (haemorrhagic stroke). Brain tissue is highly sensitive to oxygen deprivation, and irreversible damage can begin within minutes
Cervical artery dissection has been associated with minor mechanical trauma, including sports injuries, sudden neck movements, and manual therapies. The initial symptoms are frequently limited to neck pain or headache, which may be incorrectly attributed to musculoskeletal injury.
Healthcare providers and manual therapy practitioners should remain aware that treatment interventions involving the cervical spine may aggravate underlying vascular conditions in rare cases"*
After exploring this subject and considering this information it was decided that Hedd would no longer offer manipulation to the neck. Although the risk is extremely low, it is not zero and he feels that the consequences of inducing catastrophic injury by manipulating the neck is not worth considering, especially as there are other methods than can be used that do not carry such risk. These options include doing nothing other than allowing time to pass.
*Article written by Sonja Blackburn
Owner of Branch Training, Trained First Responder & 2009 Anglo-European College of Chiropractic Graduate
Accessed from the British Chiropractic Association website on 23/2/2026
https://chiropractic-uk.co.uk/stroke-occurrence-misconceptions-and-best-course-actionfirst-aid