Cox Technic Seminars

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COX® Technic Seminars at NUHS

National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) offers in-person instruction on the COX® Technic suite of courses on the Lombard, Illinois campus. These courses help you provide evidence-based, non-surgical spinal manipulation to ease your patients’ pain.

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Dr. James Cox headshot

History of COX® Technic

Dr. James M. Cox (1940 – 2025) spent his life creating the Cox® Technic, a gentle way to treat spinal pain without surgery.

He graduated from National College of Chiropractic (NCC), now National University of Health Sciences (NUHS), in 1963. Not satisfied with how his initial patients recovered, Dr. Cox looked for better methods. He began studying osteopathic principles from authors such as Alan Stoddard and John McManis and combined their work with his own chiropractic training. This led to a completely new approach for treating spinal pain.

Called “flexion-distraction,” this technique was launched in 1973. For many years, Dr. Cox refined it through clinical and experimental research. He wrote books and articles, taught classes, and even designed the special Cox® Table used for the treatment.

While the official name is the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, it is often called “flexion-distraction.” This system uses a personalized plan for each patient to help them get the best pain relief possible.

Why Cox® Technic

chiropractor using cox table

Evidence-based

Cox® Technic is supported by clinical observations as well as formal research, including randomized controlled trials. These high standards have helped establish it as an evidence-based practice.

Gentle and Specific

The technique itself is a specific, gentle, hands-on method using a table to flex, distract and decompress the spine to reduce pressure on discs and facet joints.

Treatment Focused

Cox® Technic is used for a wide range of conditions, including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, neck and back pain and much more.

Widely Adopted

Thanks to Dr. Cox’s life-long dedication and efforts, Cox® Technic is used by 63.7% of chiropractors in their practices.

Conditions Treated by Cox® Technic

The goal of flexion distraction care is to provide at least 50% relief of pain in 30 days before any advanced imaging or testing is ordered. Some of the conditions treated can include, but are not limited to:

  • Lumbar, Thoracic and Cervical Disc Herniations
  • Neck and Arm Pain
  • Lower Back Pain
  • Leg Pain (radiculopathy)
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Facet syndrome
  • Pelvic pain
  • Headache
  • Compression defects
  • Loss of spine lordosis
  • Loss of range of spinal motion
  • Whiplash-type injuries
  • Persistent pain after back surgery (Post Surgical Continued Pain - Failed Back Surgical Syndrome – FBSS)
  • Scoliosis (not to cure, but to maintain mobility of the curve)
  • Osteoporosis
  • Transitional segment / Bertolotti’s Syndrome
  • Pregnancy back pain
  • Subluxation
  • Postural faults
  • Mechanical back pain
  • Osteoarthritis of spine
  • Patients unable to tolerate vigorous adjustment
  • Synovial Cyst
  • Coccydynia
  • Mechanical back pain (such as that accompanying ankylosing spondylitis, collagen vascularizing diseases, pelvic pain, pregnancy)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Neurological Diseases (such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke)
  • DISH – Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis
  • Klippel Feil Syndrome
  • Knee pain
  • Spinal Gout / Pseudo Gout

Upcoming COX® Technic Programs at NUHS*

Courses are offered individually or as part of a series. Any single course in a series can also be taken individually.

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected] or call us at 630-889-6622

*Illinois courses will be taught on site at National University of Health Sciences-Lombard, Illinois; Florida courses will be taught on site at Keiser University-West Palm Beach, Florida.

Meet the Faculty

Dr. Dean Greenwood headshot

Dean Greenwood, DC, MS, ’12, DIANM, FCCOS©

Dr. Greenwood is a 1981 graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic, a board-certified Chiropractic Orthopedist and a certified Cox® Technic practitioner since 2008.

He completed the Master of Advanced Clinical Practice (MSACP) program at National University of Health Sciences in 2012 and published a peer-reviewed journal article in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine about his success with Cox® Technic in managing post-surgical back pain. He also has written several case reports published on the Cox® Technic website.

Today, Dr. Greenwood is in private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia, focusing primarily on the management of herniated disc, spinal stenosis and other challenging cases of spine pain and disability.

He offers his hands-on workshop at his office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – 4 hrs CE approved for BC, and also instructs Canada-based and regional Part I seminars upon request. Additionally, he team teaches Parts I, II, III, IV and Honors.

 

Dr. Hazen headshot

Lee J. Hazen, DC

Dr. Hazen graduated cum laude from Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles in 1989. After a short post-ceptorship he was invited to become a resident in Dr. Cox’s clinic. From 1989 to 1998, Dr. Hazen was co-director and a resident at the Ft. Wayne clinic. He attended and completed a 400-hour post-graduate Chiropractic Orthopedics training sponsored by National University of Health Sciences. Currently, he serves on the post-graduate faculty of NUHS.

Dr. Hazen worked side-by-side with Dr. Cox for nine years in clinical practice and continues teaching the technique today. He holds the distinction of being one of only residents Dr. Cox trained personally.

As a resident, he learned Cox® Technic and its proper application, as well as the office protocols appropriate for running a chiropractic clinic devoted to the care of spine pain patients treated with Cox® Technic. Currently, he is the lead instructor of the Cox® Technic Part 1 Certification Courses.

Today, Dr. Hazen offers his hands-on workshop in his office in Temecula, California – 4 hrs CE approved for California practitioners. He also instructs west coast regional seminars, and team teaches Parts I, II, III, IV and Honors.

Dr. George Joachim headshot

George Joachim, DC,’96, CCRD, DACRB

Dr. Joachim graduated from NUHS in 1996. While a student studying with Dr. Cox, he was an instrumental research assistant in the first federally funded study, “The Biomechanics of Flexion Distraction Adjusting.” Dr. Joachim maintains certifications from NUHS in Cox® Technic, LACC in Chiropractic Rehabilitation and Parker College in Permanent Impairment Ratio.

After graduating from NUHS, he settled in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his chiropractor-wife. This allowed him to continue working and developing the teaching of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management. Dr. Joachim has also participated in training with the McKenzie Institute (Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy of the Lumbar Spine, March 1996) and holds a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board.

Dr. Joachim maintains a private practice in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he also is a member of the official chiropractic office for the Fort Wayne Komets Pro Hockey Team and the Fort Wayne Fury Pro Basketball Team. For fun, he trained for the 1998 trials of the U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team and the Outdoor Pentathalon (2000) as the USA Track and Field Masters National Champion.

Dr. Joachim instructs regional seminars, state association presentations upon request and instructs/assists Parts I, II, III, IV, and Honors courses.

Dr. Kruse headshot

Ralph Kruse, Jr., DC, ’90, DIANM

Dr. Kruse is a 1990 graduate of National University where he initially studied Flexion-Distraction Manipulation. He subsequently earned his certification in Cox® Technic, Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedics and became a Fellow of the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists. Dr. Kruse practiced in Chicago and south suburban Homewood, Illinois for 28 years treating a substantial number of patients with cervical and lumbar disc pathology.

He has been actively involved as a research clinician since 1993 when the Biomechanics of Low Back Flexion Distraction Therapy study was performed at NUHS. Since that time, Dr. Kruse has been involved in the Cervical Cox® Decompression study at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois, and on-going post-surgical spine treatment studies.

Dr. Kruse has published numerous studies documenting the clinical efficacy of Cox® Technic for the treatment of degenerative disc disease, stenosis, disc herniations, radiculopathy and pregnancy-related back pain. As an instructor of Cox® Technic, he has traveled the United States presenting certification courses and has lectured to various state Chiropractic associations and the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists. Dr. Kruse has also had the honor of lecturing for the Chiropractor’s Association of Saskatchewan in Canada, and the Swiss Chiropractic Academy in Switzerland.

He is now a full-time faculty member/researcher at Keiser University – College of Chiropractic Medicine in West Palm Beach, Florida. Dr. Kruse instructs regional seminars, state association presentations upon request, and instructs/assists at Part I, II, III, IV and Honors courses.

Dr. Kurt Olding headshot

Kurt Olding, DC, ’84, DIANM, PSP

Dr. Kurt Olding is a 1984 graduate of National University of Health Sciences. After attending a Part 1 Course taught by Dr. Cox, he attended additional courses to more fully and properly perform the exam and treatment protocols.

Over the years, he has presented cases at Cox® Technic many times, sharing his experiences with spinal pain relief and flexion distraction. Dr. Olding is a robust supporter of chiropractic flexion distraction research, and generous alumni supporter of NUHS. In 2013, Dr. Olding, along with Don Wisner, president of Haven Innovation, Inc., the manufacturer of the Cox8 Table, donated a Cox8 Table to NUHS.

Dr. Olding holds an orthopedics diplomate with the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists, and practices in Minster, Ohio, with his daughter and son-in-law, Drs. Sunni and Tyler Lomnicki and nephew, Dr. Peter Falk. Most recently, he presented Part I lumbar and Part III cervical spine and hands-on practice for the Swiss Chiropractic Academy in Bern, Switzerland, as well as Parts I/II in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Today, Dr. Olding continues to collect clinical data from his office on balance and the effects of Cox® Technic treatment. He also instructs regional seminars, state association presentations and offers his hands-on workshop at his office in Minster, Ohio. Additionally, he instructs and assists for Parts I, II, III, IV and Honors courses.

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