ABOUT

MEASURE

Life is too short to do something that doesn't bring you joy.

ANALYZE

We are all perfectly imperfect beings and shouldn't be afraid to show our flaws.

CORRECT

You are in control of your thoughts, actions, and destiny.

WHAT IS PRS?

The Pierce Results System, (formerly known as Pierce/Stillwagon, or PST) was developed by Dr. Walter Vernon Pierce Sr. It is a biomechanical analysis of spine kinematics (or spinal motion), utilizing “stress views” of the spine (flexion, extension, rotation, and/or lateral bending views where required) or videofluoroscopy (VF, or “moving x-ray” studies) to determine the loss of spinal function, which is at the core of the “vertebral subluxation complex”.

This system evolved from the earlier Pierce-Stillwagon technique (PST), which itself evolved from a core of chiropractic techniques, including Palmer HIO (Upper Cervical or Toggle Recoil Technique), Thompson, Logan Basic, and the Reaver system, with their reliance upon palpation, leg checks, and “pattern analysis” utilizing thermocouple (thermographic) instrumentation.

THE LEGACY

As technology continues to advance and the ability to analyze the spine continues to evolve, the Pierce Results System still stands as the gold standard of analysis. Because it is an analysis system and not a technique, those that practice have the ability to collaborate and innovate in order to facilitate the best results for their patients. To honor the legacy of those that came before and educate those that will follow.

WALTER "VERN" PIERCE, D.C.

Walter “Vern” Pierce, D.C., graduated began practicing in 1955. Over the next five decades, he dedicated his life to finding a better way to get results for his patients, leading him to develop new methods, techniques and equipment that changed the way thousands of chiropractors analyzed and adjusted their patients.

Dr. Pierce's Legacy

As technology continues to advance and the ability to analyze the spine continues to evolve, the Pierce Results System still stands as the gold standard of analysis and spinal subluxation correction.

Because it is an analysis system and not a technique, our practitioners routinely collaborate and innovate in order to deliver the best results for their patients.

Many of our doctors use PRS as their spinal care foundation – adding it to other methods that fit their unique style.

To honor the legacy of those that came before and educate those that will follow we are always strive to innovate the work to best serve our patients and our profession.

Finding a Better Way

“When my dad got out of chiropractic school, he was strictly upper cervical, then he learned Logan Basic at a seminar,” explained Dr. Pierce. “He took care of a little boy who was very sick. My dad adjusted his atlas then he adjusted his axis, but he was still sick. He didn’t know what else to do, so he tried the Logan basic and the kid calmed down.”

“Chiropractic just wasn’t his profession, it was his life. He strived to find better, efficient ways to locate the subluxation and the correction of the subluxation,” Pierce added.

Using his interest in the human body, he continued to evolve his chiropractic technique to help his patients. Pierce went on to explain that his father realized that when somebody had a total reversal of the curve and he would adjust their C5, he would get fantastic changes almost immediately on some people. On other people he wouldn’t get the fantastic changes. “He started studying the spine in motion and he discovered that C5 is not always the problem, sometimes it may be C4, C6 or other problems in the cervical spine,” described Pierce. He worked with a company to develop motion X-rays where he would gather a set of 40 views in order to see the patient’s spine in motion—it was known as videoflouroscopy.

“He was adamant that he did not have a technique, he had a system,” said Dr. Robert Keeler, who worked with Pierce for over 10 years. “It was a results system. He incorporated a lot of insight from different chiropractors and difference sources, but his coordinating it all into a system had to do with the reasoning and rationale for his rhyme and reason of knowing when to adjust and when not to adjust. He always knew what he was doing when he would adjust somebody. If there was any doubt, he waited. That is why he always got the results that he did.”

The Humanitarian and Educator

“Dr. Pierce sent me to chiropractic school,” said Keeler. After learning that his own chiropractor had not arranged his admission into Palmer as he promised, Keeler went to see another local chiropractor, Dr. Pierce, who was a stranger, to ask for help. Upon hearing his story, he immediately contacted the admission director at Palmer but could not secure his admission. Instead, he arranged for his enrollment into Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic.
After graduating, Keeler practiced about 45 minutes away from Dr. Pierce’s office, but he spent every Tuesday afternoon to work with him on different projects.

“On a professional level, Dr. Pierce was uncompromising, brilliant and existing on a different intellectual plane,” described Jeffrey Hunt, D.C., another Pennsylvania chiropractor who was greatly influenced by Pierce. “His objective was not centered around himself or the promotion of his system, but rather the greater good of the patient.” “Other chiropractors used to complain that his technique was always changing. Yes it changed. Because it developed,” said Pierce. “He would always tell me, if you have a rhyme or reason for doing something, you never get yourself in trouble, you have to have a reason for doing it. What drove him was getting sick people well—results.”