Hello!

In life, Dr. Cox's passion for all things spine was felt by all who encountered him. In his passing, his passion continues on through the certified chiropractic colleagues, researchers and patients who seek local chiropractors who "treat like Dr. X does back home..." His goal was to produce translational research regarding the most gentle, effective means to alleviate spine-related pain. He loved to share what he learned with colleagues whom he knew would go on to help back and neck pain sufferers. His passion continues pulsing through his team and through all those he had the honor of studying with. More about him from his memoriam...

  With heavy hearts at the loss of a cherished husband, father, brother, chiropractic mind, leader, colleague, and friend, the team of Cox® Technic announces the passing of Dr. James M. Cox on March 3, 2025. Born on September 11, 1940, Dr. Cox spent his life in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana, less the years he spent at the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago, Illinois, and his wife, Judi, worked at a bank and he at Postle’s Health Club for a while to pay his way through school. A graduate of and valedictorian of his class at NCC in 1963, he embraced and forever was grateful for the tutelage of mentors there like Dr. Joseph Janse, whom he has referred to as “the greatest chiropractor of our time,” Dr. Floyd Blackmore, DO, DC, who shared some gentle osteopathic technique for painful spines that Dr. Cox didn’t fully appreciate until later when his stepfather, John C Rodman DC DO, introduced the work of John McManis DO in the book by Alan Stoddard DO. That information changed his professional life as it sparked his interest in what developed into and what today is known as and practiced by nearly 64% of his chiropractic colleagues, Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction Decompression.

As a chiropractic speaker, Dr. Cox has been a proud member of the post-graduate faculty of his alma mater, National University of Health Sciences. With post-graduate director colleagues Dr. Paul Jaskoviak, Dr. Bill Waln, Dr. Dana Lawrence, Dr. Jonathan Soltys, and today, Dr. Jenna Glenn. In his career, he has spoken at nearly every chiropractic school and state association in the US as well as several internationally. One of the highlights of presentations was when he and his colleague, Terry Yochum DC DACBR, presented together at the Challenge of the Lumbar Spine where they presented chiropractic to the medical conference for the first time in 1982 then in 1986. The 1989 presentation for the American Back Society was another exciting talk for him. Internationally, he was honored to speak for the Japanese Chiropractic Association, Danish Chiropractic Association, Swiss Chiropractic Academy, European Chiropractic Union, Collegio de Profesionistas Cientifico Quiropracticos de Mexico, IFEC Chiropractic University (Paris), the 9th Interdisciplinary World Congress on Low Back and Pelvic Girdle Pain in Singapore, and most recently the International Consortium on Manual Therapy (hosted by AT Still/University). Further, sharing knowledge annually as an invited presenter and attendee with his fellow chiropractic radiologists throughout his whole career warmed his heart. Being so welcomed to present the examination, diagnosis, and treatment with chiropractic orthopedists (ACCO, IANM, ACO) humbled him. He often donated honoraria to chiropractic research funds in certain years. The Cox® Technic instruction team will continue leading courses as they have been for years: Dean Greenwood DC DIANM, Lee Hazen DC, George Joachim DC DABCR, Ralph Kruse DC DIANM, and Kurt Olding DC DIANM PSP with Kelly Brinkman DC, Joel Dixon DC, Robert Patterson DC, Mike Poulin DC, and Ted Siciliano DC.

As an author, Dr. Cox started writing at the urging of Joseph Howe DC DACBR, his mentor in chiropractic radiology, with whom he’d shared his care of back pain patients with his “new” approach in the 1960’s. Dr. Cox found that sharing his clinical findings in peer-reviewed journals helped him share with his colleagues his methods and outcomes. Eventually, he started writing his “Low Back Pain: Mechanism, Diagnosis, Treatment” textbook through 3 editions privately published when Lippincott Williams and Wilkins (today’s Wolter Kluwers Health) invited him to write for them. His 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th editions were written for LWW/WK. He donated all author royalties to chiropractic research at National, Palmer, and currently Keiser University College of Chiropractic Medicine. His “Neck, Shoulder and Arm Pain: Mechanism, Diagnosis, Treatment” textbook is in its 4th edition and privately published. For his beloved patients and his Cox® Technic colleagues, he wrote patient booklets on spinal conditions to help them understand their issues and brochures to give hope in the care they were receiving, all based on research and science. He recently completed a second draft of a book for the patient that is in the hands of his editor. We will follow the course for its publication in the future. His desire to make sure there was science behind chiropractic care became a passion.

As a clinician researcher, he wanted to document everything he could. He first documented clinical cases, then case series, then fought years to attain major funding to do more major studies when finally in the early 1990’s with Ram Gudavalli PhD, federal funding from HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) was granted to NUHS and its partner Loyola Stritch School of Medicine/Hines VA and AG Patwardhan MD. Two studies were done with HRSA/NUHS, and a third was funded via NIH (National Institute of Health) with Palmer Research with its partner, Loyola Stritch/Hines VA. These studies were pinnacles of his life’s desire for research: funds to do the big studies. Even in his later days, he searched for a repository for funds to continue research and documentation of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management and its protocols to which he devoted his professional life and daily published research study, forwarding new papers to colleagues for their files. His dream: to continue the research, document outcomes, and ultimately help ease human suffering due to spine-related disease. Currently, a central hub of research and publication continues at the Keiser University College of Chiropractic Medicine where the Cox® Fund supports the cause and Ram Gudavalli PhD and Ralph Kruse DC DIANM lead.

As a chiropractic table designer, not a role he ever planned but one that evolved, he worked with various engineers and manufacturers: Barnes in 1970’s/1980’s, Williams Healthcare/Zenith in 1980’s/1990’s, XY Tool & Die/Distraction Enterprises 2000’s, Track Corporation 2000’s, and Haven Innovation 2010s to present. He held a couple patents for various parts of the “instruments” (which he insisted the tables be called!) designed.

As a chiropractic advocate through turbulent times, Dr. Cox sat on the board (NINDS conference) that fought to and determined how chiropractic would be included in Medicare and more locally was president of the Indiana State Chiropractic Association for 8 years and its legislative chairman for 24 years, years in which the medical board held out that chiropractors couldn’t diagnose. He with several colleagues and trusted legal advisor, Edward Treacy, were able to fight years with injunctions and eventually get a bill passed allowing Indiana chiropractors to diagnose and thereby practice.

As a hometown chiropractor which he loved especially hearing stories of families, farms and cows, jokes, and more, he was the second generation of today’s Cox® Chiropractic Medicine joining/following his step-father, John C Rodman DC DO and being followed by his son, James M. Cox II DC LAc, whose wife, Karen Cox Pharm.D., IFMCP, BC-ADM, CDCES, focuses her practice on functional medicine. Through the years, he welcomed and was honored to have associates/residents join him: Joe Nussbaum DC, Kathleen Fromelt DC, Donald Aspegren DC, and Lee Hazen DC.

As a student, he graduated from South Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, completed pre-chiropractic studies at Purdue University, attained a B.A. from Lewis University Chicago, achieved his doctor of chiropractic from the National College of Chiropractic, and furthered his education by completing his Diplomate in the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology. The chiropractic profession honored him many times in his career, notably the FICC (fellow of the International College of Chiropractors), the DIANM(H) (honorary Diplomate of the International Academy of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine), and the HonDLitt (Honorary Doctor of Letters) from the National University of Health Sciences. To him, education and learning every day were vital. He woke up every day to his PubMed search of the past day’s new spine pain published papers. One of his favorite quotes: “If it isn’t published, it didn’t happen.” And one of his favorite books that he shared with his own kids (even as young as 6 or 8 years old!) was Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich.” He emphasized that one thing no one can take away is one’s educated mind.

As a human, he was passionate about supporting families and children and occasionally allowing himself some time to enjoy a few hobbies. He and his friend, Byron Braun, established the Fort Wayne Children’s Foundation for the care and protection of abused children (and George Joachim DC DABCR joined the board). He and his Knights of Columbus helped set up and maintain A Mother’s Hope for unwed, homeless mothers. Through he and his wife’s, Judi’s, family foundation, The J Cox Family Foundation, he supported Vincent Village, Community Harvest Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. Vincent de Paul Church, the YWCA Bonnie’s House/Women’s Shelter, Gigi’s Playhouse, St. Joseph Missions, among others. In his spare time, he would enjoy seeing his grandchildren do their various activities, fishing in his pond at his barn or in Winnipeg Canada with his sons/grandsons/friends, woodworking making pens and bowls and cutting boards, mowing his 3 acres with his Kubota tractor, and feeling the love of all the cow pictures and memorabilia everyone gave him who knew his love of them.

As a family man, he was the husband for 62 years of Judith A (Egts) Cox who drew him to her for her faith in God and inspired him to become Catholic, father of Julie Cox-Cid of Fort Wayne, IN, Jill (Keith) Miller of Liberty Township, OH, James M (Karen) Cox II of Fort Wayne, IN, and Jason Cox of Mooresville NC, and grandfather of 8 grandchildren, Alex Harris, Emily Harris, Michael Cid, Evan Cox, Chloe Harris, Morgan Cox, Mac Cox, and Audrey Cox., the son of the late Lloyd Cox and Ruth (Shively) (Cox) (John C) Rodman, and brother of Patty Lou (Cox) Liggett.

For more information on his professional publications, presentations, webinars, textbooks, videos, etc., please visit https://www.coxtechnic.com/doctors/list-of-articles.

For funeral arrangement details, click here.  Livestream link.  

local donations: Fort Wayne Community Harvest Food Bank and St. Vincent de Paul Society

chiropractic donations: Cox® Fund at Keiser  

Dr. Albano graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, Missouri, in May 2000 and is a member of the Canadian Chiropractic Association and Ontario Chiropractic Association. He received his Bachelors of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Windsor. In Cox® Technic, Dr. Albano brings his enthusiasm for its research and protocols and has taken it upon himself to notice how F/D principles can be adapted to help knee and hip pain patients, published a couple papers (1) (2) on his experience with these patients and is now working with the University of Windsor to collect official data in an IRB-approved study of flexion-distraction for knee pain. (He's also venturing into shoulder treatment, too.)  A whole new direction that patients and Cox® Technic doctors are excited about!

offers his hands-on workshops at his practice in Windsor, Ontario, Canada 

Dr. Marc Baker is a 1998 graduate of Mount Allison University with a Bachelor of Science degree. In 2002 he graduated with his Chiropractic Doctorate from New York Chiropractic College. He also completed a Post-Doctoral Rehabilitation Specialty and has been granted Rehabilitation Fellow status from the Chiropractic College of Rehabilitation Sciences. In addition, Dr. Baker has completed 300 hours in Medical Acupuncture Training. Dr. Baker is the only Chiropractor actively certified in Cox® Flexion Distraction in the Maritimes and was certified in 2007. He has presented case reports of his clinical outcomes at Dr. Cox's Part III course.

offers his Hands-on workshop at his offices in Musquodoboit Harbour & Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada - 4 hrs CE approved for NS

Dr. Corbin is a long-time certified Cox® Technic chiropractic physician practicing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has 20+ years experience in treating spine pain conditions and holds certifications in dry needling, manipulation under anesthesia, CCSP Chiropractic Sports Physician, whiplash biomechanics and injury traumatology, and 250 hours toward his diplomate in nutrition. He is board certified to practice in Louisiana. He's presented multiple cases at many Cox® Honors Courses, too.

offers hands-on workshops in his office in Baton Rouge, LA       

 Dr. Dixon graduated from RMIT School of Chiropractic (Australia) in 1986. He has specialized in disc decompression therapies for the last 17 years and became certified in Cox® flexion distraction in 2004. Dr. Dixon has successfully treated patients with varying degrees of spinal disc pathology requiring non-surgical, conservative care. He has cared for athletes from a range of Australian organizations including the AFL club, Sydney Swans (1980-1981) and the NBL club, South Dragons (2006-2009). He also has had an extensive background in obstetrical spinal disorders and has been registered at two private hospitals providing in-house spinal therapy from 1986-1997 and was an RMIT Chiropractic Faculty Panel examiner from 1987-1988. He is part of the Cox® Technic workshop team.

offers his workshops at his private office in Malvern, Victoria, Australia 

Dr. Greenwood is in private practice in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia and focuses primarily on the management of herniated disc, spinal stenosis and other challenging cases of spine pain and disability.  He is a1981 graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic, a board certified Chiropractic Orthopedist, and a certified Cox® Technic practitioner. He completed his Masters of Advanced Clinical Practice program at National University of Health Sciences in 2012. He published a peer-reviewed journal article in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine about his success with Cox® Technic in managing post surgical back pain, and has written several case reports published on the Cox Technic website.

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

our lead researcher

Dr. Gudavalli is the principal investigator of flexion distraction (aka Cox® Technic, MCD [manual cervical distraction], LVLA [low velocity low amplitude]) research projects. Since 1991 when he and Dr. Cox met at the National College of Chiropractic (now the National University of Health Sciences), they have worked together toward the science and research basis of flexion distraction, the biomechanical and clinical outcomes. Dr. Gudavalli is currently the Chief researcher at Keiser University - West Palm Beach. His collaborations have included work at Palmer Research Center, Loyola Stritch School of Medicine, Hines VA Hospital, University of Illinois-Chicago, University of Iowa, Illinois Institute of Technology and others.

His presentations at Cox® Seminar courses are always well anticipated as he updates the progress of the current projects and the planning of future projects.

Hand-selected out of chiropractic school to be a resident with Cox® Technic’s innovator, James M. Cox, DC, DACBR, Dr. Hazen is one of only a few residents Dr. Cox trained personally. As a resident, Dr. Hazen learned Cox® Technic, 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. Upon completion of his two year residency, Dr. Hazen was invited to stay as associate and then partner until his return to his home state of California in 1998. Cox® Technic with its related protocol is the way Dr. Hazen started practice and continues to practice today. During his time with Dr. Cox, Dr. Hazen taught as an assistant instructor and then lead instructor for hands-on workshops held in southern California when he returned there. He will now be lead instructor of the Cox® Technic Part 1 Certification Courses. He is excited about the opportunity to share his experience with his colleagues.

offers his Hands-on workshop at his office in Temecula, CA - 4 hrs CE approved for CA. He also instructs west coast regional seminars as well as team teaches Parts I, II, III, IV and Honors.

Dr. Joachim graduated from the National University of Health Sciences in 1996. While there, he was an instrumental research assistant in the first federally funded study “The Biomechanics of Flexion Distraction Adjusting.” He maintains certifications from NUHS in Cox® Technic, LACC in Chiropractic Rehabilitation and Parker College in Permanent Impairment Ratio. He has also participated in training with the McKenzie Institute (Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy of the Lumbar Spine, March 1996). He is also a Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board. He maintains private practice in Fort Wayne, IN, 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 has also trained for the Olympic US Bobsled Team (1998 trials) and the Outdoor Pentathalon (2000) as the USA Track and Field Masters National Champion. He is excited to be part of the teaching team of Cox® Technic.

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

Dr. Ralph Kruse is a 1990 graduate of National University of Health Sciences 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 for 28 years treating a substantial number of patients with cervical and lumbar disc pathology. Dr. Kruse has been actively involved as a research clinician since 1993 when the Biomechanics of Low Back Flexion Distraction Therapy study was performed at NUHS. He has since been involved in the Cervical Cox® Decompression study at Loyola University Medical Center and on-going post-surgical spine treatment studies. 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 Cox® certification courses, and has lectured to various state Chiropractic associations and the Academy of Chiropractic Orthopedists. Kruse has also had the honor of lecturing for the Chiropractor’s Association of Saskatchewan in Canada and the Swiss Chiropractic Academy in Switzerland. 

Dr. Kruse is now a full-time faculty member at Keiser University - College of Chiropractic Medicine in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

He instructs regional seminars, state association presentations upon request, and instructs/assists at Part I, II, III, IV and Honors courses. 

Dr. Olding is a long-time certified Cox® Technic practitioner who has presented cases at Cox® Technic courses many times, sharing his experiences with spine pain relief and flexion distraction. A generous supporter of chiropractic flexion distraction research, Dr. Olding is pleased to now have the opportunity to share his time and clinical application with chiropractic colleagues interested in getting the most out of their chiropractic treatment plans involving the Cox®Technic protocols. He is 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. (Check out his webinar on thoracic disc herniation, too!) He is doing a clinical data collection in his office on balance and the effects of Cox® Technic treatment, too. 

instructs regional seminars, state association presentations upon request, offers his Hands-on workshop at his office in Minster, OH, and instructs/assists Parts I, II, III, IV, and Honors courses 

 For 33 years, Dr. Patterson has maintained a private chiropractic practice in Overland Park. A Cum Laude graduate from Cleveland Chiropractic College in 1988, he is now an adjunct instructor at his alma mater in Cox® Flexion Distraction technique. In 1998, Dr. Patterson was one of the first to be COX® certified in Kansas. He is one of only four actively lumbar spine certified in the state of Kansas. He is the only Cox® certified cervical doctor in Kansas. 

offers Hands-on workshops at his office in Overland Park, KS 

 Dr. Poulin has followed Cox® Technic and its research and protocols for many years. Dr. Poulin is a certified Cox® Technic practitioner in busy eastern Virginia, near Washington DC. His passion for gentle, non-surgical chiropractic care for his patients pushes him to produce the best results possible for his patients and  excites him to get to share the system of Cox® Technic with his colleagues.

offers his Hands-on workshop at his office in Herndon, VA

Dr. Ted Siciliano is a long-time certified Cox® Technic practitioner who attends courses regularly to keep up on all the latest in research, biomechanics, and application of Cox® Technic protocols. He has written several case reports for the monthly Cox® Technic Case Report publication and shares cases at Cox® Seminars on a regular basis. He uses the Cox8 Force Table at his office. He looks forward to sharing his practical, hands-on workshop with his colleagues.

He recently published a paper on the forces delivered and measured throughout a Cox® Technic treatment:  Siciliano TB, Gudavalli MR, Kruse R. Spinal manipulation and mobilization forces delivered treating sciatica: a case report. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 07 July 2024; 18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1356564 

 offers his Hands-on workshop at his office in Mayetta, NJ - 4 hrs CE approved for NJ