In our continued series on the benefits of chiropractic care, we’re covering an important study that found that chiropractic care can help you relax.

According to a study published in 1987, 20 subjects received a chiropractic adjustment. The subjects’ backs were checked for hypomobility held by the erector spinae muscle group–basically, they were examined to see if their back muscles were tight around the spine. The subjects were then given a chiropractic adjustment, after which their muscle tension was measured.

The study showed a reduction in muscle tension by an average of 25 percent. This was in comparison to the control group of 14 people, who did not receive an adjustment and showed zero reduction in muscle tension in the same muscles of the back.