For more than 30 years, Dr. Marc Heller has studied and treated the spine with a manual practitioner's perspective. He has a special interest in back pain. In his writing and teaching, he focuses on the interplay between joint hypermobility and joint restriction. He emphasizes and uses low-force mobilization methods including muscle energy, counterstrain, and other lower force techniques.
Dr. Heller also uses many soft-tissue approaches including Graston Technique and Stecco's Fascial Manipulation, as well as various myofascial release methods. He has studied and incorporated international rehabilitation principles including the work of Dr. Vladimir Janda and Dr. Craig Liebenson, as well as physical therapists Mark Comerford and Mark Bookhout, into his practice.
His passion is synthesis, bringing a broad understanding of what is the essential message within different manual and rehab techniques. He is dedicated to continuous learning, from classes, from reading, from paying attention to difficult cases in practice. He teaches seminars throughout the U.S. regarding back pain, how to assess it and how to treat the common patterns that cause pain. He also has written on a variety of topics emphasizing low-force manipulation, rehabilitation, and soft-tissue methods.
Dr. Heller is a 1979 cum laude graduate of National College of Chiropractic, (NUHS). He has a private practice in Ashland, Ore.
For more information, contact Dr. Heller at mheller@marchellerdc.com or visit his seminar Web site www.learnlowforce.com or his informational site www.marchellerdc.com.
Previous Articles
The Lower Back Patient: Converging on a Diagnosis
December 1, 2021 (Vol. 39, Issue 12)
Low Back Exam & Diagnosis: A Palpation-Based Protocol
September 1, 2021 (Vol. 39, Issue 09)
Lower Back Pain: Clinical Gems From Dr. Phillip Snell
July 1, 2021 (Vol. 39, Issue 07)
The Perils of Demoting Hands-on Assessment
March 1, 2021 (Vol. 39, Issue 03)
Are Lumbar Disc Pain and Maigne Syndrome Opposites or Connected?
November 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 11)
Gluteus Medius: Unilateral Frontal-Plane Dysfunction
September 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 09)
Muscles Move Bones: Two Views of Muscle Weakness
May 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 05)
Working With Pain: Best-Practice Principles
March 1, 2020 (Vol. 38, Issue 03)
SI Instability - or Something Else?
December 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 12)
Evaluating Hip Pain Isn't Always as Easy as You Think
July 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 07)
Pain in the Butt and Lateral Thigh: Pt. 2 - A Case Report
April 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 04)
Pain in the Butt (Pt. 1)
February 1, 2019 (Vol. 37, Issue 02)
Bad for the Back! Exercises That Can Prevent Healing
December 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 12)
Neck Pain: Activation Exercises
September 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 09)
Missed Causes of LBP: It's the Syndrome, Not the Subluxation
July 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 07)
Thoracic Pain: Tough Cases (Pt. 2)
May 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 05)
Thoracic Pain: Tough Cases (Pt. 1)
April 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 04)
The Anterior Lower Neck: 3 Patterns of Dysfunction
January 1, 2018 (Vol. 36, Issue 01)
More Solutions for TL Fixations & Nerve Irritation
November 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 11)
What's Causing That LBP? Facets vs. Discs vs. the SI Joint
August 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 08)
It's Time to Take the Sting Out of Lumbar Facet Pain
July 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 07)
Treating the Lower Pelvis (Pt. 2): Midline Structures and Fascia
March 1, 2017 (Vol. 35, Issue 03)
Don't Ignore the Lower Half of the Pelvis (Part 1)
October 1, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 16)
Treating Hip & Groin Pain With Abdominal Release of Upper Lumbar Nerve Impingements
June 15, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 12)
How to Find and Fix TL Nerve Impingements
April 15, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 08)
Treating Pain: The Hypermobile Coccyx
February 1, 2016 (Vol. 34, Issue 03)
Everything You Know About Adjusting the Low Back Is Wrong
December 15, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 24)
How to Become a Wizard in a World Run by Muggles
October 15, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 20)
Sacroiliac Pain: A Complex Puzzle
July 15, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 14)
Functional Impingement of the Hip (Part 2): Rehab Exercises
May 1, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 09)
Functional Hip Impingement (Part 1)
April 15, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 08)
Adjusting the Occiput on the Atlas
March 1, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 05)
The McGill Approach to the Lower Back (Part 2)
January 1, 2015 (Vol. 33, Issue 01)
The McGill Approach to the Lower Back (Part 1)
December 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 24)
A Commonly Missed Spinal Fixation: The Upper Lumbar Spine (Part 2)
November 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 21)
A Commonly Missed Spinal Fixation: The Upper Lumbar Spine (Part 1)
October 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 20)
The Art of Day-to-Day Assessment and Treatment: Clinical Pearls
September 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 17)
Medial Knee Pain: 11 Potential Causes (and Corrections)
July 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 14)
Assessing and Treating Peripheral Sensory Nerves
June 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 11)
Flexion-Intolerant Lower Back Pain (Pt. 3): Mobilization & Soft-Tissue Treatment
April 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 08)
Flexion-Intolerant Lower Back Pain (Part 2): Exercise Rehab
March 1, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 05)
Flexion-Intolerant Lower Back Pain (Part 1): Diagnosis
January 15, 2014 (Vol. 32, Issue 02)
How to Enhance Exercise Rehab With Manipulation and Soft-Tissue Therapy
December 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 24)
How Upper-Trap Weakness Contributes to Neck Pain, Nerve Root Pain and Shoulder Impingement
November 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 21)
Piriformis Syndrome: Myth, Misdiagnosis or Just Rare? (Part 2)
September 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 18)
Piriformis Syndrome: Myth, Misdiagnosis or Just Rare?
August 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 15)
Practicing Based on the Evidence
June 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 12)
Principles of Visceral Manipulation
April 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 08)
Basic Rehab: One-Leg Standing
March 1, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 05)
Fascial Work for Chronic Neck Pain
January 15, 2013 (Vol. 31, Issue 02)
Stop Stretching - or at Least Stop Stretching the Lower Back Into Flexion and Rotation
December 2, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 25)
Thoughts on Technique and Diagnosis
October 21, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 22)
A New Way to Strengthen the Core and Relieve Low Back Pain
September 23, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 20)
More Low Back Explorations: Disc vs. Facet vs. Sacroiliac
July 29, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 16)
Changing Inhibition Patterns: Breaking the Pain - Inhibition - Instability Cycle
June 17, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 13)
How to Treat Chronic Lower Back Pain Using the Joint-by-Joint Model
May 6, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 10)
Low Back Pain: Global Patterns
March 12, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 06)
How Piriformis Weakness Contributes to Sacroiliac Pain, Sciatica and Hip Dysfunction
January 15, 2012 (Vol. 30, Issue 02)
Peripheral Sensory Nerves: A Treatable Source of Pain?
December 16, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 26)
Thoracolumbar Junction or Superior Cluneal Nerve Entrapment Syndrome
November 4, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 23)
When the Adjustment Won't Hold: Taking an Integrative Approach
September 9, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 19)
Fascial Manipulation
July 29, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 16)
What Is Low-Force Chiropractic? Palpation, Adjusting and Soft-Tissue Applications
July 1, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 14)
Soft (and Not-So-Soft)-Tissue Overview
April 9, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 08)
Still More on the Sacroiliac: Basic Principles and Two More Sacral Lesions
February 26, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 05)
Review of the 7th Interdisciplinary World Congress on Low Back and Neck Pain
January 15, 2011 (Vol. 29, Issue 02)
The Sacral Side of the SI Joint: Correcting Anterior and Posterior Torsions
December 16, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 26)
Sacroiliac Mobilization, Part 1: Assessing for Fixation and Correcting Iliosacral Joints
November 4, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 23)
Pain: The Enemy of Function
September 23, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 20)
A Seated Exercise for Daily Decompression
August 12, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 17)
An Effective, Minimally Invasive Way to Treat Chronic Lumbar Pain
July 1, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 14)
Lower Back Rehab Overview
May 20, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 11)
Low-Back Self-Care, Part 1: Finding the Reset Button
April 22, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 09)
The Coccyx Revisited: External and Internal Exam Correction Procedures
February 26, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 05)
Marc's Most Missed Clinical Findings for the Lower Back
January 15, 2010 (Vol. 28, Issue 02)
Thoracic Spine: Solving Difficult Cases by Thinking Outside the Box
December 16, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 26)
Common Clinical Patterns in the Middle and Lower Cervical Spine
October 21, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 22)
The Culture of Sports Chiropractic
September 23, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 20)
The Internally Rotating Hip
July 29, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 16)
Extraordinary Knowing: Intuition as a Diagnostic and Treatment Tool
June 17, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 13)
Stabilizing the Pelvis With Exercise
March 26, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 07)
A More Complete Chiropractic Model
February 12, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 04)
Anterior Femoral Glide Syndrome
January 1, 2009 (Vol. 27, Issue 01)
Local Stabilizer Rehabilitation: Myths and Understandings
December 2, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 25)
Global Stabilizers for the Lower Back
October 21, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 22)
Core Stability Principles
September 9, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 19)
The Risks and Rewards of the Doctor-Patient Relationship
July 29, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 16)
Manual Therapy for the Sciatic Nerve
June 17, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 13)
Correcting Sciatic Nerve Tension
May 6, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 10)
Understanding and Diagnosis of Nerve-Related Pain
March 25, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 07)
The Common Sense Chiropractor
February 12, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 04)
Sitting Side-Bending Intercostal Mobilization Releasing the Rib Cage and Intercostals
January 15, 2008 (Vol. 26, Issue 02)
Why Fusions Fail and Other Insights From the First Fascial Research Congress
December 3, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 25)
A Tough Cervical Spine Case
October 22, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 22)
Muscle Energy: Adjusting the Spine
September 10, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 19)
The Anterior Rib Cage
July 30, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 16)
The Hip and Groin: Focusing on the Myofascial Component
June 18, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 13)
The Hip Joint: Myofascial and Joint Patterns
May 7, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 10)
Cervical Radiculopathy: A Documented Chiropractic Clinical Approach
March 26, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 07)
Cervical Spine Injuries: Treat the Damaged Ligaments
February 12, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 04)
Decompression: Myths and Models
January 1, 2007 (Vol. 25, Issue 01)
Lower Back Evaluation Protocol; Finding the Sources of Back Pain
November 21, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 24)
Sacroiliac Instability: An Overview
October 12, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 21)
Changing the Mythology of Back Pain
June 6, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 12)
Discogenic Pain Assessment Update
April 24, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 09)
Assessing Core Stability: Basic Evaluation, Basic Exercises
March 12, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 06)
Secrets of the Chiropractic Masters
January 29, 2006 (Vol. 24, Issue 03)
Sacroiliac Joint Correction - A Different Model
December 17, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 26)
Pain-Relief Exercise: The Lower Back
November 7, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 23)
Clinical Decision-Making: Enhancing the Art of Chiropractic
September 27, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 20)
Differentiating Sources of Low Back Pain: Palpation Tools
August 14, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 17)
Sacroiliac Revisited: The Importance of Ligamentous Integrity
July 2, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 14)
Chronic Sequelae of Ankle Sprains
May 21, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 11)
The Tibia and Femur: Long-Bone Intraosseous Restrictions
April 9, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 08)
The Evolution of Chiropractic
January 15, 2005 (Vol. 23, Issue 02)
Abnormal Scars as a Cause of Myofascial Pain
November 30, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 25)
The Hip Joint - Another Perspective: Intraosseous Restrictions of the Neck of the Femur
October 21, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 22)
The Hip Joint
September 13, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 19)
Neuromodulation Technique: Access, Assess, Modulate
June 17, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 13)
Core Principles
May 6, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 10)
The Coccyx
February 12, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 04)
The Lumbosacral Dura and Sciatic Nerve Tension: Treatable Components of Discogenic Pain
January 15, 2004 (Vol. 22, Issue 02)
Marc's Most Missed: Anterior Lower Cervical Syndrome
May 3, 1999 (Vol. 17, Issue 10)
Find It, Fix It, Retrain It, or Release, Relax, Retrain
February 8, 1999 (Vol. 17, Issue 04)
The Upper Cervical Spine -The Occiput
December 14, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 26)
Intraosseous Restrictions
November 5, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 23)
Soft Tissue, Fascia and the Adjustment
October 8, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 21)
Prioritization tools - Finding the Primary Subluxation
September 12, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 19)
Framework: Low-Force Manual Adjusting
September 1, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 18)
Framework: Low-Force Manual Adjusting
July 30, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 16)
Advantages to the Palpation-Based Approach
July 2, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 14)
Framework: Low Force Manual Adjusting
June 4, 2001 (Vol. 19, Issue 12)
Tensegrity Models
December 16, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 26)
Subluxation and Muscle Patterns for the Lower Thoracics
November 4, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 23)
The Upper Thoracic Spine and Posterior Ribs
September 24, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 20)
The Thorax - Anterior and Lateral Chest Wall
August 16, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 17)
Cervical Muscles and Postural Balance
July 1, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 14)
Anterior Cervical Syndrome - Fascial Restrictions
May 20, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 11)
Anterior Lower Cervical Syndrome: The Subluxation
April 8, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 08)
C1-C2
February 25, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 05)
The Dura Mater and the Spinal Cord
January 14, 2002 (Vol. 20, Issue 02)
Discogenic Pain: Inflammation and Exercise
November 17, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 24)
Correction of Discogenic Pain and Midline Tenderness
October 6, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 21)
Discogenic Pain - Diagnosis and Treatment
September 1, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 18)
The Sacrum
July 14, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 15)
"Strain-CounterStrain"
June 2, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 12)
Ilio-Sacral Diagnosis and Treatment, Part Three: Gluteus Medius, Piriformis and Pubic Symphysis - Positional Release and Rehabilitation Exercises
April 21, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 09)
Ilio-Sacral Diagnosis and Treatment, Part Two
March 10, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 06)
Ilio-Sacral Diagnosis and Treatment, Part One
January 27, 2003 (Vol. 21, Issue 03)
