Warren Hammer, DC, MS, DABCO, whose career helped advance the assessment and treatment of soft-tissue disorders within chiropractic, died July 1, 2026, at his home in Westport, Conn. He was 92.
For chiropractors practicing today, Dr. Hammer’s legacy is particularly visible in several areas that have become familiar components of modern musculoskeletal care: his early work with the Graston Technique and instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization; his extensive writing and teaching on functional soft-tissue examination and treatment; his role in bringing fascial manipulation to U.S. clinicians; and his decades spent educating chiropractors and other health professionals.
Dr. Hammer’s involvement with the Graston Technique began when the technique was still relatively new. He became an early practitioner and educator of the approach, and was involved in developing instructional materials for the technique. He subsequently wrote about Graston and instrument-assisted soft-tissue treatment for the chiropractic profession.1-2
His interest in soft-tissue care extended well beyond any single technique. Dr. Hammer authored and edited three editions of Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, published in 1991, 1999 and 2007. The third edition addressed functional anatomy, biomechanics, examination procedures, and numerous manual treatment methods, and included contributions from professionals in several health disciplines. A review in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association described the book as a comprehensive reference for health professionals involved in manual diagnosis and treatment.3-4
Dr. Hammer also became an early U.S. teacher of fascial manipulation. According to his online professional CV, he introduced fascial manipulation to the United States in 2011 and became a certified instructor of the technique in 2013. He also served as English-language editor for Carla Stecco’s Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System, published by Elsevier in 2015.5
His published work addressed a wide range of soft-tissue subjects, including myofascial and fascial treatment, tendinopathy, bursitis, rotator-cuff disorders, and instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization. His professional CV lists more than 300 articles on soft-tissue subjects, including peer-reviewed publications.5
Dr. Hammer lectured extensively in the United States and internationally, teaching chiropractors as well as physicians, physical therapists and other health professionals. His approach emphasized examination as well as treatment.
In a 2000 paper, he described the use of functional testing to help identify the source of a patient’s symptoms and to assess changes following treatment.6 That emphasis on evaluation, treatment, and reassessment was reflected throughout his writing and teaching. (Longtime Dynamic Chiropractic readers will recall he was also a DC columnist.)
Dr. Hammer’s path into chiropractic began with curiosity. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he became interested in the profession after noticing a chiropractor’s office while walking down the street. He eventually enrolled at Lincoln Chiropractic College, graduating in 1958, and began practicing in Norwalk, Conn. He remained in practice there for 68 years.7
For chiropractors who never had the opportunity to hear Dr. Hammer lecture or study his work when it was first published, his legacy can be seen in the breadth of soft-tissue approaches he helped teach and document. His career provides a record of sustained attention to an area of care that remains relevant to chiropractic practice.
A scholarship in Dr. Hammer’s name has been established at the University of Bridgeport School of Chiropractic in recognition of his commitment to chiropractic.
Dr. Hammer is survived by his wife, Martha; his first wife, Marcia Radler; daughters Melodie and Deborah; granddaughters Alexandra, Abigail and Danielle; and great-grandson Archie.7
References
- Hammer WI. “Graston Technique: A Necessary Piece of the Puzzle.” Dynamic Chiropractic. 2001;19(20).
- Carey-Loghmani MT, Hammer WI, et al. Clinical Foundations for Graston Technique. Graston Technique.
- Hammer WI. Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, 1st Edition. Aspen Publishers; 1991; subsequent editions 1999 and 2007.
- Bober S. Review of Functional Soft Tissue Assessment and Treatment by Manual Methods, 3rd Edition. J Can Chiro Assoc, 2009;53(3):217.
- Dr. Warren Hammer online Curriculum Vitae (CV): Chiropractic Services & Fascial Manipulation.
- Hammer W. Integrative fascial release & functional testing. Australas Chiropr Osteopathy, 2000;9(1):13-16.
- Obituary for Warren Ivan Hammer. Nutmeg Cremation, 2026.
