Joseph J. Sweere

I am a professor in the Chiropractic Diagnostic and Clinical Sciences Department, chairman of the Northwestern Department of Occupational Health and an assistant to the president in Institutional Advancement.

My interests in health and health care education are many and varied. I have had the privilege of having practiced chiropractic full-time for twenty-five years prior to becoming a full-time educator. I have lectured in forty-four states and nine foreign countries on topics relating to my special involvement in chiropractic orthopedics, occupational health and applied ergonomics. I have a keen interest in holistic and proactive approaches to maintaining health and the prevention of illness and injury.

Having a special appreciation and admiration for the gift of meaningful work, I have devoted much of my professional career to workplace health and safety. This involvement has been instrumental in the creation of the Council on Occupational Health of the American Chiropractic Association, the American Board of Chiropractic Occupational Health and the International Academy of Chiropractic Occupational Health Consultants. 

One of the primary tenets of chiropractic theory is that there is an intimate relationship between human form and human function. The structure/function continuum has been a continuous source of fascination for me and resides at the center of my research curiosity. In regard to this, some colleagues and I are collaborating on a two-year observational study involving the evaluation of 1,500 radiographic studies for the purpose of identifying a particular deformity common to the human spine. The study is entitled, “Type II Round Back Deformity – Radiographic Criteria, Frequency and Gender Distribution within a Structurally Based Chiropractic Practice.” 

During my semi-retirement, it is my intention to continue this area of research. It promises to be a rich and challenging time.