Dr. Lars Gunnar

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United States
Pasadena, CA
Dr. Lars Gunnar

Spine Specialist & Functional Medicine Doctor | Founder @ Kinnection Clinic.

01/13/2026

Upper thoracic dysfunction is a major driver of severe neck pain, suboccipital headaches, and migraines and can contribute to arm and hand nerve symptoms, as well as altered thyroid and autonomic function.

Modern living has shifted the paradigm.
A large percentage of “neck pain” doesn’t actually originate in the cervical spine, it starts in the upper thoracic region.

When the upper thoracics lose motion and proper curvature, the neck is forced to compensate.

Precise correction of the upper thoracic spine can often fully resolve chronic neck symptoms, without ever having to aggressively treat the neck itself.

01/12/2026

Heat isn’t the enemy.
Uncontrolled stress is.

Some of the strongest longevity data we have didn’t come from supplements or biohacks… it came from sauna use.

Large studies from Northern Europe found that people who used a sauna 4–7 times per week for 15–20 minutes had up to a 40% lower risk of all-cause mortality.

That benefit doesn’t come from relaxation alone, it comes from adaptation.

Sauna creates a controlled stress: increased heart rate, circulation, and cellular repair signals, followed by recovery.

But more isn’t always better.
Too hot, too long, or too frequent without recovery can blunt the benefit.

Longevity isn’t about avoiding stress.
It’s about applying the right dose.

Stress the system.
Recover well.
Repeat long enough and the body adapts.

01/09/2026

Another long night… But I wouldn’t change a thing 🫶🏻

Can you relate?👇🏻

01/08/2026

Mental health isn’t a mystery. It’s built daily.

Gratitude rewires your brain.
Silence calms your nervous system.
Sleep repairs it.
Movement regulates it.
Real nutrients fuel it.
Less social media protects it.

Six simple practices.
One transformed life.

01/06/2026

Before we ever move a bone, there’s a checklist.

Inflammation at the disc — verified.
Loss of level foundation — visualized on X-ray.

Muscle spasm — present.
Joint restriction — confirmed.
Patient symptoms — matching that exact segment.

Only then do we choose a level, whether it’s T4 or L5.
Nothing is guessed. Everything is verified.

Anything that demands precision and repeatability requires checklists.

When we adjust a bone, it’s because it’s been proven dysfunctional in multiple ways, so the outcome isn’t random, it’s reliable.

Stability comes from specificity.

01/05/2026

EX ilium correction with Gonstead in mind.

When the pelvis is already flared open, adding a body drop introduces unnecessary compression and shear. In this case, restraint matters.

The goal isn’t force, it’s specificity.
No body drop. No excess motion. Just a controlled line of drive that respects pelvic biomechanics, protects vulnerable ligaments, and corrects the listing without destabilizing the system.

Gonstead isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing exactly what’s required and nothing else.

01/04/2026

Real leadership isn’t loud. It’s practiced.

Books, mentors, and coaching taught me how to practice enjoyment, train gratitude (which literally helps you live longer), and shift perspective both vertically (don’t take life so seriously) and horizontally (see through someone else’s lens).

Food fuels the hardware.

Workouts build discipline, but mostly habits that make you like yourself.
And when you like yourself, you pour out better to others.

All of it leads to the same place:
Being fully present for the people who matter most, my wife, my daughters, my team, my clients.

I was told once: real leadership is the never-ending, quiet pursuit built by daily choices done unseen.

Just doing the work.

01/03/2026

L5 care isn’t about movement everywhere, it’s about precision. 🩻

Specific chiropractic is a learned, drilled motor skill:
Moving one bone, in one direction, at the right depth,
while leaving healthy segments alone.

Targeted correction accelerates healing far faster than general, long-lever manipulation.

12/31/2025

C2 cervical adjustments don’t need force or rotation.

Prone moves are light, precise, and protect the rest of the neck.

This makes them ideal for geriatric patients, post-surgical cases, and those with hypermobile connective tissue disorders.

12/30/2025

She came in with a T4 disc issue that was affecting her breathing, causing suboccipital headaches, and sending numbness/burning into her hand.

After seeing several chiropractors with no change, one precise adjustment during a seminar led to relief within a few HOURS.

Specificity matters. The nervous system responds when the right segment is addressed.

12/29/2025

Your neck isn’t just about neck pain. It houses the pathways between your brain and body.

The reason we adjust in the chair with little to no rotation is simple: spinal discs don’t tolerate rotation well.

“I would never lay someone on their back and aggressively turn their head side to side. I would never let anyone pull on my head with a strap, and I wouldn’t do it to a patient…”

The cervical spine is incredibly sensitive, and the ligaments were never designed to handle long-lever manipulation.

The goal isn’t force or motion everywhere, it’s moving one bone, in a specific direction, to a specific depth, at a specific moment, and leaving everything else alone.

12/27/2025

The jaw is deeply connected to the upper neck and even the pelvis.

A pelvic issue can show up as a jaw problem. An upper-neck dysfunction can affect the jaw too, each in different ways.

That’s why low back pain can be linked to night clenching, and why sinus issues, ear aches, tooth pain, popping, or clicking in the jaw often trace back to upper-neck mechanics.

Just because pain shows up in one place doesn’t mean that’s where the problem started.

Jaw corrections should be gentle, precise, and intentional. This is a sensitive joint surrounded by critical anatomy. The vagus nerve, arteries supplying the brain, and veins draining it.

The goal is simple: least disruption, greatest change.

Address

7105 Bakers Bridge Avenue #200
Pasadena, CA
37027

Telephone

+16267957711

Website

http://kinnectionclinic.com/

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