Dr. Gonstead
The Story Of
Dr. Clarence Gonstead, D.C.
Dr. Clarence Gonstead redefined the nature of his profession and built a chiropractic Mecca in small-town Wisconsin. He continues to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Chiropractic and the Gonstead System lives as a shining example of the best that Chiropractic has to offer.
Gonstead grew up learning how to repair tractors and automobiles, an interest that foreshadowed his later accomplishments in applying mechanical principles to the correction of the human spine.
Gonstead was born on July 23, 1898, in Willow Lake, South Dakota. In his early years, the family relocated to a dairy farm in Primrose, Wisconsin. At the age of 19, Gonstead contracted a crippling case of rheumatoid arthritis that left him bedridden for weeks. His aunt sought the help of her chiropractor, Dr. J.B. Olson, and after a course of adjustments, he could walk again
This was a life-changing experience for Clarence; he enrolled in Palmer College of Chiropractic and graduated in 1923. During that time he worked as an automotive engineer; it cann