The best chiropractor in East Colorado Springs isn’t just someone who adjusts spines. It’s someone who brings a level of clinical depth along with a personal understanding of what it means to hurt…and that combination changes what’s possible for the patient sitting across from them.
At Thrive Health Systems East, conveniently located at the intersection of Powers and Research Parkway, that’s exactly what Dr. Erik Arter and Dr. Steve Grammer deliver every day.
Who Are the Chiropractors at Thrive Health Systems East Colorado Springs?
Dr. Erik Arter, DC | Senior Chiropractic Physician
Dr. Arter’s path to chiropractic began before he had the vocabulary for it. As a child, he suffered from severe, debilitating migraines, the kind that shaped his days and limited his life. Chiropractic care resolved them. He didn’t know it at the time, but that experience planted the seed for everything that followed.
He went on to earn dual undergraduate degrees in Human Biology and Exercise Science (with a minor in Chemistry) from BYU-Idaho, where he was also appointed Director of Campus Wellness, a role that deepened his interest in nutrition and holistic health and began to set the stage as a natural healthcare leader. He then completed his Doctorate of Chiropractic at Western States University.
As Senior Chiropractic Physician at Thrive East, Dr. Arter specializes in Atlas Orthogonal technique, which is a precise, gentle upper cervical approach that addresses the structural foundation of the spine. He also knows Auricular Therapy and practices Functional Medicine. He is also fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, having served two years as a missionary in Brazil, making him one of the few chiropractors in Colorado Springs capable of serving Spanish-speaking patients in their native language.
Dr. Arter lives in Black Forest with his wife and four children. He’s not just a chiropractor in the Springs, he’s a neighbor, a parent, and a patient who remembers exactly what it felt like when nothing was working.
Dr. Steve Grammer, DC — Upper Cervical Specialist & Veterans’ Advocate
Dr. Grammer’s story begins in the United States Army. Serving as a Staff Sergeant, he sustained significant back and knee injuries in combat — injuries that forced him to leave a career he had dedicated himself to. The conventional medical path didn’t give him his life back. Chiropractic did.
That experience didn’t just change Dr. Grammer’s health. It changed his direction entirely. He went on to earn his Doctorate of Chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Port Orange, Florida — making the Dean’s List multiple times — while simultaneously completing a rigorous certification program through the Upper Cervical Academy at Sherman College of Chiropractic.
The result is one of the most extensively trained Upper Cervical specialists in the Colorado Springs area. Dr. Grammer is proficient in five distinct Upper Cervical techniques: Upper Cervical Specific Knee Chest, Orthospinology, Toggle (HIO), Grostic, NUCCA, and Atlas Orthogonal — a depth of specialization that’s rare in any market.
He served as president of the Upper Cervical Club at Palmer and led community health outreach programs for the homeless population of Daytona Beach. Beyond the spine, Dr. Grammer has developed significant proficiency in Functional Medicine, helping patients address blood sugar regulation, metabolic dysfunction, GI challenges, immune conditions, and chronic inflammation.
Dr. Grammer has a particular passion for serving the military community — veterans, active duty personnel, and their families — and helping them return to full function. Given Colorado Springs’ deep military roots — Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever, NORAD, the Air Force Academy — that commitment matters here more than almost anywhere else in the country. He lives in East Colorado Springs with his wife and six children.
What Makes Thrive East Different from Other Chiropractors in Colorado Springs?
The combination of Dr. Arter’s Atlas Orthogonal and Functional Medicine expertise with Dr. Grammer’s Upper Cervical specialization and military-informed clinical perspective makes the East location genuinely unusual. These aren’t generalists. These are physicians with specific, documented areas of mastery.
Every new patient goes through the same diagnostic-first process that defines Thrive across all locations:
- A comprehensive one-on-one consultation
- A physical and orthopedic exam
- Digital X-ray with biomechanical analysis and markup
- Advanced blood chemistry when clinically indicated (870+ biomarkers)
- A Report of Findings, where your doctor explains what they found and what, if anything, they recommend
That process ensures that by the time a care plan is on the table, the doctor (and the patient!) actually knows what they’re treating.
What Conditions Does the East Team Address?
Dr. Arter and Dr. Grammer work with patients dealing with:
- Chronic and acute neck and back pain
- Migraines and cervicogenic headaches
- Upper Cervical dysfunction and atlas misalignment
- Disc herniations and sciatica
- Combat and service-related musculoskeletal injuries
- Sports injuries and functional movement deficits
- Shoulder, knee, and joint pain
- Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions (Functional Medicine)
- Blood sugar, metabolic, and GI challenges (Functional Medicine)
- Fatigue and systemic health concerns (advanced blood testing)
Non-surgical spinal decompression is also available at the East location for patients with disc-related conditions. It’s been demonstrated to be a highly effective alternative for those who have been told surgery is their only remaining option.
What Should I Expect at My First Visit?
New patients at Thrive Health Systems East start with a full New Patient Examm currently available for $19.
That visit includes a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Arter or Dr. Grammer, a comprehensive physical exam, digital X-rays when indicated, and a Report of Findings where the doctor walks you through exactly what they found and what they recommend next.
Whether you’re a longtime Colorado Springs resident, a service member at Fort Carson, or a family looking for a chiropractor who takes the time to get it right, this is where the process starts.
Why Do East Colorado Springs Patients Call Thrive the Best?
Two doctors with personal stories that mirror what their patients are going through. Clinical specializations that go well beyond standard chiropractic. A diagnostic process built to find what others have missed. And a genuine investment in the Colorado Springs community; military, families, and everyone in between.
Thrive tracks results objectively. Progress isn’t a feeling here, it’s documented through repeat imaging, follow-up labs, and functional reassessment. That accountability is rare. And for patients who have been told there’s nothing more that can be done, it’s often the thing that changes everything.
How Do I Book an Appointment?
Booking an appointment is easy – simply select the Thrive Health Systems location that is nearest you, and either call or request an appointment online.
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start knowing what’s actually wrong, the team at Thrive West is ready to meet you.
