rex66

I was in a car accident 21 years ago which resulted in a few herniated discs. For many years after that I would need to go to a chiropractor 2 or 3 times a year when it got bad enough. I need to stress that I found ONE chiropractor that was able to help me. The first one I went to resulted in no relief. I went to the second one on advice from a friend and he worked out well. When he takes vacation he refers his patients to another chiropractor and I went to him for treatment and that guy hurt me bad. I couldn't get out of bed the next day. I decided then I would never see any chiropractor but the one I had success with. All that being said, about 8 years ago another friend got me to try inversion therapy (hanging upside down like a bat). I have not been back to the chiropractor since. I hang in the morning when I get up and do 300 crunches and then hang a few minutes more. It doesn't even take 10 minutes out of my morning and if I miss a day it's no big deal. I may get the occasional back spasm but it never lasts longer than a few seconds. Don't be afraid to try different things to seek a solution. I decided I'd try anything I could before I let them hack me up which is what two different doctors wanted to do. Now I can bike, jog, kayak, enjoy sex (sometimes with a partner). Life is good.

shawmutt

https://whatstheharm.net/chiropractic.html

fixed that for you

c_mack9

wow 312 people? more people DIE everyday from medical errors that that. nice try though...
every single drug has negative side effects, making them all harmful. i guess theres no sense in making a whatstheharm/medicine site is there?

ilvwhtgrls

I've had great luck with a chiro that specialized in ART as well. I've only been to him twice but I've seen huge improvements with my ITB issues.

shawmutt

What does medical error and every single drug have to do with anything? I was answering your claim that no harm can come from chiropractors.

c_mack9

my bad. in 312 instances chiropractic COULD have caused harm. that's still a far better percentage than 100% (like the medical community)

unterhausen

talk to any general practitioner, this is par for the course with males that don't go to chiropractors. I would suspect that people that do go to chiropractors are much more likely to get regular checkups than those that don't .
I know there are a few chiropractors that pretend they can fix things other than spines, but I would never go to such a person.

rpeterson

You're right, medicine can potentially hurt you, good reason to go to a chiropractor, because they just pretend to do stuff to your body as opposed to that pesky science that has actual effects.

gregf83 

I was just responding to c_mack who seemed to have an aversion to "real" doctors.

tadawdy

Worst-case scenario is that it does more harm than good.

radshark

The most bang for the buck for sport ailments is massage therapy. Find a good RMT.

rooftest

I tried a chiropractor, and think it's quackery.

milnerpt

Lots of strange information all over this thread.

As a licensed PT, I think your best approach to seeing a Chiro, PT, OR orthopedist.... is consider what financial incentives these individuals have. Case in point: the stereotypical chiro with the indefinite plan. However, did you know that some PTs are paid incentives for their billing? Some own their own business as well? Did you know that some Ortho groups own PT practices and pay and pressure the PTs to do as they wish? How about the ortho's who will perform procedures because great reimbursement rates, even though studies show the surgery ineffective? (aka - 'cleaning out a knee'.... every 5 years).

plenty of conflicts of interest. Now, granted, there are plenty of great providers in this category (where there may be financial incentives).

Regarding chiro's and 'worst case scenario, it just doesnt work!' - untrue. First hand, Ive seen plenty of incidences where it worsens the situation or creates new problems - seen 2 vertebral atery dissections that just 'happen' to occur after manipulations.

As for PTs, licensing, etc etc.... We are licensed by each state, however its a national test. I dont believe the states have mandated DPT degrees (they have talked about planning on doing this for some time).... however very few schools even offer a masters program anymore, as they want to be accredited as DPT programs (which is NOT an additional 5 years).

I know several great chiro's, but thats about 1% of who I have met. I know plenty of lousy PTs.

also, FWIW - I know several great PTs who actually have a certificate and went to school in the 60s.... they are all grandfathered in. Hell, you can work for the VA system and techincally not even NEED a PT license to treat (When I worked at a VA some of the PTAs were actually kinesiology grads). Also, a DPT can be had by a current PT in as little as 14 weeks, or done completely online

Rimmer

I did once. She told me I should squat above parallel which I know is wrong. That's a good way to **** up your knees. My crotch area in between my leg was hurting, and she just didn't do anything about it. She did all kinds of twisting or whatever and nothing hurt. She said she popped one bone around my back somewhere in place or something. Other than that, she told me that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. I later found out my squat form was off, and my joints were probably just aching or under too much stress lifting. I would never have one of them do anything to my neck.

Rimmer

wat?