A growing body of research supports the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. As a result, spinal manipulation has become more widely used and is now incorporated by some practitioners outside of chiropractic. While other professionals may add manipulation after brief coursework or seminars, chiropractors have specialized in spinal adjusting for more than a century and receive extensive, focused training in this approach.
Chiropractors spend significantly more classroom and clinical time learning spinal analysis and manipulation than any other healthcare profession. Osteopathic medicine historically included spinal manipulation, but as a profession it has largely moved away from hands-on manual therapy; in many osteopathic schools, instruction in manipulation is now limited or offered only as an elective. Medical doctors do not receive formal training in spinal manipulation. Surveys of physical therapy programs have found that spinal manipulation is not a core component of their curricula.
By contrast, chiropractic education includes, on average, more than 500 hours dedicated specifically to spinal analysis and adjusting techniques, along with approximately two years of supervised, hands-on clinical experience focused on manual care. Chiropractic students are required to pass practical examinations in adjusting techniques and demonstrate clinical competency before entering internship and practice.
In addition to being safe when appropriately applied, chiropractic care is cost-effective and often helps patients return to normal activity more quickly than other forms of musculoskeletal care. Chiropractic visits are generally less expensive on a per-visit basis, and patients receiving chiropractic care tend to rely less on prescription medications and undergo fewer costly diagnostic procedures. As a result, chiropractic care can play a role in improving outcomes while reducing overall healthcare costs.
