The new chiropractic

Abstract

BackgroundPhysical manipulation and manual therapies are thousands of years old. The most popular western world iteration of these therapies is delivered by chiropractors. It can be argued that the collective public health benefit from chiropractic for spinal pain has been very substantial, however as chiropractic has transitioned from craft to profession it has encountered many internally and externally driven machinations that have retarded its progress to a fully accepted allied health profession. This article sets out a ten point plan for a new chiropractic that will achieve full acceptance for this troubled profession.DiscussionThis article is based on a keynote speech known as the FG Roberts Memorial Address delivered on October 10, 2015, in Melbourne, Australia at the Chiropractic & Osteopathic College of Australasia and Chiropractic Australia national conference.The ten point plan consists of the following: improving the pre-professional education of chiropractors, establishing a progressive identity, developing a special interest for the profession, marginalising the nonsensical elements of the profession, being pro-public health, supporting the legitimate organised elements of the profession, improving clinical practice, embracing evidence based practice, supporting research and showing personal leadership.ConclusionAdherence to this fresh ten point plan will, over time, see the chiropractic profession gain full legitimacy in the allied health field and acceptance by other health providers, policy makers and the public at large.

A treatise for a new philosophy of chiropractic medicine

“…In the quest to reform the profession, this may be the one of the more important principle to address. In fact, this encourages the answering of Vidal’s [32] question of “what is good and what is evil?” Furthermore, this principle addresses Walker’s [15] concern of individual personal leadership to effect change and Ausman’s [16] concern about the loss of ethics and morality.Principle of Custom, Convention, and ContinuityKirk [37, 38] determined three aspects of human life that were essential: custom, convention and continuity. These three aspects are necessary ingredients for the sustaining of societies.…”

“…spinal manipulation and the profession as chiropractic medicine with appreciation for the social contract . These three aspects of the Principle of Custom, Convention, and Continuity are applicable to Walker’s [15] suggestion for establishment of a progressive identity.Principle of PrescriptionKirk [37, 38] defined the Principle of Prescription as those things established by immemorial usage, so that the minds of humans do not run to the contrary. The spirit of this principle is that one’s greatness as a profession and nation comes from the hard work and inspiration of those who have come before [37, 38].…”

“…This principle has congruence with the Principle of Moral Order. Furthermore, this principle has policy significance for establishing not only a philosophical explanation similar to that Coulter’s [2] models but can be linked to Walker’s [15] suggestion that there be a marginalization of elements of nonsense within the chiropractic profession.Principle of Freedom and Property LinkageKirk’s [37, 38] principles do not specifically define an economic philosophy. Yet there is intricate link with the Principle of Freedom and Property Linkage as the basis for an economic philosophy.…”

Designing a 21st century chiropractic educational program: A time for reflection, a time for action

“…Several authors have recently lamented the continued chiropractic inclination to use outdated and anatomically incorrect language to describe the nature of the manipulable lesion (''subluxation'') and the method of treatment (''adjustment''). 2,3,11 This terminological idiosyncrasy has plagued the profession since its founding. It creates confusion in the minds of nonchiropractic health care providers and at the same time propagates the continuance of the simplistic and outdated (and some would say offensive) bone-out-of-place model, not only in the minds of health care consumers, but sadly also in the minds of naive or poorly educated chiropractic providers.…”

A collaborative process for a program redesign for education in evidence-based health care

“…In a 2015 keynote speech delivered to the Chiropractic & Osteopathic College of Australasia, Bruce Walker, head of discipline for chiropractic and associate dean of research in the School of Health Professions at Murdoch University in Australia, gave as one of the keys to fully legitimize the profession that content be taught ''in the context of the evidence and that students obtain the necessary training to question and critically appraise.'' 22 We identified that a concerted and deliberate redesign at the level of the program was necessary to effect the systemic changes required to answer this need. We were also mindful to retain our alignment of course and unitlearning outcomes and assessment against the Australian Qualifications Framework specifications.…”