Alignment is off? WTF? No, I won't EVER go to a chiro. I like my spine where it is, thanks. An f-ing scam.

flame away.

Great question!

I see a massage therapist once a week. She does advise that I go to a Chiropractor, like you, I do not really feel that instant gratification from a Chiropractor as I do from a massage. The one issue for me in seeing a Chiropractor is that I have to have all my training in before I see him as he says no workouts for the rest of the day. I typically have two workouts and the days I do not, my Chiropractor is closed or work is too busy for me to get away. It should be higher on my list but it isn't. I do agree with your Chiropractor in that if you do go, you should go regularly to see the reap the benefit. I am sure we have a few Chiropractors active on ST that would chime in as to why we should make it a higher priority.

Jason

My pelvis has a tendency to get all out of alignment and I have a good chiro that I go to when that happens. I can instantly tell the difference when I leave the office - everything just feels more normal. Lots of chiros out there, not all of them are good! Like you, I'm also a big believer in massage. And I'm finally starting to get better about foam rolling. Ah, the joys of the aging process!

This. Chiro is one big scam. There is no scientific evidence for anything. I cant understand how there is a Dr. of chiropractic in the US.
Maybe you like being massaged. Of course he is telling you this, he wants to gain you as a customer.

No chiro for me. Again, it's the same critique as mentioned above - most of the practices that chiros use are NOT scientifically proven, and in fact, they often take great pride in promoting 'self-made' therapies or adjustments that they claim is based on all their years of experience and study, but which in fact would fall flat on its face the moment it was subjected to any rigorous scientific review comparable to that which a medical doctor or rehab specialist would be required to comply with.

To be fair though, there are tons of things in the world, and specifically, triathlon, that utterly fail the 'scientific proof' test. All the various sneaker types and matching with the type of foot (like motion control for overpronators) being the most prevalent yet most widely accepted form of pseudoscience that literally has zero scientific evidence behind it. I would argue that chiros actually have a LOT more legit science behind them (at least their anatomy and basic physiology studies are based upon the real stuff) compared to those sneaker match theories.

As Chiropactic adjustments last about 5 minutes does ‘go regularly’ mean all the time?

Chiros are quacks

Right you are. In high school I woke up with a wry neck, and couldn't turn my head. This was about 2 days before a big race. Coach referred me to his chiro who said it was because one leg was longer than the other and I'd have to come in twice a week to fix it.

A week later the injury was forgotten, but that advice isn't. Chrio is a hard pass for me.

When the chiropractor told me he could cure my cold (a virus) by manipulating my spine, I knew he was a quack. Never will I go again.
Or how about the 12 plan. Just keep coming in every week or so.

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Team Zoot So Cal

It's up there on my list, and not just for my back but general well being. The last time I got sick was 2 years ago, and that was a norovirus that raged through our whole house so nothing was going to stop that bug. I travel weekly for work and feel that it helps my body keep the nasties at bay. And I've had a single achilles injury in 3 years of 6x/week training.

I've also experienced crushing back pains on and off through the years, and where MDs just want to drug me up, my chiro actually fixes the problem in a couple of visits. I've also walked into his office literally holding a box of Kleenex because I'm so stuffed up I can't breathe, and walked out breathing free and clear. The naysayers have their opinions, but it works for me, that's all I can say.

No flaming needed.
I think like any "alternative" therapy they have there potential place (albeit incredibly small) and remember most treatments in life have a 30% placebo effect.
Where are they on my list? Nowhere....would never have them on my list.
Won't use any stronger words, others have already stated opinions in line with my thoughts....!!

I would suggest you get xrays if your spine and have it looked at by a medical profession.

If there is trouble a physical therapist should be able to give you exercises you can do on your own.

Then 6 months later go back and have X-rays again to see if you are making progress

Personally my skull sits quite a bit far forward and has caused a good deal of damage to the vertebrae in ny neck. Even though I don’t feel pain.

It may be from so many hours in the aero position.

I will be getting X-rays in another few months to see if the exercises I am doing has helped.

Had a nasty pain in my calf that prevented me from running. After lots of rest the injury would reoccur whenever I started running, no matter how slowly. Went to the doctor, who sent me to physical therapy. After 6 weeks of physical therapy I immediately re-injured it.

Went to a chiropractor who's a sports specialist. He'll actually be doing his first triathlon at the same tri which will be my first triathlon. He decided the injury was due to tightness of the muscles, going up to the lower back, and he did his little leg-bending voodoo and some weird stapler kind of contraption and I've now been running for a few months without re-injury.

I think the major lesson I've learned here is the importance of seeing someone who knows sports and athletic injuries. I was skeptical of going to a chiro and thought they were quacks as well, but my guy knows exactly what I'm talking about when I tell him of the various pains from running and swimming.

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@brad_glasgow

In general I put massage a lot further up on the list. Some Chiros do some soft tissue work like Asytm, Graston, and Gua Sha which I am a huge fan of. They can often be open-minded about stuff too but you have to find the right one. The idea of Chiro is that it is another tool in the toolbox but the goal isn't to plan on using them all the time. If the doctor is just putting something back into place that isn't fixing the problem. It is a band-aid. The goal should be to figure out why it is falling out of place and prevent that from happening thru fixing imbalances, movements, strength whatever.

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I agree with others as to a true waste of time and money except in very limited cases. I did have one solve a long standing issue with Graston technique, but that is more a form of massage than the usual chiro stuff. When I did go he always did the sneaky neck crack thing that bugged the hell out of me! Felt like cracking him...... Save your money, but do the massage as that is huge! I think if a medical doc or another professional said to stop by every couple of weeks, we would raise holy hell. Never buy into something that does not promise an end.

I go every 3 weeks, and feel that it helps with overall maintenance... if something starts to feel a little off (sometimes I'll sleep weird and my back/neck will feel it) an adjustment usually solves the issue. Full disclosure: I get cheap/free chiro treatment. There was about a 9 month period where I had terrible chronic back pain that pain meds wouldn't touch, before I started seeing the chiro -- knock on wood, I've been pain free for several years now.

I also try to see a massage therapist every 6 weeks or so during the tri season, for maintenance.

I feel the same. I had two that helped me quite a bit, but really it wasn't their chiropractic adjustments that helped, but that they looked at my whole body and advised some other thing that helped - and provided some soft tissue work to deal with an acute problem.

When one of them told me I'd need to see him over and over pretty much forever, I was like "Sure....." and out the door for that.

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http://www.jt10000.com/

It’s not on my list, it’s the biggest scam ever and junk science. Check out Joe Rogans podcast on the history of the practice.

Never been and never will. If it’s a chronic issue I would advise finding a good PT or Physio to determine why you keep having the issue. Figuring out the underlying biomechanics would help them determine which treatment and/or modifications would help you in the long run.

Chiropractors were not too highly regarded during my time in therapy school and remain frowned upon by most other allied health professionals.

Your statement is false.

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Very high !!!!!!

I have to see the chiro before massage or else my insurance won’t cover it.

He mostly does stretching stuff with me. I like the cracking though.

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

Importance is somewhere between witch doctor and astrologist.

I traded chiro in after I found a good massage therapist. Chiro did usual cracking and Graston or dry needling. He had massage therapist on staff but really not that effective. After about 4 tries found really good one I see twice a month and bad back and trigger points have been minimized.

Man, some of your guys are harsh. Not sure if it was just a bad experience or some other long held opinion. I have found chrio to be of some help with very specific things. I agree that for most of us, there really is no maintenance schedule, that is just keeping the office busy. But for some back and neck stuff they have absolutely helped me and my wife, and even a shoulder thing I had.

I injured my shoulder lifting something way to heavy, heard a pop, and suffered for 6 months with agonizing pain. Then one day had it popped back in(didn't know it was out) and it was like night and day. Did that to my knee in the old days too, searched out every remedy, but being out of alignment with the other bones was the problem. Popped it back in, and recovery began immediately.

As to all the other claims, yes I believe most are exaggerated, or even bogus. But like all doctors, there are good ones and bad ones, the guys that are athletes themselves are probably your best bet. Or at the very least used to seeing a lot of athletes.

And yes, massage is way more important as a weekly/monthly priority. In fact, most good chrios will tell you this and have one on staff to insure adjustments hold...

This is how you know it's a scam. Go see a sports physiotherapist and they will help you figure out what the underlying problem is, and prescribe you exercises to strengthen and balance your muscles. So you can stop seeing them as soon as possible.

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Less is more.

When I started fitting, my opinion of chiropractic care was that it was bunk. I found myself being asked frequently for referrals from fit clients dealing with injuries and recurring problems. I, very strictly, referred them to physicians.

When asked why I didn't refer to a chiropractor, I gave all of the reasons already mentioned on this thread. But when my clients visited the physician, the advice they'd get always seemed to be one of three things: stop doing that, let's crack you open and take a look (surgery), or here's a cortisone shot. My clients would report, over and over, that the physicians were no help, didn't appear interested in keeping the athlete training, etc.

A couple of years into fitting, I met a chiro who happens to be a former professional baseball player and accomplished amateur Ironman. I would describe him as a physiologist more than I would describe him as a chiropractor. He has physicians, physical therapists, and massage therapists all in his same practice. He seemed to understand where his scope of practice ends and when it is time to seek the counsel of an orthopedist. I started referring clients to him occasionally.

After that, I got consistent feedback from my clients that, via the treatment recommended and administered by the chiro and his team, their issues were treated effectively and the care they received greatly contributed to healing from injury and preventing injury. In one case, I had a client (and longtime friend) with debilitating hip issues that had seen numerous PTs and orthopedists and podiatrists with no success at great expense. They had also tried some chiropractic care from a chiro their friend recommended, and it didn't help either. But after referring to the chiro I trusted, they successfully identified the cause of her issues after many others far more credentialed had failed. Her treatment and rehabilitation was successful.

I've since met a few other chiros that I think are excellent and deserve respect as medical professionals, but I concede there is no shortage of charlatans with DC behind their name.

So I sympathize with many of the views here skeptical of chiropractic care. I once shared the same view. But my experience has taught me that chiropractic care is simply another tool that can help many athletes dealing with injury. And I also think chiropractic concepts can help a good physiologist or medical professional better understand biomechanics.

That said, I'm not an expert and I'm not smart enough to separate the quacks from the good chiropractors. And by the same token, I'm not able to separate the quacks from the good physicians. But I do think physicians are often given much more deference than is deserved. Like in all professions, incompetence abounds there too.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Totally agree.

Also agree with not being able to believe there’s a doctorate of chiro. I also laugh at how they insist on referring to themselves answer Dr this or Dr that. Now I know plenty of medical doctors and dentists. And not one of them refers to themselves as Dr even though they are far more qualified to do so.

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I ride:
Cervelo - P-Series/R3
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Having personally encountered two young people who suffered from strokes due to vertebral artery dissection following a visit to the chiropractor, visiting one has fallen down my list of people to see.
Pure quackery and I'm afraid I'd hold the recommendation against a massage therapist.

Completely agree.
How often do chiro do any "adjustment" under floro or with x-rays?

They lay you down and crack your back and tell you they "realigned" you. Total crock.

Chiros are scam, but frequent x-rays are great, as proven by science...

I'd rather pay for quack than have cancer down the road.

Exactly.
What holds your skeletal system in place? Ligaments and muscles. Work on those, and you never have to go to a Chiro. Yeah sure, you get an instant SHORT TERM release of pain, but if you don't work on the supporting structures in the skeletal system (i.e. lift weights people!!!) then you are costing yourself unnecessarily for unscientific treatment. Get strong for long term management.

Count me in as another non-believer in chiro 'adjustments'. I've never gotten any noticeable benefit, and have been told the same things "Oh you need to come more often, lets schedule you for 12 visits...."...

The only one I've ever seen that I liked and felt I got benefit from, never tried to adjust me, never even suggested it. He did ART work on my shin / post tib area, and it really helped a lot.
I always found it odd that it is chiros that are trained in ART and Graston, as opposed to massage therapists?

Anyway, a big 'no' to adjustments...
.02

I go to a chiro who pretty much only does sports stuff. Went to a PT before for an achilles issue and didnt care for that particular PT. Asked for recommendations from coach and it happened to be this chiro. They damned near do the same thing. ART, graston, dry needling, some massage and stretching. Got into a car accident and had some slight neck shoulder tenderness. My chiro up front said he typically doesn't do stuff like that, but since it affected my workouts, he would. It was nice to hear that. Because although I believe there is some help in what they can do, its definitely limited, and most are in it to rake in cash from soft tissue car accident injuries. I have family members that are damned near rich from it.

Great information here, now people say "get an xray", where do you go from the xray? Do you go to the Chiropractor? Or would the physician send you to PT? After readhing through this thread I do feel much more confident putting my money towards massages, If my muscular system is failing due to constant fatigue then that will lead to disc issues and whole host of other problems. Muscular is going to get the nod over Alignment and what Chiropractics offers.

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Strava:https://www.strava.com/athletes/20890878

For many years I went to a chiro on a regular basis. When I lifted competitively a chiro was very high on my list of importance. But finding a good chiro that was sports focused, had good talent and was not on the premise of coming in every other day was difficult to find. Back in those days I lived and trained next to Life University, a chiropractic school, so there were a high concentration of competitive lifters that were also students or were already out in private practice. Many times these guys would quickly adjust you right there on a gym bench if say you popped a rib out while doing squats. Very painful by the way and instant relief if they can get it back in before a spasm develops.

I have found things I can do at home that have done just as well as all those years of going. However, I am also not able to lift with the same competitive weight I did back years ago so I am not taking the same amount of risk with max weights.

So these days - very low on the list of importance.

Doesn't make the page the list is printed on. Sustained yoga, a good LMT and if needed PT.

Not sure about the US, but here in Canada a chiro can in fact order an xray, and you then just go to the hospital and get it (covered under medicare, completely free). THAT said, what the heck is a chiro going to do with it? I can tell you what he's going to do with it - he's going to pick out any little non-significant thing the report says, and tell you that you should come in once a week for the next year... $$$

If you truly have a problem that warrants a spinal xray, its not something a chiro is going to be able to help with! If you are having back problems that are that bad, go see your doc and get referred to a specialist, who will likely then send you for an MRI. Though depending on your insurance, I understand that may cost you a lot of $$ in the US. Here in Canada its free (yes we pay more taxes), but the downside being we have long wait times for non-urgent.

Chiros are simply not supported by the science.

When something is tested rigorously (meaning in well controlled experiments and with large enough sample sizes—sorry but your anecdotal evidence of a Chiro that once fixed your leg pain doesn’t cut it) it is no longer “alternative” medicine and it is just medicine.

The underlying “mechanisms” by which Chiro works are tenuous at best and downright ridiculous at worst.

If you need PT see a therapist. If you need medical treatment see a doctor.

Of course not all PTs and MDs will be great. You should get other opinions and be your own advocate. But they are at least backed by science.

If you have to make a choice between science and non-science, well, that’s not really a choice.

Right up there with the witch doctor and tarot card reader, but well below anything using actual science and medicine. See a PT or get a proper massage instead. You can pop bubble wrap at the same time if that has been fooling your mind into the placebo effect.

I find it interesting that so many here would blindly follow the advice of a PT when, in fact they are not that far removed from Chiro's. If you make it through this article, kudos. Evidence Based Practice is difficult when there is not much evidence to support your practice. Interesting article here.

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I've dealt with back issues for years (herniated disc started it all about a decade ago), and stayed clear of chiropractors for all the reasons stated above. That said, I've had PTs who weren't great and orthopedic doctors who scared me "The only choice you should make is if you want to fuse your spine or do a microdiscectomy. I'd lean toward fusing." ... A second opinion was, "What? No. I would never operate on you." So there are awful doctors everywhere.

But I did give a chiro a shot about a year ago while recovering from a setback. I did a ton of research and found one that had sports medicine experience. He hasn't been pushy about coming back a lot -- I go about once a month. In the winter, I was having some sciatic issues that flared up after a long treadmill run. I was in a lot of pain and couldn't run for about a week before my scheduled appointment with him. I told him about the issue and in addition to the correction, he did some massage and stretching stuff. I was running again two days later pain free.

There might be some quacks out there and perhaps it's pseudo science, but I've had some success. Your mileage may vary, as they say.

Have you considered homeopathy?

I went once in my entire life - and the sound my body made - is a sound it makes when you eat sh*t going 30 mph downhill on a gravel road covered in bubble wrap.

I will never go again. That cannot be healthy for the human body to make those noises.
I have never had a message either though. I have lady friends for that and I do not have to pay them - just lie to them

I used to see a chrio every other week or so, until I finally caved and saw a PT. After sessions with a PT to actually pinpoint the root cause, and learning some stretches and techniques to correct it, I haven't been back to a chiro in almost 2 years. At most I see my PT once every 6 months or so just to check in.

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I had a pretty similar experience when I was still in the run business. Typical ortho referrals that wouldn't work, yet people would go see a select few providers and actually get better. Forging those relationships helped. (And to the poster up there in re: prescriptive footwear, we still see that primarily from podiatrists at this point who want to drop an orthotic in a Brooks Beast and call it a day.)

My own n=1 experience is that chiropractic is merely one tool in an arsenal to keep your body moving. My old guy in Maine packaged chiropractic with ART, Graston, and PT. I'd go 2-3 times over the span of a month, and then not need to see him for months at a time so long as I was diligent doing the exercises. He was outstanding. Wish I could've brought him with me when I moved, as I've been struggling with PTs/LMTs ever since to help address some lingering issues.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

I’ve seen a sports chiro who I can best describe as a mix between a PT and a massage therapist, except that my insurance covers the expense without the need for a prescription. I consider him like a “second opinion” for nagging injuries as sometimes he has ideas my PT doesn’t. He does massage, Graston and stretching, and he recommends PT-type stretches and exercises. He helped with some nagging, mild knee pain that my PT couldn’t alleviate and he provides a relatively cheap massage option since insurance covers the cost. To me this is very different then a chiro who does adjustments and thinks they can cure diseases.

Frequent X-Rays are NOT great. Especially torso Xrays which have a high overall dosage. Lifetime Xray exposure is something that needs to be managed. Indiscriminant use is a BAD idea.

I'd rather pay for a REAL doctor who understands the benefits, risks, alternatives, and effective screening methods for the various cancers. If you have a shitty doctor, find a new one instead of seeing a quack!

What I meant is that it is a bit odd to say chiros are a wast of time and money for not being science based (I have no opinion on that as there are not common in Spain) and on the other hand being frequently exposed to x-rays for which science says it multiplies the risk of various forms of cancer.

Interesting question. I typically see a massage therapist twice a month but have never seen a Chiro in my life (61 this year) and have no plans on seeing one; especially since I do not accept your premise that "With these three sports we do we have got to be constantly throwing our alignment off." My spine is aligned just fine thank you; and if it feels like it is off, I will pursue a fix via correcting muscular imbalances.

Ah, ok. In which case we are in agreement.

I did not pick up on that sarcasm. /pink might help.

It’s tied on the list with witchcraft and voodoo.

I've treated dozens of patients who have suffered strokes, some debilitating or fatal, due to chiropractic neck manipulation. Rapid neck manipulation can severely damage the vertebral arteries which can tear or become clotted, stopping blood flow to parts of the brain. Patients often are not warned of this danger. It's sad, bordering on criminal IMO, that this kind of quackery is presented as a legitimate treatment. Chiro's evidence for their practices is weak and doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. I've personally reviewed thousands of x-rays, MRI's, CT scans of chiro patients that were either normal or abnormal in a way that requires surgery to correct. I cringe when I think about how many of these people received unnecessary and non-helpful "adjustments". I've even seen them trying to do adjustments on cancer patients with bone tumors. All of these "out of alignment" claims that I see are total crap. If your spine is out of alignment, having someone wrenching and popping it isn't going to fix it. It's not going to fix your herniated/degenerated disc, worn out cartilage, or torn ligaments. They are good at making your wallet lighter though. See a real sports medicine doc and get a good massage. Rant over.

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Don't drown. Don't crash. Don't walk.

I have a couple of chiropractors in the family and even with that, I haven't been in many years. I'll echo what people have been saying: it just didn't help all that much, was scary (crrrrrrack!), sometimes painful, and they wanted me back three times a week in perpetuity.

I started to realize that any good chiropractor knows the basic premise (spinal "subluxations") is bunk -- and so, they begin to basically become physical therapists. This is the stuff that actually works.

I'm a big believer in PT at this point -- obviously there are a range of good and bad PT practitioners, so do your homework, shop around, get opinions -- and I don't think I will ever darken the doors of a chiropractic office again.

-Eric

I have a few physios in the family and a medical doctor and a few phds in the biological field. (None of which is me)

I would be booted out of the family if I went to a chiropractor.

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Dan Mayberry
Amateur a lot of things, professional a few things.

What a bunch morans!!!!! I mean just scary that most of you have some form of higher education and you go on a bashing fit of something you obviously know nothing about. There are roughly 250,000 U.S. deaths every year caused by medical error. And you guys think Chiropractic is bunk = f%$#ing morans : ) just laughable.

justrunning wrote:

What a bunch morans!!!!! I mean just scary that most of you have some form of higher education and you go on a bashing fit of something you obviously know nothing about. There are roughly 250,000 U.S. deaths every year caused by medical error. And you guys think Chiropractic is bunk = f%$#ing morans : ) just laughable.

Misspelling "moron" is not helping your argument. A medical error is just that; an error. A mistake. Name for me one mistake and consequence free profession and I'll shut up. Until then, pushing junk treatments and snake oil on people is unethical and harmful. Further, my opinion is based on 15 years of experience in medicine.

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Don't drown. Don't crash. Don't walk.

I went to a chiro once. I was having unexplained calf pain and had exhausted every other avenue without success. PT, ortho, massage, and every medical test you can imagine. A runner friend suggest chiro. Sure, what could it hurt.

After a very brief evaluation, the chiro put a board under my foot and wacked it with another board. Boom, we're done. 5 minutes.

I said to him, "I hope you don't plan on charging me for this."

He wasn't impressed.

No more chiro for me.

I've been seeing a chiropractor for 15 years. I was drawn to him because very prominent orthopedic docs recommended shoulder surgery that I wanted to avoid. My guy has a DC and Applied Kinesiology credentials, but also does ART and many other therapies. I went to him 2-3 times a week for a few months in the beginning, now I go 4-6 times per year, as needed. He's fixed things like ITBS, hip pain, shoulder issues, low back pain, pinched nerve in neck and many other things over the years.

Chiropractic is not regulated as heavily as traditional medicine, so there are quacks out there. My guy is more like an Alex Guererro (Tom Brady's guy) than a normal rack & crack chiropractor. I'm from Philly area, so NOT a Tom Brady fan, but a 41-year-old quarterback out performing guys half his age deserves respect.

To the folks that lament chiros as quacks, that's fine - stick with Rest, Ice, Surgery, PT and Pain Killers. Those treatments might work for you, but did not work for me. To the folks that complain chiropractors want to see you 2-3 times per week forever, I needed 2-3 times per week to retrain my body to function properly. Many triathlon related injuries have root cause in improper form and muscle imbalances. My guy gave me adjustments along with advice on proper form, as well as strength and flexibility exercises. Once I was properly educated, I only need him a few times per year.

So you begin by saying you ignored the advice of actual medical professionals and then go on to say the only thing that could fix you is a chiropractor. Seems like you're the exact type of person they continue to exploit with their garbage.

I used to go to a chiro when my body told me I was out of alignment and something was not right . I get massaged close to once a week during big training loads especially running. If you are having issues with constant need to be re-aligned you need to work on your core strength I would think. I now go to an osteopath each time I need realigning or a few times leading into my A races just to make sure the body is well tuned. Osteo's seem to work on minor things in your alignment not just a back crack and their manipulation techniques are not as violent. Often lay on your side in some odd position hugging a rolled up towel to manipulate your back in certain ways but what they do seems more isolated on the body to me. I don't get the next day soreness like I used to from a chiro or the body telling me I need to go back to get realigned so soon after a chiro appointment. I am assuming most of you are in the US but I think osteo is more a European thing but readily available her in Australia.

I think all of the "hands on" professions (PT, Chiro, Osteopath, etc) have proposed and used treatments that have minimal scientific/evidence based backing. Heck, even in my 20 years of practice, early in my career, I got caught up in some.

I feel what is missing these days is a lack of a thorough and appropriate musculoskeletal evaluation...especially on patients whom benefit from efficient and proper human movement (ie, runners, cyclists, triathletes, swimmers).

What drives me CRAZY, is when a medical professional creates a "fear"......"if you don't come back and see me, your hips/back aren't gonna stay in alignment" thus creating a dependency that isn't necessary (I hear this from PTs, Chiros and DOs)

I've been much more pleased with results when I started spending more time examining and less time treating using the "flavor of the month" technique.

So in my opinion (although biased), would be to find a professional who knows human movement and evaluation very well and spends the time to look deeper. Most of the other stuff is just fluff.

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CB
Physical Therapist/Endurance Coach
http://www.cadencept.net

I agree as each time I have a osteo the person in front of me leaving is like 'I'll see you next week' which seems to be the business model of the chiro's as well. All I know is there are times I don't feel aligned and then I go and get treated and I may not be back for six months. Leading into races like seeing a dentist I like to get a check up and ensure everything is as it should be. As I said in my post I think you need to work on your core or yes be assessed and have the required exercises so you don't have constant issues. My friend is an exercise physiologist and assessed my body and gave me a program of stretching and exercises that he recommended me to do and have done yoga and now reformer pilates that I find works well for me. You may say there is no science but I listen to my body and it tells me when to go and I feel so much better after an adjustment.

Seems like most people don't know the difference between a D.O. and an M.D. (there isn't one). They certainly shouldn't be classified with chiros.

If you have a real issue, a real doctor with x-rays and imagery and permanent surgeries are what the game is.

Not quack chiropractors.

Go blow that money on a nice mattress, pillow, proper shoes, and actually bother to do some weights in the gym (with good form) and you're good to go.

I've been going to a couple "chiros" for the past 5 years or so. Only as needed. They don't mention alignment. They use things like ART and Graston to keep my knees, neck, etc in check. It's really just a variation on massage because things tend to hurt when tight muscles pull on them.

I go once or twice for a problem area, then I'm good for months. It's really a shame that they are called chiropractors because they don't do anything even remotely similar to a chiropractor from a few decades ago.

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-Physiojoe
Instagram: @thephysiojoe
Cycling coach, Elite racer on Wooster Bikewerks p/b Wootown Bagels

This! Up until I was in my 50s I agreed with most of the opinions until I was referred to a chiro who is a runner. He is now my #1 resource for niggles and issues from training and overtraining in endurance sports. He's kept me in the game the last few years. Also, UHC covers chiro cheaper than PT. If you can find a good one, like I did, they are worth the copay IMHO!

]If you have a real issue, a real doctor with x-rays and imagery and permanent surgeries are what the game is.

Not quack chiropractors.

Go blow that money on a nice mattress, pillow, proper shoes, and actually bother to do some weights in the gym (with good form) and you're good to go.[/quote]



This is actually pretty far from the truth. Strong data showing wasted/unnecessary diagnostic tests (X-rays, MRIs, CTs) and even some orthopedic surgeries that cost the patient a TON (both in money and time). Knee scopes and spine surgeries come to mind.

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CB
Physical Therapist/Endurance Coach
http://www.cadencept.net

This is actually pretty far from the truth. Strong data showing wasted/unnecessary diagnostic tests (X-rays, MRIs, CTs) and even some orthopedic surgeries that cost the patient a TON (both in money and time). Knee scopes and spine surgeries come to mind.[/quote]
The fact that things come with a cost or that an orthopod can't use magic to know whether an x-ray is going to come back with something before doing it doesn't mean they aren't the correct route.

without confirmation bias, placebo effect and wishful thinking their business model disappears.

-Awesome comparisons- perhaps you should be happy so many thousands of people are recovering their health with a natural, Chiropractic based lifestyle, rather than crying bc it doesn’t support your Pharma/Surgical based religious ideology.

CC

Hey ChiroCowboy...do you believe in subluxation?

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Taco cat spelled backwards is....taco cat.

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