Chiropractic: the true ‘mother of invention’?

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. The meaning of this proverb is fairly clear:

• In the Oxford Dictionary the proverb has been defined as– when the need for something becomes imperative, you are forced to find ways of getting or achieving it.
• According to the Cambridge Dictionary, this is “an expression that means that if you really need to do something, you will think of a way of doing it.”
• Finally, the Longman dictionary has defined the proverb as– “if someone really needs to do something, they will find a way of doing it.”

In the world of chiropractic the proverb acquires a special meaning: chiropractic relies almost entirely on inventions. A few examples have to suffice:

• first, instead of pathophysiology, they invented subluxations,
• this required the invention of adjustments which were needed for their imagined subluxation,
• then they invented the ‘inate’,
• then they invented the idea that all sorts of conditions are caused by subluxations and therefore require adjustments,
• finally, they invented the notion that regular adjustments are needed for a healthy person to stay healthy.

I was reminded of the unique inventive capacity of chiropractic when I came across the website of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP). The F4CP is, according to their own statements, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care (which is, of course, another invention).

Experts at the F4CP point out that a growing number of professional athletic teams utilize chiropractic care to maximize overall health and maintain peak performance. “Repetitive motion injuries, including shoulder tendinitis, elbow, lower back pain and muscle spasms, are common conditions and injuries among professional baseball players that can be successfully prevented, managed and treated with chiropractic care,” says Hirad N. Bagy, DC. “Chiropractic adjustments, in conjunction with soft tissue mobilization, provide athletes with proper structure, function and balance to reduce the risk of injury, accelerate recovery time and improve overall performance,” he continues – and he must know, because he has received specialized training and certifications specific to sports medicine, which include the Graston Technique®, Active Release Technique®, Myofascial Release Technique, Impact Concussion Testing and Functional Dry Needling. Dr. Bagy continues: “A number of athletes that I treat regularly understand the importance of chiropractic maintenance care, and also seek treatment when an injury arises. Through the restoration of proper bio-mechanics, doctors of chiropractic are now positioned as key health care providers throughout all of the sports teams that I work with.”

BRAVO! We are impressed! So much so, that we almost forgot to ask: “Is there any evidence for all of these therapeutic claims?”

Just as well! Because had we asked and perhaps even did a bit of research, we would have found that almost none of these far-reaching claims are evidence-based.

But who would be so petty? Instead of criticising the incessant flow of bogus claims made by chiropractors worldwide, we should really admire their remarkable skill of invention:

• When the need for profit becomes imperative, CHIROPRACTORS are forced to find ways of getting or achieving it.
• If CHIROPRACTORS really need to do something, they will think of a way of doing it.
• If a CHIROPRACTOR really needs money, he will advocate ‘maintenance care’.

AND THAT’S WHAT IS CALLED ‘CHIROPRACTIC PROGRESS’!