CHIROPRACTIC MORE EFFECTIVE THAN MEDICAL CARE FOR OLDER PATIENTS WITH LBP

A new report compares chiropractic care with medical care for older patients with low-back pain (LBP). The randomized controlled trial included 240 people (105 women and 135 men). The participants were all at least 55 years old with subacute or chronic nonradicular LBP. The patients were divided into three groups, including two biomechanically distinct forms of spinal manipulation (SM) or minimal conservative medical care (MCMC). Specifically, “participants were randomly allocated to 6 weeks of care including 12 visits of either high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA)-SM, low-velocity, variable-amplitude (LVVA)-SM, or 3 visits of MCMC The study concludes that “biomechanically distinct forms of SM did not lead to different outcomes in older LBP patients and both SM procedures were associated with small yet clinically important changes in functional status by the end of treatment for this relatively healthy older population. Participants who received either form of SM had improvements on average in functional status ranging from 1 to 2.2 over those who received MCMC. From an evidence-based care perspective, patient preference and clinical experience should drive how clinicians and patients make the SM procedure decision for this patient population.” JMPT – June 2009;32:330-43. www.jmptonline.org

This is a great study to confirm numerous studies previously conducted.  It just makes sense that if you have a problem with a nerve, disc, ligament, bone or joint it needs to be fixed.  The reason we have back problems is not because we are deficient in medication or we need to rest it is because something is malfunctioning.  Imagine your car wheels being out of alignment and stressing the tie-rods, transmission, engine, and shocks.  Resting the car by not using it doesn't help.  It also doesn't help to put stronger gasoline in the tank.  It needs to go to a mechanic for an alignment.  Nothing else will help.  That is the same as the spine. 

Your RoadToVitality.com Health Mentor, Dr. Rob Anderson of Vitality Chiropractic of Highlands Ranch and Littleton.   Be sure to register for our award winning newsletter to the right of the blog. 

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