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It might sometimes work, but chiropractic is still quackery. Let's say I notice that kicking someone in the kneecap seems to cure the cold. If I go around offe

It might sometimes work, but chiropractic is still quackery. Let's say I notice that kicking someone in the kneecap seems to cure the cold. If I go around offering to kick people in the kneecaps and don't claim to know why - or even if - it helps that's fine. But once I start saying it optimises your body's energy flow which enlists white blood cells to fight disease, that's quackery. The whole basis of chiropractic is pseudoscience at best or actively rejecting the scientific method at worst. Part of what they do is likely effective for some. Studies suggest it's about as effective as massage, physical therapy or exercise. Now, there are absolutely some "good" people in the industry that know and accept that chiropractic orthodoxy is pseudoscience, but nevertheless feel that spinal manipulation helps with some conditions and don't make grand claims or claim to be able to treat non-MSK conditions. It is probably unfair to describe those individuals as quacks. But textbook definition chiropractic as an industry is absolute nonsense.

techdragon 5y ago
Let’s draw a line then between chiropractic “can cure stuff beyond muscles, bones, joins, and related pains” and actually useful chiropractor/physiotherapist/remedial massage work… because I utterly despise the quackery yet routinely take advantage of an excellent physiotherapist who basically does “adjustments”, 95% of the time not to my spine but she’s an absolute wizard when it comes to fixing the back pain from occasionally being hunched over on a project in intensive concentration for too long and only noticing after I’ve hurt something and begin feeling pain the next day.
- cameronh90 5y ago
  I have no doubt that some of the techniques can help - but "chiropractic" is still pseudoscientific nonsense. Even excluding the outlandish claims that it can cure other conditions, they make unscientific claims about how manipulations help with MSK pain. Chiropractic vertebral subluxations don't exist, joints don't need to be realigned - and even if they did - an activator device wouldn't do it. As I said, studies do show it is as effective as other forms of manual therapy for MSK pain, which is to say it can be fairly effective. I think it's probably the case in the USA that people call themselves chiropractors who, in other countries, would refer to themselves as physical therapists, because people know what chiropractors are. Sort of like branding. I've read about US having "evidence based chiropractors" who are, in effect, what in the UK would be called osteopaths - which is still alternative medicine but with far less woo than chiropractic. I have been to chiropractors, osteopaths and others and did find it effective, but then I also found massage and physical therapy effective. I think just having someone really get in there to give your muscles a rub and crack your joints makes you feel good for some currently not known reason.

techdragon 5y ago

Let’s draw a line then between chiropractic “can cure stuff beyond muscles, bones, joins, and related pains” and actually useful chiropractor/physiotherapist/remedial massage work… because I utterly despise the quackery yet routinely take advantage of an excellent physiotherapist who basically does “adjustments”, 95% of the time not to my spine but she’s an absolute wizard when it comes to fixing the back pain from occasionally being hunched over on a project in intensive concentration for too long and only noticing after I’ve hurt something and begin feeling pain the next day.

cameronh90 5y ago
I have no doubt that some of the techniques can help - but "chiropractic" is still pseudoscientific nonsense. Even excluding the outlandish claims that it can cure other conditions, they make unscientific claims about how manipulations help with MSK pain. Chiropractic vertebral subluxations don't exist, joints don't need to be realigned - and even if they did - an activator device wouldn't do it. As I said, studies do show it is as effective as other forms of manual therapy for MSK pain, which is to say it can be fairly effective. I think it's probably the case in the USA that people call themselves chiropractors who, in other countries, would refer to themselves as physical therapists, because people know what chiropractors are. Sort of like branding. I've read about US having "evidence based chiropractors" who are, in effect, what in the UK would be called osteopaths - which is still alternative medicine but with far less woo than chiropractic. I have been to chiropractors, osteopaths and others and did find it effective, but then I also found massage and physical therapy effective. I think just having someone really get in there to give your muscles a rub and crack your joints makes you feel good for some currently not known reason.