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Let’s draw a line then between chiropractic “can cure stuff beyond muscles, bones, joins, and related pains” and actually useful chiropractor/physiotherapist/re

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.

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.