Aah! The nagging back pain. We’ve all been there. Running towards relief sprays, massages, and hot packs, & yet with persistent aches. Low back pain remains the leading cause of years of living with disability globally, and in 2020, there were more than half a billion prevalent cases of low back pain worldwide (1). Two options that often emerge to choose the path of pain relief are, who should we visit physiotherapist or chiropractor? It’s time to crack the code for you.
Popping joints is not what chiropractors only do & and prescribing exercises is not all that’s equivalent to physiotherapy! Yes, you read that right. Chiropractic is a healthcare profession concerned with the management of neuromusculoskeletal conditions and, more specifically, disorders affecting the spine. Chiropractors strongly rely on the use of manual therapy, particularly spinal manipulation, which is the main form of care they provide (2).
Imagine your body as a perfectly aligned orchestra, “at ease”. According to Chiropractic philosophy the disharmony and pain that arise when some instruments get knocked out of tune, muffling the beautiful expression of your inner conductor is a “state of dis-ease”. The idea that chiropractors facilitate innate intelligence, holistic healing – rather than treat the symptoms of dis-ease – is foundational to the philosophy of chiropractic.
Physiotherapy on the other hand, helps to restore movement and function by targeted and customized exercises, manual therapy and stretching. Exercise therapy certainly takes up a big part of these movement maestros, but it also includes manual lymphatic drainage, electrotherapy, and manual therapy among the others. Sedentary lifestyles often disengage our connect to staying physically active, in turn restricting our participation and limiting our activities. A movement-based problem, the inability to do a certain movement is a problem physiotherapist address as their bread and butter.
So, when and how do you decide who to visit? In acute cases, such as muscle sprains, sports related injury, your first line of defense is held by physiotherapists.
In chronic cases, where muscle inhibition and faulty kinetic chain patterns have resulted in malalignments, you can inculcate chiropractic manipulations as an adjunctive treatment.
There is no one prescription fits all, therefore no one stream of management will fulfil both short term goals and help manage sustenance of long-term goals. A spinal adjustment, and chiropractic manipulation need a promise of sustainability with the imperative emphasis of exercise prescription and holistic rehabilitation.
Both chiropractors and physical therapists use non-invasive physical methods to relieve pain. The paths may be different in philosophies and execution, but one should not let pain go unnoticed in this conjecture.
Consult a qualified practitioner based on your specific needs and discuss your expectations. Don't hesitate to ask questions and partner with them to create a personalized plan for optimal health and movement. Now go forth and move with confidence!
References:
- Ferreira ML, Luca K de, Haile LM, Steinmetz JD, Culbreth GT, Cross M, et al. Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology. 2023 Jun 1;5(6):e316–29.
- Beliveau PJH, Wong JJ, Sutton DA, Simon NB, Bussières AE, Mior SA, et al. The chiropractic profession: a scoping review of utilization rates, reasons for seeking care, patient profiles, and care provided. Chiropr Man Therap. 2017 Nov 22;25:35.