Chiropractics? or not?



tumbleweed77

tumbleweed77

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Aug 27, 2006
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Just wanted to see what you all thought about chiropractics.... my mom is totally against them, but i'm not so sure.... I permanently damaged a few ligaments in my hip doing gymnastics causing my hip to pop partially out sometimes like when i'm sitting in one position too long ... I've started cyling about 3 months ago and now the more i ride... the more sore my hip get (especially after longer rides of 50 miles or hilly rides).... my fellow cycling buddies who ride behind me tell me that I'm "out of alignment" and my left hip is higher than my right and they tell me to see the chiro... what are the pros and cons? it's not so much of a pain issue... it's just uncomfortable and sore...
any opinions?
 
One step above phrenology, one step below voodoo.

Don't let those quacks touch your neck.
 
I've been using chiropractors for more than 15 years.
I go to one once a week now for treatment of some ongoing issues.
One of those issues is in near L3 & L4 so on the bike I have trouble with mobility in my neck and around 60 miles it is very discomforting to hold my head up while down on the drops riding aero. The chiropractic care has greatly improved this situation and I am able to do a little more longer distance rides. I also have a lot of issues in my lower back and hips from scoleosis and he has also help this and the discomfort in my hips have gone away. Not everyone has to go as often as I am going, but I have a number of things to get corrected. Compared to a year ago I am in much better condition to be sitting on a bike for several hours.

Good chiropractors (just like medical doctors) have to be researched.
Mine is pretty good because he is not only well educated and experienced he also competes in powerlifting so he knows the punishment I put my body through both on the bike and in the gym.
 
Felt_Rider said:
I've been using chiropractors for more than 15 years.
I go to one once a week now for treatment of some ongoing issues.
One of those issues is in near L3 & L4 so on the bike I have trouble with mobility in my neck and around 60 miles it is very discomforting to hold my head up while down on the drops riding aero. The chiropractic care has greatly improved this situation and I am able to do a little more longer distance rides. I also have a lot of issues in my lower back and hips from scoleosis and he has also help this and the discomfort in my hips have gone away. Not everyone has to go as often as I am going, but I have a number of things to get corrected. Compared to a year ago I am in much better condition to be sitting on a bike for several hours.

Good chiropractors (just like medical doctors) have to be researched.
Mine is pretty good because he is not only well educated and experienced he also competes in powerlifting so he knows the punishment I put my body through both on the bike and in the gym.
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Chiropractors have come a long way in the past 10 years. A good one can help with a list of problems. Like was mentioned before, find on that is well qualified or even ask your doctor to recommend one. Try it for yourself and then you'll know if it helps.
 
Bro Deal said:
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chiroeval.html
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Maybe you should read your own link if you are trying to make a blanket statement of how chiropractors are comparable to voodoo. Based on the link you provided it clearly states that chiropractor can be useful but to use caution. Or maybe you can spend some more time searching the web until you find an article that will support your philosophy.

Here is the summary to your precious link. (which is a reasonable statement in the summary and can also be applied to medical doctors based on the number of malpractice suits.)
"The Bottom Line

A good chiropractor can do a lot to help you when you have mechanical-type back pain and other musculoskeletal problems. But until the chiropractic profession cleans up its act, and its colleges uniformly graduate properly limited chiropractors who specialize in neuromusculoskeletal problems, you'll have to exercise caution and informed judgment when seeking chiropractic care."
 
It seems so far that most of you are for chiros in general... i'm not so sure my hip problem has anything to do w/ lower back problems as I'm only 21, but then how would my hips be out of alignment.... I'll be talking with my doctor the next time I eventually go... stretching seems to help a little so i just do that to at least keep things loose
 
Felt_Rider said:
Maybe you should read your own link if you are trying to make a blanket statement of how chiropractors are comparable to voodoo. Based on the link you provided it clearly states that chiropractor can be useful but to use caution.
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I posted that link because it presents chiropractic in about the best light possible while maintaining attachment to reality. It gives a rational view of what you could expect a chiropractor to do, what they cannot, and what to look for when selecting a chiropractor. If the OP is going to go to a chiropractor then he will go no matter what some random people on the Internet say. He might as well know what to watch out for.

If you read the link it goes to great lengths to warn the reader not to trust a chiropractor that believes this, or that, or is selling that, or uses this technique, etc. If you boil down what the link says it comes down to find a "chiropractor" who does not believe in any of the quackery that chiropractic is based on. Essentially it is telling you to find someone who is little different than a physical therapist.

Chiropractic itself is voodoo. Its founder, D.D. Palmer, believed chiropractic to be a religion, and the profession has never fully divorced itself from his quack theories.

If it were my body and my money, I would just go to a good physical therapists and leave the chiropractors back in the 19th century where they belong.

Felt_Rider said:
Or maybe you can spend some more time searching the web until you find an article that will support your philosophy.
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You mean like these:

http://www.chirobase.org/01General/skeptic.html
http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/CP/cp02-01.htm
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirosub.html
http://www.chirobase.org/01General/chirosham.html
http://www.chirobase.org/
 
Speaking as someone who's back is worse than anyone who is likely to reply to this thread. See your regular doctor and get his opinion first. You may not need a chiropractor. You may need someone else who deals with your specific needs. Do NOT go see a chiropractor who advertises "first visit free".


That's my $.02

My back problem? over 70% of my spine is fused together. T4-L3 And that was 30 years ago. Today I average 80+ miles of cycling per week.
 
Another thing to watch: it seems that very often a chiropractor will give you a series of x-rays. In my opinion, x-rays shouldn't be treated so casually. I'd never get an x-ray unless ordered by a physician, and even then I'd question him/her as to its necessity.
 
Certainly I am not here to convince or argue the point of disbelief, but only to respond to the OP that I personally have not had any problems in using a chiropractor in my past 15 years, don't know of anyone else that has had a problem and for the events that I need to get a quick adjustment rather than sit in discomfort for several days because of a misalignment it is nice to get a quick adjustment rather than take medication that does nothing more than mask the pain.

tumbleweed, I don't think your friends that are suggesting a chiro are out to hurt you by making the suggestion. Chiro treatment may or not be the answer to your issue. My chiro does not treat every issue that I may have. He only makes adjustments to misalignments from my training mishaps which seems to be practical that if a vertebra is out why not get it put back in the right place.

Just giving a picture from the other side of this discussion.
 
Whew - hot topic!

I've been dealing with lower back (L4/5) issues since '98. I've seen various PT's, MT's, Chiro's, and even "IMS" (Intramuscular Stimulation): http://www.centenoschultzclinic.com/brochures/ims.pdf

The point that needs to made to the OP is that you're in charge of your health/recovery. Over time I found an excellent PT, MT and Chiro. While each of them would like to think that they are the main resource for my recovery/maintenance, I'm responsible for the coordination of their collective recommendations. If I don't feel comfortabel with a recommendation I say so and let them know that I'm not going there.

Chiropractics alone won't completely fix you - neither will a PT. It's up to you to "own your body", do the research, and accept the responsibility for your desicions.
 
dkrenik said:
Whew - hot topic!

I've been dealing with lower back (L4/5) issues since '98. I've seen various PT's, MT's, Chiro's, and even "IMS" (Intramuscular Stimulation): http://www.centenoschultzclinic.com/brochures/ims.pdf

The point that needs to made to the OP is that you're in charge of your health/recovery. Over time I found an excellent PT, MT and Chiro. While each of them would like to think that they are the main resource for my recovery/maintenance, I'm responsible for the coordination of their collective recommendations. If I don't feel comfortabel with a recommendation I say so and let them know that I'm not going there.

Chiropractics alone won't completely fix you - neither will a PT. It's up to you to "own your body", do the research, and accept the responsibility for your desicions.
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Excellent post and the same way I see it as well.
Each one serves a purpose as far as my well being and being educated is the only way to discern between using one or the other.
 
dkrenik said:
Whew - hot topic!

I've been dealing with lower back (L4/5) issues since '98. I've seen various PT's, MT's, Chiro's, and even "IMS" (Intramuscular Stimulation): http://www.centenoschultzclinic.com/brochures/ims.pdf

The point that needs to made to the OP is that you're in charge of your health/recovery. Over time I found an excellent PT, MT and Chiro. While each of them would like to think that they are the main resource for my recovery/maintenance, I'm responsible for the coordination of their collective recommendations. If I don't feel comfortabel with a recommendation I say so and let them know that I'm not going there.

Chiropractics alone won't completely fix you - neither will a PT. It's up to you to "own your body", do the research, and accept the responsibility for your desicions.
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I totally agree here... each specialist only knows so far.. some injuries/problems overlap in some areas. It's so important for a patient to know and understand as much as possible about their conditions and treatments. I've got a great MD who I'll be contacting about this as he sometimes goes with non traditional therapy such as ART (Active release therapy) or herbal supplements rather than medication... his goal is to keep you off meds and away from him! lol.. i love doctors who's goals are to never see you again (in a good way of course)
 
interesting comments...

as someone who had his spine put back together after discovering just how hard the ground can be, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the "chiro" that has been helping me.
strangely enough, he hasn't done the old "snap, crackle n pop" bit on my spine now for a couple of years. 'Network Spinal Analysis' has been the key. we discussed it at length before embarking on it, and it has been well worthwhile.
i currently ride xc and enduro on the mtb (hardtail), as well as road riding, with no real back issues...
i'd recommend him to anyone. his original background started in radiology before moving onto chiorpractic. as for x-rays, he gets a full spinal x-ray done before he touches you, and knows how to read it - went through it all with me showing me everything. no further x-rays since. nor have i looked back.

as for the "free first visit" advertising - he doesn't advertise. all word of mouth recommendations... doctors or medicos advertising?? havin' a larf!!
 
Archibald said:
interesting comments...

as someone who had his spine put back together after discovering just how hard the ground can be, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the "chiro" that has been helping me.
strangely enough, he hasn't done the old "snap, crackle n pop" bit on my spine now for a couple of years. 'Network Spinal Analysis' has been the key. we discussed it at length before embarking on it, and it has been well worthwhile.
i currently ride xc and enduro on the mtb (hardtail), as well as road riding, with no real back issues...
i'd recommend him to anyone. his original background started in radiology before moving onto chiorpractic. as for x-rays, he gets a full spinal x-ray done before he touches you, and knows how to read it - went through it all with me showing me everything. no further x-rays since. nor have i looked back.

as for the "free first visit" advertising - he doesn't advertise. all word of mouth recommendations... doctors or medicos advertising?? havin' a larf!!
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Watch it now you'll be accused of practicing voodoo. :D

I wouldn't want someone touching me without an X-ray. Most chiros will do the x-ray to see if there are areas that they need to avoid or to send the patient onto a medical specialist.

I have not heard of the "Network Spinal Analysis"
I will have to Google that later and check it out.

Most of my issues are minor at this point.
I pop it out and he pops it back in. Simple and quick.
 
Felt_Rider said:
I have not heard of the "Network Spinal Analysis"
I will have to Google that later and check it out.

Most of my issues are minor at this point.
I pop it out and he pops it back in. Simple and quick.
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my understanding of it is that it works on the principles of;
a) the body having the ability to heal itself
b) the body's natural reactions in "fight or flight" modes to the chiropractic "adjustment" or crack. where your body may perceive this to be an "attack" on itself and then resist (fight) the adjustment and preferring to revert to it's previous situation... like your pop in/pop out senario - why does it keep popping back out? more preferrable for it to stay fixed...

it's taken a while to get used to the new method, but once I got the hang of it I've come along in some serious leaps n bounds with regard to my injuries.

it's probably considered by some as more of a "quack" or "new age" thing, but it's working for me and working well.
"if it works, use it" has been a philosophy I've paid attention to for some time now...
 
Archibald said:
it's taken a while to get used to the new method, but once I got the hang of it I've come along in some serious leaps n bounds with regard to my injuries.

it's probably considered by some as more of a "quack" or "new age" thing, but it's working for me and working well.
"if it works, use it" has been a philosophy I've paid attention to for some time now...
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So is it like accupressure in a sense?
Based on what I have read so far it is more like touching or pressing on the spine. Is there movement to the misaligned vertebra or just a light touch?

I have a chiro appointment today so I will ask my doctor what he knows.
He does use an instrument called an "activator" that makes a slight tap on some of the low force treatment, but the most part I still like the old school method.

One of the methods I have been using at home is an inversion table and that has also worked for me for a little decompression action in my low back and has also helped with hip misalignment and discomfort.

Like you say it is good to find what will work in a natural sense rather than letting a medical doctor load us up on meds that really only mask the pain. Although for some people that have very accute problems I understand the need for meds.
 
Felt_Rider said:
So is it like accupressure in a sense?
Based on what I have read so far it is more like touching or pressing on the spine. Is there movement to the misaligned vertebra or just a light touch?

I have a chiro appointment today so I will ask my doctor what he knows.
He does use an instrument called an "activator" that makes a slight tap on some of the low force treatment, but the most part I still like the old school method.

One of the methods I have been using at home is an inversion table and that has also worked for me for a little decompression action in my low back and has also helped with hip misalignment and discomfort.

Like you say it is good to find what will work in a natural sense rather than letting a medical doctor load us up on meds that really only mask the pain. Although for some people that have very accute problems I understand the need for meds.
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you create the movement yourself, not the chiro. the touching is light but stimulates the nervous system. nowhere near the force of accupressure.
as bizarre as it sounds i've actually felt the vertebrae move without any contact from the chiro, and just through the breathing and 'respiratory wave'.

the activator thingy is like a mild 'cracking'/adjustment, but done in a more precise and local location - if that makes sense.

as for inversion, a friend of mine swears by bunji jumping. he had some nasty back problems from several months working bent over yardarms on tall ships (the old sailing ships). he did one bunji jump and it "straightened" him out, so to speak. it works for him, so he uses it...
 
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