By 2021, the majority of Americans have at least heard of chiropractic care. Unlike traditional health care that focuses on temporary fixes with drugs, this holistic care identifies a patient’s pain and helps them heal. This allows people to achieve lasting health and wellness. What you may not know is some surprising facts that reflect the rich history of chiropractic used globally. Let’s take a closer look at these facts about chiropractic care.
Chiropractors Must Complete Extensive Training Before They Can Practice
This may surprise some people that aren’t aware of how much extensive training is required for chiropractors or that this holistic care is based on science. Before they can practice, chiropractors must undergo at least 4,200 hours of training. This training includes hands-on experience in classrooms, labs, and clinical internships. Just like medical doctors, doctors of chiropractic (DCs) must pass state board exams and earn a four year doctoral degree before they can legally practice in their state. All of this training is necessary for performing safe, gentle, and effective care for every patient.
All 32 National Football League Teams Receive Chiropractic Treatment
Professional athletes follow strict training and exercise schedules to maintain their best performance and overall health. Indeed, sport leagues recognize the significant benefits of chiropractic care. This is why the NFL uses this type of care. Receiving regular adjustments helps improve athletes’ performance at practice and games, recover faster from injuries, and boost their overall health. Additionally, chiropractic care helps athletes have better range of motion, which helps prevent future injuries.
One of the Most Successful Chiropractors in History Was Blind
Did you know that chiropractic care can be performed by people with vision disabilities? The story of Dr. Charles Robinson Johnson is proof of this. Dr. Johnson was born in a mining camp and was blinded during an accident at the age of 27. He overcame his obstacles and eventually graduated as the first blind chiropractor at Palmer School of Chiropractic in 1918. He made history that day and opened the door for other people with disabilities to practice chiropractic too.
His inspirational story doesn’t end there. Dr. Johnson became one of the most successful chiropractors in history. He was extremely skilled at his job and practiced on hundreds of patients a week. This famous chiropractor practiced for over 20 years in Peekskill, New York and was known as “the man who made Peekskill famous.”
Chiropractors Receive Chiropractic Care Too
Just like their patients, chiropractors also receive this holistic care. Since chiropractors typically see several patients a week, this can take a toll on the doctor’s body. Chiropractors maintain their optimal health and prevent injuries by regularly stretching, exercising, eating healthy, and receiving regular chiropractic adjustments as needed. This not only keeps them healthy and pain free, but shows others the importance of investing in their long-term health and well-being.
Never Allow Your Untrained Friends to “Adjust” You
Remember how much training and education chiropractors must complete before they can legally practice on patients? This training is crucial to safely perform adjustments and to avoid possibly injuring a person and causing them more pain or health issues than they already have.
Some people still believe that chiropractic care is simply twisting, popping, and cracking a person’s back. However, modern chiropractic is a sound, scientific-based process that requires significant training to implement such precise, gentle, and effective adjustments on a patient’s spine. If you allow your untrained friend to “adjust” you, they could accidentally injure you.
Don’t believe us? Consider an adjustment gone terribly wrong when a barber tried adjusting his client’s neck in India during 2001. Not only did this not “fix” his neck pain, but it caused the man to have severe spinal cord and brainstem issues. Indeed, the key takeaway is to never let your untrained friend, family member, or co-worker “adjust” you because it’s not as easy as it looks. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your health.
We hope you enjoyed this article and hopefully you learned some new facts about chiropractic care. Contact Northern Lakes Chiropractic today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your highest health potential through our neurologically-based chiropractic care. We would love to become your new Duluth Chiropractor!