CHIROPRACTIC RESEARCH

“There is more evidence-based research to support chiropractic treatment than any other complementary discipline” (British Chiropractic Association, 2006).

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Please find listed below a selection of research papers and published documents which demonstrate this strong evidence base:

NICE Guidelines; In May 2009,The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published new guidelines to improve the early management of persistent non-specific low back pain. The guidelines recommend what care and advice the NHS should offer to people affected by low back pain. NICE assessed the effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of available treatments and one recommendation is to offer a course of manual therapy, including spinal manipulation, spinal mobilisation and massage.

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National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE)’s “Non-rigid stabilisation procedures for the treatment of low back pain”guidelines include a statement that chiropractic intervention and posture training can limit episodes of acute pain (June 2006). 
 

Koes B W, van Tulder MW, Thomas S (2006): ‘Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain’. British Medical Journal (BMJ), 332:1439-1434 (June).

A review article of over 1,000 ramdomised, controlled trials of all treatments for low back pain which recommends spinal manipulation for both acute and chronic low back pain.

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Department of Health (DOH)’s‘The Musculoskeletal Framework; A joint responsibility; doing it differently’ clearly acknowledges chiropractors as being one of the professions that has clear expertise in the delivery of musculoskeletal services – and lays out plans for specialist clinics where chiropractic is available.

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UK BEAM Trial; back pain, exercise and manipulation (UK BEAM) randomised trial: effectiveness of physical treatments for back pain in primary care.
 

Medical Research Council: ‘Randomised comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient management for low back pain’. At three years, the results confirm the findings of an earlier report that, when chiropractic or hospital therapists treat patients with low back pain as they would in day-to-day practice, those treated by chiropractic derive more benefit and long-term satisfaction than those treated by hospitals.
 

NHS-National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE)’s ‘Referal Advice – A guide to appropriate referral from general to specialist services’encourages manipulation therapy to help restore function (December 2001).

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Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)– Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Low Back Pain 1996, 1999, 2001.

Clinical Standards Advisory Group; Backpain Report 1994.

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Carter JT, Birrell LN (Editors), 2000. Occupational health guidelines for the management of low back pain at work – principal recommendations. Faculty of Occupational Medicine. London Spine.

Occupational health guidelines for the management of low back pain at work – leaflet for practitioners. Faculty of Occupational Medicine. London. 2000. Waddell G, Burton AK 2000. Occupational health guidelines for the management of low back pain at work – evidence review. Faculty of Occupational Medicine. London.

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Chiropractic Treatment in Workers with Musculoskeletal Complaints; Mark P Blokland DC et al; Journal of the Neuromusculoskeletal System vol 8 No 1, Spring 2000

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Haldeman S, Carroll L, Cassidy JD et al . Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. J. Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009 Feb; 32(2 suppl): s7-9

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Airaksinen O, Brox JI, Cedraschic, et al.COST B13 Working group on guidelines for chronic low back pain. Eur Guidelines for the management of chronic non-specific low back pain. Euro spine J 2006; 15 suppl 2: S192-300

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Van Tulder M, Becker A, Bekkering T, et al. The COST B13 Working group on guidelines for the management of acute low back pain in primary care. Eur Guidelines for the management of acute non-specific low back pain in primary care. Eur Spine J 2006 Mar; 15 supp 2: S169-91.

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House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology report on Complementary and Alternative MedicineNovember 2000

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Bronfort G, Nilsson N, Haas M, Evans R, Goldsmith CH, Assendelft WJJ, Bouter LM.Non invasive physical treatments for chronic/recurrent headache (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004 issue 3.