September 23, 2013 — The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) has endorsed the conclusion of a recent report, titled “Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study” (Spine; 4.15.2013).
The study found that for patients with low-back pain, the addition of chiropractic care to standard medical care (SMC) offered greater than a four-fold increase in patients whose pain and disability was “completely gone, much better or moderately better.”
“The inclusion of chiropractic care in this study setting demonstrated that chiropractic can promote cost-effective and clinically efficient outcomes for musculoskeletal conditions,” shares Gerard Clum, DC, spokesperson, F4CP, who points out that the evidence-based care also ranks highly in terms of patient satisfaction. “Reports continue to confirm the extended value of chiropractic and support its inclusion within care delivery models, such as patient centered health care homes (PCHCH) and accountable care organizations (ACOs).”
Conducted over an 18-month period, the two-arm pilot study evaluated 18 to 35-year-old active-duty military personnel with acute low-back pain. Researchers documented that the inclusion of chiropractic care yielded a doubling of participant satisfaction with care at the two-week window and a 64 percent increase at the four-week conclusion.
“The study’s results are impressive and provide low back pain patients and healthcare providers with a better understanding of the positive impact chiropractic care offers,” states Clum. “As more people gain knowledge of the value connected with the addition of chiropractic care to standard approaches to care, I expect our healthcare system, and more importantly patients, will experience greater clinical and financial improvements.”
