What if all doctors of chiropractic talked the same language? What is a subluxation? What is a listing? In the 1990s, chiropractic is about to reap the benefits: ever increasing acceptance by the public and governments alike; states (USA) and provinces (Canada) are including chiropractic in their legislation; the paradigm shift of health care from crisis therapy to preventative concepts; and research is being done throughout the world substantiating the adjustment or manipulative procedure. It is worth noting that the osseous or articular hands-on type of adjusting is what we are talking about. All of these are wonderful events. However, chiropractic is still holding on to the old outdated concepts and theories. One should always remember that a part of learning is letting go of some of the past. The NINCDS monograph, Bourdillion's text, Mennel's text, Faye's text, and numerous others have consistently stated that the "bone out of place" theory is keeping chiropractic from its rightful position in the healing arts.
Manipulation is generic. In the United States alone, there is being taught in excess of 365 courses (not for DCs) on osseous manipulation, with the first 40 hours -- yes, 40 hours -- on how to develop a controlled body drop. I wonder how many chiropractic colleges can boast of this type of exactness in just one of the many facets of the art of adjusting? The art form of chiropractic must remain paramount in our colleges.
The many journals that exist today with respect to spinal mechanics and spinal joint dysfunction are all using standard terminology and symbols so that every one can communicate without trying to translate one set of listings into another (with the obvious loss of something during this transposition process).
MPI since its beginning has taught that a subluxation is not just a little "bone out of place," but a complex, clinical entity comprised of a kinesiological, neurological, muscular, biochemical, and histological component. These make up a major portion of the science of chiropractic, and it is within this framework that a universal recording method for spinal dysfunction is taught.
What if we all talked the same language?
Keith Innes, D.C.
Scarborough, Ontario
Canada
Editor's Note:
Dr. Innes will be conducting his next Somatic Components of the Subluxation Complex seminar on April 11-12 in Orlando Florida, and May 2-3 in Portland, Oregon. You may register by dialing 1-800- 327-2289.
