On Friday, October 23, 1992, President Bush signed the Defense Authorization Bill (HR 5006). Section 505 of that bill authorizes the Secretary of Defense to "appoint chiropractors as commissioned officers in the armed forces to provide chiropractic care within the military health care system."
The long battle to get legislation passed that allows for commissioned officer status for DCs is a tribute to the perseverance and tenacity of the chiropractic profession. The struggle to overcome the discrimination inherent in the military's policy toward chiropractic, however, is far from over.
Section 505 only authorizes the appointment of DCs as commissioned officers: it doesn't mandate the military to act.
In the Navy Times, we read first hand the military's opinion of section 505: "The Defense Department has no intention of commissioning chiropractors. At a time of tight budgets, health care officials believe the treatment a chiropractor can offer is unnecessary. Expect chiropractic to lobby Congress in 1993 to force a change."
The Navy Times got one thing right: expect chiropractic to force a change.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
