It’s a new year and many chiropractors are evaluating what will enhance their respective practices, particularly as it relates to their bottom line. One of the most common questions I get is: “Do I need to be credentialed to bill insurance, and what are the best plans to join?” It’s a loaded question – but one every DC ponders. Whether you're already in-network or pondering whether to join, here's what you need to know.
JAMA: Exercise Works for LBP
The American Medical Association and its affiliated journals may not be quick to publish research espousing the benefits of the chiropractic adjustment for low back pain, but a systematic review / meta-analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine does at least give kudos to a nondrug, nonsurgical option: exercise. According to the study authors, "The current evidence suggests that exercise alone or in combination with education is effective for preventing LBP," citing moderate-quality evidence.
The review study, authored by Steffens D., et al., identified more than 6,000 randomized clinical trials on prevention strategies for nonspecific LBP, with 23 ("on 21 different randomized clinical trials including 30,850 unique participants") meeting the inclusion criteria. (It is unknown how many of the ineligible / eligible studies involved chiropractic adjusting as a preventive strategy.)
Click here to read the study abstract and access (for a fee) the full text.