One would think that during a global pandemic such as COVID-19, participation in any international organization, chiropractic or otherwise, might stay static as countries focused on their own internal states of affairs. Not in the case of the World Federation of Chiropractic, which reports the addition of four new national associations and the return of one former association, bringing the WFC's country representation to 94 – it's highest total ever.
The new national members, whose applications were reviewed and approved unanimously at the WFC's recent annual member meeting (the first such meeting held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic), are:
Colegio Nacional del Licenciedos en Quiropràctica (representing Mexico)
In addition, the New Zealand Chiropractors Association returned to the WFC as a full national member following a four-month hiatus, also receiving a unanimous vote regarding its application.
Commenting on the latest additions to the federation's national representation following the virtual meeting, WFC Secretary-General Richard Brown, DC, said:
"I'm delighted that we're able to [welcome] new members from around the world. Bringing in new members to the WFC is consistent with our vision of a world where everyone may enjoy universal access to chiropractic so that populations may thrive and reach their full potential.
"Africa in particular is the most underserved region of the WFC when it comes to chiropractic. Huge parts of the continent have little or no access to any form of healthcare at all. Developing chiropractic in Africa, where the need for evidence-based, sustainable, affordable spine care is so great, is one of the WFC's priorities. While our new associations are very small, we owe it to these courageous pioneers to support, empower and advance the profession."
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?
Some pundits say that the upcoming presidential and congressional races, and many local races, might be the most consequential in our country’s history. We do not have the choice of sitting on the sidelines and hoping our patients will carry our water. Unlike other medical professions such as physical therapists, podiatrists, nurses, etc., the health care class (AMA) will not protect us. We must be in the game.
The most common condition affecting the shoulder is rotator-cuff disease. From acute tears to chronic tendinopathy, it’s common and needs a thorough workup. In fact, even asymptomatic shoulders can have full-thickness rotator-cuff rears in up to 40% of instances. Let’s look at additional conditions that can present to the office with weakness, loss of motion and pain in the shoulder beyond rotator-cuff tears.
