In his book Seeing What's Next, Clayton Christensen, author of The Innovator's Dilemma and The Innovator's Solution, writes: "The past might seem a strange departure point for a book the explains how to see the future. We started with history, however, to show that theory can help explain why things happened the way they did. After all, we cannot hope to use something to explain the future if it cannot explain the past."
In reflecting on chiropractic's 126-year history, I felt the need to look dispassionately and objectively at what has transpired, with key issues affecting the profession both positively and negatively. We have indeed been very litigious as a profession; some of the litigation quite literally changed the trajectory of the entire profession. Legislation was also necessary for licensure, and incredible patient support fueled a tremendous political movement.
Education and research, however, are the two areas that enabled the profession to survive and withstand the seemingly insurmountable challenges and opposition we had to endure.
By contrasting the past and present, perhaps a more objective and optimistic view of the future will be realized by those who did not live through the historical battles and feel the joy of victory or pain of defeat, while never losing optimism that the chiropractic profession would emerge victorious.
I have produced a short video that is by no means comprehensive, but highlights a few of the many significant issues which could have easily altered the course of chiropractic history. As Dr. Christensen indicated, the past is necessary to understand, the present is important to appreciate, but the future will depend on a strategic vision for tomorrow.
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?
