Foot Levelers recently announced a $500,000 endowment to create an eponymous Chair in Biomechanics and Human Performance at Northwestern Health Sciences University. In conjunction with the endowment, the company also announced an annual $25,000 matching gift to NWHSU, which will be utilized to advance clinical research on functional orthotics and their influence on whole-body biomechanics.
"Research is the backbone of high quality spine care, human performance and biomechanics and we are extremely gratified to play a role in supporting health care teams worldwide," said Foot Levelers President and CEO Kent Greenawalt in a press release detailing the company's substantial financial support. "We're honored, excited and immensely proud of these efforts to enhance well-coordinated patient care among different providers and institutions that brings together care for the whole person. Our level of commitment to research resonates with providers, patients and payers."
According to the release, the new chair established courtesy of the $500,000 endowment "supports research and education to advance a deeper understanding of biomechanics, the science of movement of a living body, including how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together to produce movement and will provide the opportunity to find more efficient, effective care that leads to improved patient outcomes and better quality of life, especially pertaining to spine care, throughout the world."
While cervical disc pathology can unquestionably produce radiculopathy, many patients presenting with arm pain, paresthesia or perceived weakness do not exhibit the clinical behavior of true nerve-root compromise. In these cases, failure to differentiate the primary pain generator may lead to unnecessary spinal injections, nerve ablation procedures or surgical consultation despite limited likelihood of benefit.
The New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners has made a precedential decision, concurring with the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors' (ANJC) position paper on chiropractic X-ray guidelines. In plain terms, the board ruled, consistent with the ANJC position, that insurance companies cannot use medical X-ray rules or recommendations, like those written by the American College of Radiology (ACR), to decide whether a chiropractor's X-ray was necessary.
For decades, chiropractors have been told the answer to more professional referrals is simple: educate medical doctors about chiropractic. There is some truth in that advice; but it is also incomplete. The modern challenge is not simply getting another healthcare professional to know that chiropractors exist. It is becoming the kind of clinician (and building the kind of professional relationship) that makes collaboration easy and sustainable.
