South Carolina DC Named "Chiropractic Neurologist of the Year"

On April 27, 2003, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Neurology named Dr. Andrew Hopkins of Aiken, S.C., "Chiropractic Neurologist of the Year" at a ceremony at the University of Connecticut, Farmington. The award is one of the council's highest honors.

Frederick Carrick, DC, PhD, a pioneer in the field of chiropractic neurology, presented the award, citing Dr. Hopkins' dedication to the promotion and advancement of the profession.

Dr. Hopkins' Aiken Integrated Medical (AIM) Center blends chiropractic neurology with traditional complementary medicine. Doctors from diverse backgrounds with myriad areas of expertise join to treat patients suffering from a wide range of neurological disorders, including learning difficulties; balance and movement disorders; and stroke rehabilitation.

Doctors trained in chiropractic neurology partake in a three-year, post-doctorate course of study, and treat disorders using individualized treatment that promotes brain plasticity.

For more information on the ACA Council of Neurology, visit www.amerchiro.org.

Washington State delegate to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Douglas Nordstrom, DC, of Marysville, Wash., was named a Fellow of the International College of Chiropractors (ICC) at the ACA House of Delegates meeting on March 8, 2003, in Washington, D.C.

Election to the ICC is touted as one of the highest honors of service in the chiropractic profession.

Dr. Nordstrom was presented a plaque commemorating the honor from his brother, Dr. Bruce Nordstrom, ACA delegate for Washington, D.C.

The Chiropractic Association of Saskatchewan (CAS) dropped its ban on the "Activator" instrument recently, following a CAS meeting in Waskesiu. Seventy-one percent of those attending the meeting voted that DCs should be allowed to use the Activator on patients who request its use.

The Activator, a hand-held device, is designed to replicate a spinal adjustment by applying light force on the body. The CAS, a self-governing agency permitted to enact bylaws over standards of care, had prohibited the use of mechanical devices for manipulations; however, the use of the Activator is allowed in the rest of Canada and in the United States.

According to Patients' Rights Association of Saskatchewan (PRAS) President Natalie Austin, there has been substantial patient demand for the Activator. "In one week, I received 16 e-mails [from] patients who were upset because they were not allowed to have the use of the Activator," she said. "For some people, they cannot take the hand manipulation; it's too difficult. But they find the Activator helps."

Still, the CAS vote is just one step in the bylaw-amendment process. The province's minister of health must review the changes. If it passes, the amended bylaw will also lift bans on other mechanical devices as research deems them safe to use.

In recognition of outstanding achievement in research, the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) awarded Logan College of Chiropractic student Miguel Ridgley a $7,500 research scholarship, one of two students in the U.S. to receive an ACC scholarship.

Ridgley's study, "The Effect of Hand-Grip Exercise on Hypertension," included 30 subjects predisposed to high blood pressure and taking hypertension medication. Ridgley took blood pressure readings of each subject before and after performance of hand-grip exercises.

Ridgley is currently conducting a similar study for her senior research project, a requirement for graduation from Logan. The study will be submitted to ACC for publication.

In conjunction with Ridgley's award, Logan received a $2,500 grant, as did Ridgley's project advisor, Logan research associate John Zhang, MD, PhD.

Horse racing aficionado Wally Dollase knew something was wrong when Ten Most Wanted, a dark bay colt he helped train, finished ninth at the start of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, so he called in Dr. David Hand, an equine chiropractor.

"We just couldn't believe he ran so poorly," said Dollase. "It was pretty hard to detect at first, but when we brought him out and tried to jog him, he didn't even want to jog. We put him on the concrete, on a hard surface, and the veterinarian was finally able to diagnose it. All I know is he corrected it, with his hands."

Ten Most Wanted was diagnosed with a displaced vertebra, which he sustained after being slammed in the back from horses on both sides at the start of the Derby. However, a five-day break and a series of chiropractic treatments from Dr. Hand proved the right combination to get Ten Most Wanted "back in the saddle" again. Five weeks after his poor showing in Kentucky, the colt surprised many in the sports world when he finished second in the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of horse racing's famed Triple Crown.

"It was a wonderful surprise," Dollase gleamed. "He ran a big race, and he came out of it good."

According to Dollase, Ten Most Wanted's racing days are far from over. Based on his strong showing in the Belmont, the horse is slated to appear in several high-stakes races in the eastern U.S. over the next few months.