Each patient education article in "The Evidence-Based Educator" details research documented in Somatovisceral Aspects of Chiropractic: An Evidence-Based Approach, co-edited by Dr. Masarsky and Marion Todres-Masarsky, DC.
"That's the first deep breath I've taken in weeks!" It is not at all uncommon for us to hear our patients saying something along these lines as they get up from the adjusting table. It might be a good idea to reinforce that experience with the following article. Please feel free to use it for tableside talks or lay lectures, or to post on your bulletin board.
This finding was not surprising. Along with many of their colleagues, these doctors of chiropractic frequently heard patients make comments after a session along the lines of, "I feel like I'm taking in more air." However, when the doctors isolated the data for those patients in this series with normal FVC and FEV-1 measurements on their initial visits, they found that these patients had also improved. In other words, a significant number of chiropractic patients seemed to be walking in with normal breathing capacity, and walking out with breathing capacity that was even better. They had started out normal and ended up "normal - and then some."
An almost identical study was carried out in the late 1990s by a doctor of chiropractic in Missouri.3 Again, chiropractic care was found to improve breathing capacity in "lung-normal" patients, as well as those with respiratory problems.
The significance of these studies lies in the relationship between breathing and longevity. Both FVC and FEV-1 have been established in the biomedical literature as biological markers of aging.4 When a group of 1,720 50-year-olds in Framingham, Massachusetts was examined with long-term follow-up, it was found that the higher the FVC at age 50, the more likely the odds of survival to age 75.5
Breathing is made possible by skeletal muscles - the same type of muscles that enables you to lift, participate in sports, and perform well in other types of physical activity. This is also the same type of muscles that makes normal posture possible. The same chiropractic adjustments that may offer improvements in posture, sports performance and productivity at work, can also improve breathing - a vital function linked to longevity.
References
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?
