It has been just over a year since many in the chiropractic profession first learned that the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) joined more than 80 medical specialty society partners to participate in an initiative that is sponsored by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation. This initiative’s mission is to “promote conversations between clinicians and patients by helping patients choose care that is supported by evidence, not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received, free from harm, and truly necessary.” It is called the Choosing Wisely campaign¹ and it has generated more spirited discussion among doctors of chiropractic than I can recall since release of the Mercy Conference Proceedings in 1993.

It is now well known that low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and that chiropractors can play a pivotal role in the management of this condition. However, the chiropractic profession can achieve wider acceptance and improved cultural authority, particularly within integrated health care delivery systems, by embracing and integrating current scientific research into our approach to evidence-based health care. It is in this context that this Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) was developed. The aim of this systematic review was to update and combine three previously published clinical guidelines, while answering this question: “What is the effectiveness of chiropractic care, including spinal manipulation (SMT), for nonspecific low back pain?” 

Representatives of ACA and the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative together will present a free webinar on guidelines for whiplash-associated disorders on June 20 at 9 pm ET. Presenters Dr. Andre Bussieres, Dr. Joel Weisberg and Dr. Michele Maiers take a moment to share why the  topic is relevant to your practice…and why you won’t want to miss this information-packed webinar.