Is weightlifting safe for adolescents? No, well yes, okay maybe…in the right situations.  That is about as clear as it gets concerning the growing epidemic of adolescent injuries via weightlifting and competitive sports. There is no disputing the facts that plague childhood athletics. A September 2018 systematic review found that injuries increase in proportion to sports specialization. However, few studies have linked the detrimental effects that any single sport has on the progression of spinal degeneration—until now. 

The current opioid epidemic in the United States brings long overdue attention to nonpharmacological approaches to managing pain.  Among the recommended therapies for low back pain by the American College of Physicians, for example, are spinal manipulation, acupuncture, yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy.  While it may be clear why body-based therapies were recommended, the inclusion of a psychological approach, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, may raise some eyebrows. Researchers Margaret Chesney, PhD, and Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, explore how psychological factors play a role in the experience of chronic pain as well as what patients and their providers should know.

With the new year and the first session of the 116^th Congress underway, the American Chiropractic Association is ready to tackle a number of important legislative issues on behalf of ACA members, patients and the chiropractic profession. The push for full inclusion of chiropractic services in the Medicare program remains the No. 1 legislative priority for the association and its members. Find out what else made the list.

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is caused by age-related degenerative changes in older adults and is a leading cause of pain, disability and loss of independence. LSS is also the most common reason for spinal surgery in older adults. However, most patients are managed non-surgically, despite the fact systematic reviews of non-surgical management suggest unproven benefit for improving walking outcomes. This research review looks at a recent, randomized controlled trial designed to compare the effectiveness of a structured, comprehensive, conservative treatment program with a focus on self-management and improved walking ability to a self-directed program in improving walking ability in patients with neurogenic claudication due to LSS.

Robert C. Jones, DC, has been busy since January assuming his new duties as ACA president, and eager to keep the progress moving on ACA’s priorities. The son of two chiropractors, a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, and a strong proponent of evidence-informed practice and integration, he brings to ACA’s helm a respect for chiropractic’s history combined with an appreciation of what it takes to practice successfully in modern health care. ACA Blogs caught up Dr. Jones recently to ask him a few questions.

Burnout syndrome has been defined as a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by exhaustion, cynicism and inefficiency. It has also been described as the opposite to engagement, which is defined as energy, involvement and efficacy.  One aspect of inefficiency may be a sense of low personal accomplishment – an area often examined in studies on healthcare provider burnout. In her latest ACA Blogs post, VA resident Danielle Aslan, DC, explores how mindfulness-based stress reduction utilized in the VA for patients with chronic pain may also aid healthcare providers.

With up to 10% of the population suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), it’s important to keep up with new information about this disabling condition. A significant amount of new data has been published in the past quarter about the management of CTS. This ACA Blogs post by Tim Bertelsman, DC, will equip evidence-based chiropractors with a quick summary of the 10 most significant findings.

Today we hear a lot about sharing – on social media, in chat rooms, at networking events, etc. For American Chiropractic Association (ACA) members, sharing is also a good thing to do in your ACA online profile. The more the better, in fact! By adding additional features and information to your profile – especially a headshot – you can make your listing standout and more likely to attract new patients.

The American Chiropractic Association’s Policy Quality Review Committee (PQRC) has been performing an extensive review of all ACA policies.  The public-facing policy center on the website is also in the process of being reorganized and will be available soon.  As part of the review, the "Disaster Scene - Primary Care Providers" policy was ratified by the House of Delegates in January and reassigned as the "Guidelines for Disaster Service by Doctors of Chiropractic." The guideline provides useful information, including basic skills needed, to those who have an interest in volunteer work with emergency preparedness or disaster response teams and proposes a sample plan for how ACA and state associations might work together during a local crisis response.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a chiropractic resident in the Veterans Administration (VA) health care system and look forward to going to work every day. From the first six months, I have grown in confidence in my clinical skills, experienced and learned from a variety of specialties, and have been encouraged to pursue scholarly and research activities. I often receive questions about the VA chiropractic residency, so I'm sharing the most frequently asked questions and answers based on my experience as a resident at VA Connecticut Healthcare System.