Recent medical research has reinforced what Chiropractors have been advising their patients to do for years, maintenance care. Two studies, one from January 2011 and another from April 2011 suggest that regular maintenance visits help reduce the incidence of repeat occurrences of back pain.
The first study states “SMT (spinal manipulative therapy) is effective for the treatment of chronic non specific LBP. To obtain long-term benefit, this study suggests maintenance spinal manipulations after the initial intensive manipulative therapy.”
The second study compared Medical care, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic and no care at all. It found that the lowest incidence of re-injury occurred in those who received Chiropractic maintenance care. 2
An earlier study in October 2004 also had similar results. This study showed that those patients who received Chiropractic care once every 3 weeks, after their initial treatment phase, had a reduced incidence of back pain recurrence. 3
So if you would like to prevent the recurrence of your back pain studies recommend that you visit your Chiropractor at regular intervals. To learn more about Chiropractic and maintenance care, read the studies listed below.
REFERENCES
1) Does maintained Spinal manipulation therapy for chronic non-specific low back pain result in better long term outcome? Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2011 Jan 17.
2) The Nordic Maintenance Care Program: case management of chiropractic patients with low back pain - defining the patients suitable for various management strategies. CHIROPRACTIC & OSTEOPATHY. JUL Vol. 17(7) pp. 7-7.
3) Efficacy of preventative spinal manipulation for chronic low back pain and related disabilities: a preliminary study. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. October 2004.
