What is Evidence-Based Chiropractic?

You have tried many chiropractors and physiotherapists but it didn’t work.

We hear you! Too often we get clients who have tried countless chiropractic, physiotherapy, and even TCM but simply just weren’t getting results.

We may have just the explanation for you: You haven’t been receiving evidence based care.

Evidence-based care delivers superior results

We know “evidence-based” is a catchphrase that is being thrown around a lot. Nobody explains what it means or its importance.

Yet at the same time, evidence-based practice is what cuts through the broscience and the marketing fluff to get down to what truly works.

This means no “let’s try this”

This means no “see how you feel”

An evidence-based approach is a science-based approach that helps you get better, the fastest way possible.

An evidence-based approach explained

#1 Statements can be either true or false

Most things in the world can be expressed in statements that are true or false. For example, oranges are round vs. apples are black.

In cases where things are true, we consider them to be facts. In cases where things are false, we consider them to be false statements.

In health science, true statements, or facts, are deemed to be so through the scientific method. This means that true statements have been put through testing (research or investigation) and they are found to be correct.

#2 We don’t know everything in the world; you have to prove what you say

Shocking I know, but not everything in the world has been tested! Untested statements are usually referred to as claims. It is the duty of the person making a claim (untested statement) to provide evidence to support their claim.

If you were to go to the police today to make a police report, you will be asked to provide evidence to support what you are saying as true.

#3 Not all statements are simple to prove

Let’s examine some statements:

Statement A: Mary visited Jesse for four chiropractic treatments and her cancer was cured.

Statement B: Jesse cures cancer with four chiropractic treatments.

Remember, the burden to provide proof is on person who makes the claim.

In order for statement A to be true, we are a few things we can check:

1. Did Mary visited Jesse for four times?
2. Did Mary have cancer in the first place?
3. Did Mary’s cancer go away after seeing Jesse for four times?

If the answer to all three questions are yes, then Statement A is true.

This is where most of the confusion starts: Just because Statement A is true doesn’t automatically make Statement B true!

To test Statement B, we will need to send cancer patients to Jesse for four treatments. After four treatments, how many percentage of these patients are cured. Based on the number of patients who are cured, we will be able to make a conclusion on how likely is the cause-and-effect relationship to be true.

If no test is performed, Statement B will be a claim until it has been proven to be true.

#4 Claims claims are often sold as truth

Too often, chiropractors (and even physiotherapists) make claims that are not true. It’s common to hear healthcare professionals making false claims such as “your posture is the reason why you have pain”. Research evidence tells us there is no relationship between posture and pain.

Receiving bad advice and unproven clinical care is most likely why you are not getting better!

Most problems in healthcare occurs when claims are sold as if they are true.

An evidence-based chiropractor does not make claims based on assumptions or observations. Furthermore, we also do not make clinical decisions based on untested claims.

In conclusion, an evidence-based approach is a way of looking at healthcare problems based on facts and statements that have been proven to be true. The evidence-based approach separates facts from fiction, broscience, and/or marketing fluff.

This means you get the best clinical care based on unadulterated truth.

Read more:

1. Running is bad for your knees? False. #5 in Nine Truths You Should Know About Your Running Health
2. Posture causes pain? False. #6 in Ten Text Neck Facts
3. Pain = damage? False. Why Your Pain Hurts?
4. Chiropractic adjustments changes your spinal alignment? False. #1 in Chiropractic Adjustment: Does It Work?
5. Stretching makes your muscle less tight? False. Does Stretching Increase Flexibility?

Shocking, right?