Aging isn’t easy. Your risk of certain medical conditions increases, and often your mobility decreases. This can lower your quality of life. In addition, when you have a spinal condition the problems can be worse. There is good news, however! Research released in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics suggests that receiving regular chiropractic care offers many beneficial effects.
Researchers set out to discover the difference in outcome for seniors who only went to a medical doctor versus those who went to a chiropractor over a year’s time. The people in the study were age 65+ Medicare recipients. They each had one or more complaints of back pain, neck pain, hip pain, arthritis, sprain or strain.
Each participant’s progress, or functional outcome, was measured according to their ability to sit down and get up from a chair, get in and out of the bath tub, dress, eat, and walk across a room. They were also asked to assess their level of difficulty with specific activities such as lifting, reaching, stooping, and walking. Individuals were also assessed regarding their level of satisfaction with the care they received.
What researchers found is that the people who received chiropractic care had fewer functional limitations. They had less difficulty engaging in activities such as lifting and walking. They had a lower number of doctor’s visits and hospitalizations. They concluded that chiropractic care had a “protective effect” safeguarding them from physical deterioration.
Furthermore, patients who received chiropractic were also more satisfied with their care. The received more information about their condition, and their out of pocket costs were less. Therefore this study suggests that engaging in chiropractic care offers many benefits to seniors with spine conditions, allowing them greater function and happiness as a result.
Weigel, P, Hockenberry, J, Wolinsky, F. Chiropractic use in the Medicare Population: prevalence, patterns, and associations with 1 year changes in health and satisfaction with care. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014; 37:542-551