In a study entitled "The Manga Report", prominent health economists Pran Manga and Douglas Angus of the University of Ottawa, Canada, found chiropractic management to be the best choice of health care for patients with low back pain - in terms of safety, scientific evidence of effectiveness, evidence of cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction. Commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Health in response to that province's staggering public deficit of the early 1990's, this landmark document represents the largest existing analysis of the scientific literature on low back pain to date.
The Report's primary focus was to determine the most cost-effective health care service available for the treatment of low back pain.In an attempt to address the Ontario government's cost saving concerns, the Report concentrated on comparing the value of chiropractic and medical management of this socially and economically crippling condition.The findings of the Report were based on a review of randomized controlled trials, case control/cohort studies, descriptive studies and meta-analysis/literature reviews - in total, over 400 references concerning both chiropractic and medical treatment methods.
The following are the key findings of this study:
1.On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical studies,
spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective
than alternative treatments for low back pain (LBP).
2.There is no clinical or case-control study that demonstrates or even implies
chiropractic spinal manipulation is unsafe in the treatment of LBP.Their
interpretation of the literature suggests that chiropractic manipulation is
safer than medical management of LBP.
3.Indeed, several current medical therapies of LBP are generally contraindicated
on the basis of the existing clinical trials.There is also evidence in the literature
to suggest spinal manipulation is less safe and less effective when performed by
non-chiropractic professionals.
4.There is an over-whelming body of evidence indicating that chiropractic
management of LBP is more cost-effective than medical management.
5.There would be highly significant cost savings if more management of LBP
was transferred from physicians to chiropractic doctors.Evidence from Canada and other countries suggests potential savings of many hundreds of millions of
dollars annually.
6.Workers' compensation studies report that injured workers with the same
specific diagnosis of LBP returned to work much sooner when treated by
chiropractors than by medical physicians.
7.There is good empirical evidence thatpatients are very satisfied with chiropractic management of LBP and considerably less satisfied with physician management.
8.The use of chiropractic has grown steadily over the years.Chiropractic is
now accepted as a legitimate healing profession by the public and an increasing
number of physicians.
Drs. Glenn and Christine Foss are the owners of Advance Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy Center in Riverdale.Both doctors have been practicing chiropractic for over thirteen years and have been amongst the communities leading health care providers. As innovators in health care, they have merged chiropractic and physical therapy services together to enhance the quality of patient care and overall treatment outcome.If you have any questions for either of the doctors or would like to schedule a consultation please call 973-616-4555.
