Chiropractic care is very effective for the elderly By Dr. Joseph Cilea Chiropractic treatment of low back pain (LBP) has been reported to be very safe and highly effective. In fact, in 1994, guidelines were published recommending that chiropractic treatment of low back pain should be a first consideration and treatment of choice in front of many other forms of back care health services. Since that time,more and more studies have been published showing continued advantages of chiropractic care over many other forms of LBP care. Even though studies have shown that the peak prevalence of LBP occurs in the fifth decade of life, LBP is also a significant public health problem in older adults ranging between 13 percent and 49 percent with"…soaring costs in terms of healthcare expenditures." So, what about care for the elderly — is chiropractic care equally safe and effective in this older population as it is in younger patients? A recent study reported two types of spinal manipulation or adjustments versus minimal conservative medical care (MCMC) in patients with subacute or chronic, nonradiating LBP over 55 years of age.This included a total of 240 participants, of which 105 were women and 135 were men with an average age of 63 years.The two types of manipulation included a high velocity low amplitude type (the classic "cracking" type of manipulation) and a low velocity variable amplitude type (stretch — not associated with a "crack") treated 12 times over a six-week time frame.A third treatment group (MCMC) served as a "control" to compare against the two manipulation approaches.All three groups received a half-hour exercise session at week three and outcomes were studied at three, six, 12 and 24 weeks. The results showed equally effective benefits to the two styles of manipulation over the MCMC group,with no serious adverse events associated with any of the treatment groups. This study is important in a number of ways. First, it points out that two distinctive styles of manipulation frequently used in chiropractic and likely to be encountered by patients obtaining chiropractic care, are equally effective in a population exceeding 55 years of age. The type of manipulation ultimately decided upon can therefore be based on: 1) patient preference (as some patients just don't like being "cracked") and 2) the chiropractor's clinical experience. New technology is now available to provide safe, low-force adjustments utilizing computerized adjusting technology. Dr. Joseph Cilea is president of AdvancedWellness, an integrated practice that offers chiropractic care, physical therapy, pain management, acupuncture and massage therapy. To find out if you are a candidate for their customized treatment approach, call 431- 2155 or visit www.advanced-wellness.net.