Physiotherapy can be used to treat a more diverse range of musculoskeletal problems than chiropractic and osteopathy
CLOSER LOOK
Medical correspondent Jim Vause explains the differences across three popular manipulation therapies –chiropractic, osteopathy and physiotherapy – and checks the evidence
References
Salzberg S. Osteopathic physicians versus doctors. Forbes. Online 27 October 2010. https://www.forbes.com/sites/sciencebiz/2010/10/27/osteopaths-versus-doctors/?sh=57ae9fea1033
Rubinstein SM, De Zoete A, Van Middelkoop M, et al. Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ 2019;364:l689. Online 13 March 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30867144/
Guillaud A, Darbois N, Monvoisin R, et al. Reliability of diagnosis and clinical efficacy of visceral osteopathy: a systematic review. BMC Complement Altern Med 2018;18:65. Online 17 February 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5816506/
Turner R, Lucke-Wold B, Boo S, et al. The potential dangers of neck manipulation & risk for dissection and devastating stroke: An illustrative case & review of the literature. Biomed Res Rev 2018;2(1). Online 25 March 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016850/
Nielsen SM, Tarp S, Christensen R, et al. The risk associated with spinal manipulation: an overview of reviews. Syst Rev 2017;6,64. Online 24 March 2017. https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-017-0458-y
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