02/10/2025
What is the difference between a Doctor of Chiropractic and a Physio that does manipulation?
The difference is simple. The amount of training. Chiropractic school starts out the same as medical school programs. 5 days per week for 4 years. We study anatomy in more detail than some medical programs so that we truly understand the body. We study rehabilitative exercises so that we can choose the appropriate exercises for each of our patients individually.
But most importantly, we study spinal manipulative therapy, or as Chiropractors like to call it “the adjustment” for hundreds of hours. We do not learn this at weekend seminars. We practice this 5 days per week, for years. We live and breathe it. Do not be fooled by a physio, or even worse, a massage therapist calling themselves a “Chiropractor” just because they took some workshops. There is risk to spinal manipulation and you should only allow a trained Doctor of Chiropractor to perform it on you.
Too many times have I had patients walk through my door with a strained neck after a massage therapist calling themselves a Chiropractor manipulated their neck with poor technique.
This is not to say that massage therapy does not have its place, or that there are not amazing physiotherapists out there that can perform miracles with certain conditions. All specialists should be working together for what is best for the patient. There is no competition in this industry in my opinion, only what is best for our patients. So I refer to Physios and massage therapists all the time because the patient needs their specialty.
