As more of the benefits and safety of manipulation are made public, it is becoming more universally recognized as a safe and effective choice for the care of back problems. The most recent evidence of manipulation's effectiveness comes from a landmark study conducted by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, a federal government research organization. In this study, a panel of health care experts analyzed the scientific evidence available on all methods of examination and treatment used for acute adult low back problems and formed conclusions regarding their appropriateness and effectiveness. Among their most significant conclusions, they confirmed that spinal manipulation is a safe and effective initial form of treatment for this problem. This panel also strongly recommended that both doctors and patients consider using the most conservative treatment approach first for this common problem.
Clinical surveys show that complications from manipulation are rare.
So low, in fact, that doctors who perform manipulation have the lowest malpractice insurance costs of all practicing doctors. And within the group of doctors who use manipulation, chiropractic costs are lowest. This means that when manipulation is performed by a Doctor of Chiropractic, the potential risk of complications from manipulation is at its lowest. A word of caution. Manipulation is as much an art as it is a clinical science.