ACA Guidelines What You Should Know

disciplines are focused on the anatomical lesion in the spine as a primary method of determining the medical necessity of intervention. Research has shown musculoskeletal complaints have a major impact on the healthcare system. Many patients believe that traditional medical providers are highly trained in diagnosis and management of musculoskeletal conditions and trust the referrals they provide to physical therapy as the best care path. A recent publication relating to basic competency have shown otherwise.

Humphreys et al. (2007) state:

A study by Childs et al on the physical therapists’ knowledge in managing MSK conditions found that only 21% of students working on their master’s degree in physical therapy and 25% of students working on their doctorate degree in physical therapy achieved a passing mark on the BCE [Basic Competency Examination]. (p. 45)

Humphreys et al. (2007) continued by reporting a comparative analysis:

The typical chiropractic curriculum consists of 4800 hours of education composed of courses in the biological sciences (i.e., anatomy, embryology, histology, microbiology, pathology, laboratory diagnosis, biochemistry, nutrition, and psychology), chiropractic sciences, and clinical sciences (i.e., clinical diagnosis, neurodiagnosis, orthorheumatology, radiology, and psychology). As the diagnosis, treatment, and management of MSK [musculoskeletal] disorders are the primary focus of the undergraduate curriculum as well as future clinical practice, it seems logical that chiropractic graduates should possess competence in basic MSK medicine. The objective of this study was to examine the cognitive (knowledge) competency of final- year chiropractic students in MSK medicine. (p. 45). The following results were published in the article by Humphreys et al. (2007) relating to the Basic Competency Examination and evaluating the various professions that are on the “front line” in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Passing grades were attained by 22% of recent medical graduates, 20.7% of medical students, residents, and staff physicians, 33% of osteopathic students, 21% of MSc [masters] level physical therapy students, and 26 % of DPT [doctors of physical therapy] level physical therapy and chiropractic student 64.7%… This indicates, that unless a “boarded internist” goes back for advanced education in physical medicine, neurology, orthopedics or neurosurgery, his/her basic competency is between 20% and 33% (if a DO) at best and it is the guidelines of that profession’s board that are being adopted by the ACA. In addition, no profession, inclusive of the ACA, is discussing the difference between a diagnosis, prognosis or treatment plan for mechanical spine pain. The only discussion is related to anatomical origins and anatomical spinal pathology. They are only considering the “red flags” of non-mechanical spine pain (to the detriment of the patient with mechanical spine pain), which only drives triage to medical specialists and ignores clinically necessary treatment plans focusing on the mechanical sources of pain found within chiropractic clinics globally. The ACA/ABIM guidelines are very specific to low back pain and refer to the “routine use of imaging,” which is understood to be x-ray as the article uses the term “ionizing imaging.” However, it is not clear if they are also including CAT scan imaging as well. What their suggested “evidence-based recommendations” omits is the diagnosis of spinal biomechanical pathology and the osseous pathology that is discovered because of a complete clinical evaluation inclusive of spinal biomechanics, which ultimately protects our patients with an accurate spinal diagnosis. That consideration is something that board certified internal medicine practitioners do not have to be concerned with as it is outside of their focus of treatment. Typically, internal medicine physicians have less chance of causing harm to their patients in the short-term with a prescription pad (drug abuse is a topic for a different conversation) vs. a high velocity-low amplitude thrust, the primary treatment modality for the doctor of chiropractic. In this specific case it is the specific type of “treatment” that requires a specific level of diagnosis to be safe. In the process of concluding an accurate diagnosis, prognosis and treatment plan, an assessment of the structural and biomechanical integrity of the spine is integral to specific treatment recommendations and visual assessment often fails. This study has shown that the visual assessment of cervical and lumbar lordosis is unreliable. This tool only has fair intrarater reliability and poor interrater reliability. Visual assessment of spinal posture was previously shown to be inaccurate, and this study has demonstrated that is reliability is poor. (p. 1858) In contrast, the reliability of x-ray in morphology, measurements and biomechanics has been determined accurate and reproducible. In addition, Ohara, Miyamoto, Naganawa, Matsumoto and Shimzu (2006) reported, “Assessment of the sagittal alignment of the spine is important in both clinical and research settings… and it is known that the alignment affects the distribution of the load on the intervertebral discs” (p. 2585). Assessment of distribution or load of spinal biomechanics, if left aberrant, will result in the initiation of the piezoelectric effect and Wolff’s Law remodeling the spine. This is the basis for the subluxation degeneration theory which historically many have scoffed at as it is not considered to be based on scientific principles. We have now verified it based upon the research, and it is now a current and verifiable event that must be taken into consideration when assigning prognosis to a biomechanically flawed 10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19 Fedorak, Ashworth, Marshall and Paull (2003) reported:

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