October 2026 Healthy News from Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers: Chiropractic Joins the Healthcare Team and Encourages Motion
CHIROPRACTIC'S ROLE GROWS IN INTEGRATIVE CARE SETTINGS
If you have ever questioned whether your other healthcare providers and your chiropractor are in agreement, new research offers welcome news: more often than ever, they are. In a survey of primary care clinicians and patients with chronic low back pain at a Veterans Affairs health system, 75% of the clinicians said they recommend chiropractic care for chronic pain, and 71% of the patients had used it, making chiropractic the most widely used integrative therapy in the group. (1) Chiropractic also ranked among the top three therapies that both clinicians and patients most hoped to see offered, yet nearly half of the patients said they had never received information about therapies like these, which tells us people are interested and the conversation only needs to happen more often. A second paper helps explain why chiropractic fits so naturally into a team approach. Drawing on workshops with 105 chiropractic educators, researchers, practitioners, students and leaders, Maiers and colleagues describe how the profession fits with "whole health," a expanding movement in health care that considers the whole person, including physical, mental and social well-being, not just a single symptom. They identify qualities Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers patients will know well: care centered on your own goals, starting with the most conservative options first, encouragement toward healthy movement and lifestyle habits, and long-term relationships that shift the message from depending on a doctor to "you've got this." (2) In practical terms, that means choosing chiropractic care is right in step with where health care is going: toward teamwork, prevention and treating you as a whole person.
CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: KEEP MOVING
This month's tip is a simple one: move a little more, every day. Researchers in Switzerland calculated that too little physical activity accounts for about 2% of that country's total burden of disease, with depression and low back pain heading the list for years lived with disability, and heart disease and dementia leading the years of life lost. (3) An earlier Swiss study showed the per-person burden of inactivity was about twice as high in the French- and Italian-speaking regions as in the German-speaking region, a clue that the habits and culture around us affect how much we move. (4) Happily, the goal is within reach: the 150 minutes of moderate activity a week used as the benchmark in the 2026 study works out to just over 20 minutes a day. So make movement part of your own daily culture this October: take a lively walk in the crisp autumn air, park a little farther from the door, stand up and stretch every hour, and bring a friend or family member along so the habit takes hold.
LISTEN IN, THEN COME SEE US
Consider the thought that “it's just walking,” until you can't. We encourage you to listen to Episode 169 of The Back Doctors Podcast, where Dr. Ted Magnuson tells the story of a patient who was in a wheelchair, underwent care with a chiropractor who is certified in Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, and returned to walking. Motion is life, life is motion. After listening, put this month's research to work for you! If pain or stiffness is keeping you from moving the way you want to, reach out to Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers in Baton Rouge today to schedule your next visit, and pass this newsletter along to a friend or family member who could use the nudge. We are looking forward to seeing you!