Physical Therapists or Stealth Medicine?

For those of you who are not power blog readers, I may first need to introduce you to the Respectful Insolence blog, written by Orac.  It's one of the best, so subscribe.

Orac has made mention again of over-zealous chiropractors, characterizing them as "physical therapists with delusions of grandeur who don't know their limitations."  He, along with Panda Bear, MD, is quick to point out the gaping holes in the science behind the whole subluxation concept.  Yes, that's the concept which forms the core of chiropractic medical care.  In this case, Panda Bear, MD is concerned about the new pediatric focus in chiropractic care:

"Would you take your child to a Physical Therapist for routine health maintenance, well child checks, or even something as serious as asthma? Of course not. And no Physical Therapist would touch your child in this capacity for the same reason I don't perform abdominal surgery, namely that it is well outside of my training and my legitimate scope of practice."

Limitation, problems with subluxation science...seems like something I've heard before.  Indeed I have.  Please reference Peter Huijbregts' Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy editorial manifesto:

"Chiropractic Legal Challenges to Physical Therapy Scope of Practice: Anybody Else Taking the Ethical High Ground?"

Also check out the continuation of this conversation in the subsequent responses to the editorial (one of which was penned by yours truly).

Agreed, Orac and Panda Bear, MD.  Stealth medicine at its best here.  But perhaps the world does not realize how truly vulnerable the physical therapy profession is to these attacks.  It's a simple case of "my lobby is bigger than yours."

For those non-physical therapists reading this, it may be timely to point out that what IS in our scope of practice is all sorts of manipulative therapy.  That's right, the specialization area of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy is one where the physical therapist is equipped with both the tools to manipulate the spine or peripheral joints AND develop a comprehensive, integrated program of neuromuscular modalities for orthopaedic conditions.  Check out the AAOMPT for more info on this area of physical therapist practice.

ERIC