11 Chiropractic Fun Facts

The number of those benefiting from chiropractic care continues to rise as more and more people discover the importance of good spinal health. Here are some chiropractic fun facts you definitely didn’t see coming.

1. The term “chiropractic” derives from two Grecian words: cheir which means hand, and praktos which means done. “Done by Hand”… fitting, right?
2. The first chiropractic adjustment was given in 1895 by Daniel David Palmer (the father of chiropractic!) who helped a janitor, Harvey Lillard, regain his hearing after a back injury he suffered 17 years prior.
3. Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) go through a minimum of 4,200 hours of classroom, lab and clinical internships during their 4-year doctoral graduate school program. Perspective: If you combine all that time, that’s 175 days straight. Oof.
4. It is estimated that DCs treat over 35 million Americans, this includes adults and children, annually.
5. There are roughly 100,000 doctors of chiropractic in active practice across the globe, and about 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic
   education programs in the United States alone.
6. All 32 NFL teams have their own chiropractor to boost performance, maintain wellness and treat musculoskeletal strain and injury.
7. Unbeknownst to many, infants can benefit greatly from chiropractic care. It makes sense—birth can be pretty hard on a little body! The adjustment
   is adapted to suit their needs and is perfectly safe.
8. Each day, over one million adjustments take place across the globe. That’s a whole lot of relief!
9. Chiropractic is recognized and regulated by law in over 49 countries! And in the United States, DCs are licensed in all 50 states!
10. An injured worker is 28 times less likely to have spinal surgery if the first point of contact is a DC rather than a surgeon.
11. Treatment for low back pain initiated by a DC costs up to 20 percent less than when started by a medical doctor.