In this, his final article, Robert Jackson reflects on the origins of chiropractic care and its remarkable evolution since 1895. From D.D. Palmer’s historic first adjustment to today’s increasingly integrated practices, Jackson explores what it truly means to deliver meaningful results. He examines the expanding scope of chiropractic—from technique diversity to multidisciplinary approaches— urging practitioners to remain focused on outcomes. This closing piece offers both a tribute to chiropractic’s past and a thoughtful guide for its future.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC in North America, we have to go all the way back to 1895 when D. D. Palmer gave his first adjustment to Harvey Lillard, and the effects were so life-changing that his hearing came back after suffering from deafness.
We don’t know the name of the technique that D. D. used, the type of table or chair he performed the unknown technique on, if it was performed with a single hand, double hand, instrument, or tool that was applied, or even the exact level of the spine that was impacted with that famous first adjustment. The most important thing that we all remember is the results and the impact on both Harvey Lillard’s and our collective futures.
Maybe the idea of results is where we need to start with this whole principle of integrated practice. For some of you, an integrated practice would mean that you start to adjust levels below Cl or C2. For others, it may mean that you choose to learn a whole new technique that may even include extremities to add to your practice offerings.
Depending on where you got your chiropractic degree, you may not have been taught a specific technique at all. You were just shown five ways to move a PI ilium, and that is how your diversified approach works for now, but you want to add more to offer your patients.
Others think just plugging in something that uses electricity would start an integrated practice. At the same time, some will expand this idea to include adding nutritional supplements, functional medicine offerings, rehab and exercise physiology, braces, supports, pillows, foot, heel, arch or pelvic stabilizers, neuro and emotional techniques, and even additional medical professionals to our practices to expand to meet the broader or more specialized needs of patients.
The list can go on, and if I left out the specific approach that you may have included in your practice, I mean no insult or exclusion. I merely want to bring us back to why we would be interested in doing any of this — to provide results.
We want to impact the nervous system to the greatest and most complete extent so the body has the best chance to improve and reveal the healthiest version of what each of us can be. Since all these ideas can meet the definition of an integrated practice, here are some simple tips to make any choices more palatable for those ready to take that next step.
First, hire professionals who already know the area(s) in which you want to expand your practice. Let’s use sports as a metaphor to demonstrate what I mean.
In any sport, you have a main or head coach who sets the stage for what you want to learn or how to perform better as a group, team, or individual. You would be adding a practice coach or mentor to guide you through the maze of expanding your practice.
Then you have specific coaches like a hitting coach, a quarterback coach, a conditioning or strength coach. They even have offensive or defensive coaches to ensure you do what you should be doing and don’t do things that will get you into trouble or cause you to lose.
You need a lawyer for each state you practice in to ensure that you follow each state’s specific laws and state board. You also need an accountant to make sure that you are financially making choices that are affordable but required for expansion, hiring employees, and paying the taxes owed to keep the state and federal government happy with your practice options or choices.
If you want to start by learning a new technique, then go to some seminars taught by leaders in that technique. I followed Dr. J. Clay Thompson around for the last 17 years of his life because I wanted to learn from the best. My relationship with Dr. Thompson allowed me to meet doctors worldwide who shared their skills and knowledge to help me become the best instructor I could be for the future of chiropractic.
“You need a lawyer for each state you practice into ensure that you follow each state’s specific laws and state board. ”
Second, look for leaders in chiropractic who give back to the profession with a passion for excellence in every area, not just in ways that would promote them or their product or reputation. We have a foundation in our profession that includes chiropractors from all walks of practice, but the main goal of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress is just that. It makes the whole profession better for us, regardless of our practice style. Invest in your practice’s future by supporting groups like it that will improve your ability to grow your practice now and in the future, no matter how you want to expand your healthcare offerings.
Remember that you are a big part of the team. Still, when the expansion into integrated healthcare is a success, the whole team gets to enjoy the benefits of your vision.
No matter how big or small you choose to integrate your practice, it’s all about the results we can offer those who come to us for care. Take that first big step, and welcome to integrated healthcare!
Finally, invest in yourself by constantly improving your knowledge, skill sets, and relationships with your family and friends. These are often the ones who helped you get where you are today and are your biggest supporters, so make sure to include them in your success and keep them up to date on how and why you chose to expand your practice offerings.
Dr. Robert D. Jackson, DC, owner of Applewood Chiropractic, was a world-renowned expert on the Thompson adjusting technique and is highly experienced in nonsurgical spinal decompression. He was named chiropractor of the year in 2008 and 2016 by The Parker Experience and co-authored the book You Can Expect a Miracle with Chiropractic. With over 40 years of lecturing experience, Dr. Jackson consistently demonstrated a remarkable success rate in helping patients avoid spine surgery. His extensive knowledge and expertise made him a leading figure in the field, earning him a reputation for excellence in chiropractic care.
