Chiropractic and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the chiropractic profession has found many ways to help patients and support communities. The importance of musculoskeletal health and the care that chiropractors provide was underscored in March 2020, when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security classified doctors of chiropractic as members of the essential workforce, which meant that chiropractic offices could remain open and continue treating patients.
The designation as essential workers allowed chiropractors to, in turn, support other essential workers – such as grocery store clerks, delivery people and truck drivers — helping them to manage pain and continue functioning under strenuous conditions and increased stress.
Chiropractors, along with other complementary and integrative healthcare (CIH) providers, also supported workers in hospitals and healthcare systems. “As trained, skilled, and licensed professionals, CIH providers are distinctively qualified to support other healthcare workers in times of crises,” former ACA President Michele Maiers, DC, MPH, PhD, wrote in an article for MedCity News.
In Hawaii, ACA member Joseph Morelli, DC, treated not only frontline healthcare workers but also teachers and others who experienced increased musculoskeletal stress while providing essential services.
In some communities, chiropractors participated in significant public health initiatives during the pandemic. The doctors from one group of South Dakota chiropractic clinics served as medical directors of their community’s COVID-19 response. They not only established a testing site in their community, but also took on a central role in the effort to provide reliable information about COVID-19.
ACA and the Media
As the largest professional chiropractic organization in the United States, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has worked to provide accurate information about chiropractic throughout the pandemic. In response to reports that surfaced early in the pandemic, ACA clarified to the media that there is no high-quality evidence to support claims that spinal adjustments can boost immunity to COVID-19. ACA also recommended that doctors of chiropractic direct their patients with questions about COVID to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other credible sources (a list of some of those sources is available at the bottom of this page).
ACA has also been doing its part to educate the public on the musculoskeletal impacts of remote work that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to stay-at-home orders and office closures, many people working from home found themselves experiencing a range of musculoskeletal problems, such as back and neck pain, brought on by extended periods of inactivity and poorly set up home workstations.
In 2020, ACA developed a poll designed to gauge whether chiropractors were in fact seeing an increase in cases involving pain from working at home — and as it turns out, they were. As a result, ACA spoke with the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post and many other media outlets about how people can set up ergonomic workstations and find ways to move more during the day to prevent future musculoskeletal issues.
Consumer Resources
In response to the public’s need for more information on their musculoskeletal health, ACA has developed a variety of consumer resources related to work-from-home injuries, ergonomics and daily movement:
- Sitting on the Job? Mindfulness, Variety Can Help You Keep Moving
- How to Get Moving After a Period of Inactivity
- Prevent Neck Pain with a Well-fitted Mask
- Make Your Home Workstation Work
- Posture and Ergonomics Tips for Working at Home
Health Information Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- How to Protect Yourself (wash hands often, avoid close contact, and more)
- If You Think You Are Sick
- What You Need to Know
- Resources for Your Community
World Health Organization
- Public Advice
- Technical Guidance and Global Research
- Scam Alerts
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS provides guidance for healthcare workers, such as specifics for working in nursing homes and protective mask guidance.
State and Territorial Health Department Websites
Check with your state health department for procedures for testing and other updates. Click here for links to health departments in all 50 states, 8 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
Mental Health
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) COVID-19 Information and Resources – a comprehensive resource for those experiencing stress, anxiety and other challenges during this difficult time, with links to a wide range of mental health information and community resources.
- SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline and Text to Talk line – from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
Kids’ Mental Health
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Fact sheet – from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network; includes age-appropriate strategies.
- Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource provided by the National Association of School Psychologists