As with any procedure in chiropractic, it must be analyzed in light of our chiropractic objective to locate analyze and correct vertebral subluxations. No test designed to elicit medical information or to demonstrate the presence or the absence of a disease entity is of value in accomplishing the chiropractic objective. There are no medical tests used in chiropractic colleges for the purpose of locating and analyzing vertebral subluxation. There have been no published peer review articles demonstrating the validity of neur/ortho tests in determining vertebral subluxation. Inasmuch as vertebral subluxation is not recognized by the medical community as a medical problem, very little in the way of diagnostic tools are valuable in its analysis. The medical profession uses neuro/ortho tests to determine medical problems. They are only valuable to the medical profession. For the chiropractor who is treating medical conditions it may be of value to perform some of these tests but for the straight chiropractor they are of no value and an unnecessary procedure and unnecessary cost to the practice member. Further they are confusing to the practice member inasmuch as they are employed by physicians in a medical setting. The primary contraindication to chiropractic care is the subjective symptoms that the potential practice member would describe. Standard forms of spinal analysis would elicit any further contraindications precluding the need for neurological and orthopedic tests.
There are many excellent forms of analysis specific to chiropractic for the location, and analysis of vertebral subluxation. It is not necessary for the chiropractor to perform medical tests. If the straight chiropractor would choose to perform any of these tests, it would serve to undermine the confidence of the practice member in the chiropractor’s ability to accomplish his/her specific objective. Vertebral subluxation is unique, the analysis of subluxation is unique and the procedures to locate and analyze it are unique. See also Position Paper 5 (Referral) and Position Paper 8 (Diagnosis).