The term “Objective Straight Chiropractic” first appeared in the book
Refined By Fire: The Evolution of Straight Chiropractic in 1994. It is used to
describe a group within the chiropractic community that represents a very
narrow, single objective to the practice of chiropractic. The practice is
purpose or objective driven hence, the name objective straight chiropractic.
While every approach to the practice of chiropractic has an objective, very
few define themselves by that objective! Although the term Objective Straight
Chiropractic (OSC) is relatively new, this approach to chiropractic began
formally in the mid-seventies with the creation of the Federation of Straight
Chiropractic Organizations (FSCO, 1976) and the change in name by
Sherman College of Chiropractic to Sherman College of Straight
Chiropractic. At the time, no other schools or organizations identified
themselves with the term “straight” in their name. Unfortunately, after that a
number of organizations also claimed they were straight. They referred to the
FSCO and Sherman as super straights as well as other less kindly names.
To demonstrate that all straight chiropractors are not the same, the terms
traditional straight and objective straight were coined. Until the mid-seventies
all straights were traditional, following the original precepts of the Palmers.
Unfortunately, other things were added along the way which became part of
the traditional approach even though B.J. and D.D. never endorsed them.
The most controversial addition was diagnosis. Traditional chiropractic
became more and more medical, more and more confused, and had such
wide variations in practice that it was difficult to know who was straight and
who was not. Further, certain groups in the profession in an effort to create a
false unity were trying to obscure the term “straight.” The objective straight
chiropractor has one purpose to his/her practice. He/she corrects vertebral
subluxations because they interfere with the full expression of life by reducing
the ability of the innate intelligence of the body to coordinate function through
the nerve system. Objective straight chiropractors correct subluxations not
because they cause disease or are associated with any medical condition
but simply because the body works better without them. Objective straight
chiropractors do not claim that vertebral subluxation is the cause for any or all
diseases but simply an impediment to the ongoing life process and that
alone justifies their correction. Other terms that are synonymous with
objective straight chiropractic include non-therapeutic chiropractic and
modern-day straight chiropractic. It should be noted that all straight
chiropractors who practice by objective do not agree with the term objective
straight chiropractic. They believe that anything other than this approach is
mixing and consequently, the adjective “objective” is unnecessary. They feel
that it gives credibility to the traditional approach as being straight and
closely aligns the two approaches when in reality, traditional straight
chiropractic (having a “cause of disease” objective), is more closely aligned
to mixing chiropractic and medicine than to objective straight chiropractic.
Despite that, traditional chiropractors continue to refer to themselves as
being straight chiropractors, hence, the need to further clarify straight with the
term “objective.”
