Specialism in health care: Is there a case for specialist chiropractors?

The objective of this paper is to stimulate debate and discussion about “specialisms” in chiropractic. There is very little in the literature or online about whether chiropractors can or should specialise in treating particular conditions or groups of people. There seems to be a tacit acceptance within the profession that specialism is possible, but there is nothing published that states what scope and depth of knowledge or what competencies are necessary to justify the title of “specialist.” If there were such guidelines, it would give chiropractic credibility with other health professionals and would help protect the public from those who make spurious claims about their abilities and experience.

This article lays out the current state of affairs around the world with regards to specialisms within chiropractic and offers a list of core competencies for chiropractors working in the sports and exercise field for consideration.