New rules on narcotic painkillers and the Veteran's Administration

Concerning the highly addictive painkillers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has termed this “the worst drug addiction epidemic in the country’s history, killing more people than heroin and crack cocaine.” Pain experts at the Veteran's Administration now say that in hindsight they have been overmedicating veterans.
Here is a statement from the American Chiropractic Association addressing this crisis.
Do you think adding better access to chiropractic care for veterans and the military will help with this problem?

Letter to The Washington Post

Legislation Introduced in U.S. Congress to Further Integrate DCs in Military, VA Health Care Systems

Two new bipartisan bills ( how often have we recently heard the word bipartisan?) have been introduced concerning increased integration of chiropractic services into the military system. A House bill would expand access to chiropractic care through inclusion of benefits in the Tricare insurance program to retired military and their families. The Senate bill would expand chiropractic services to all VA treatment facilities.
Do you think these are worthwhile objectives?
Legislation Introduced in U.S. Congress to Further Integrate DCs in Military, VA Health Care Systems

Deaths by medical mistakes hit records

Another study showing huge death and serious complication rate from hospital care. A recent study from Journal of Patient Safety estimates 1000 deaths and 10,000 serious complications per day from preventable hospital errors...and this does not even count medical errors made outside of hospitals.
"What these numbers say is that every day, a 747, two of them are crashing. Every two months, 9-11 is occurring…we would not tolerate that degree of preventable harm in any other forum."
Any thoughts on why we don't hear more about all these preventable deaths and injuries?

Deaths by medical mistakes hit records

Surgery Not Better for Spine Narrowing, Study Finds

Have seen this result often from surgery studies over the last recent years. This new study is from the prestigious Spine Journal. Long term studies often show no benefit for surgery over non surgery treatment. That is one of the reasons I treat so many patients who have had spinal surgery. I often hear that the pain was lessened after the surgery but then returned.
Has anyone been through this scenario?

Surgery Not Better for Spine Narrowing, Study Finds

Alternative medical options including chiropractic now sought throughout NFL

Article from USA Today about NFL teams having chiropractic physicians and other non medical practitioners on their medical staffs. It states that probably every team in the NFL now has a chiropractor on staff.


Alternative medical options including chiropractic now sought throughout NFL

The Striking Truth Bonus Footage - UFC champion Georges St-Pierre, David Loiseau & Dr. Stuart McGill

"If you generate power with your spine, generally it will break, the discs will become damaged before you get to that ultimate performance." That is a quote from Dr Stuart McGill based on some of his newer research on elite athletes including MMA world champion George St-Pierre. His work has revealed that elite athletes protect their spine while generating tremendous power by using their hips and shoulders to create movement and super stiffening the spine at critical times. This discover translates to the average person in that we all need to learn to stiffen the spine when it is under higher loads so our spines and discs will be protected from damage.
One of several ways to do this is through abdominal bracing. Is anyone familiar with that technique?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8ShtGSLHk

Dr. Stuart McGill demonstrates research based core exercises

I just spent 16 hours at a weekend seminar instructed by Dr. Stuart McGill, who is a world renowned spinal biomechanics researcher and who works with many world class athletes from many different sports. I have been following his work for about 15 years. Please take his advise and stop doing sit ups, crunches and the many other "abdominal" exercises that put repetitive flexion into the spine as these will many times eventually cause disc damage including herniations. He knows this because he has researched it in his lab at the Univ of Waterloo.
Here is a video form NY Times Magazine featuring his big four exercises.
Can you see why these exercises are much better for building the core?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kukmaW9CmSU