Chiropractor vs Physiotherapist - what is the difference?

In the world of rehabilitation and healthcare, two professions often come into focus when addressing musculoskeletal injuries: Chiropractors and Physiotherapists. We are lucky enough to have both disciplines on our team here at The Rehab Grid. Both play critical roles in helping individuals recover from injuries, alleviate pain, and improve their overall well-being.

One of the most common questions we get is “What is the difference between a chiropractor and a physiotherapist?”

It’s important to understand the key differences between these two professions to make informed decisions about your healthcare needs. In this blog post, we'll delve into the distinctions between chiropractors and physiotherapists, helping you navigate the rehab landscape with confidence.

Spoiler alert: the differences between a good chiro and a good physio are likely much less than you’d think. Read on to find out why.

Education and Training

Chiropractors: Chiropractors are healthcare professionals who primarily focus on diagnosing and treating neuromuscular disorders, with a strong emphasis on the spine. They typically hold a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) degree, which requires an undergraduate education followed by four years of Chiropractic College. Chiropractors undergo rigorous training in spinal adjustments and manipulations, which are at the core of their practice. They come out of school with a very strong command of human anatomy and superior handling skills, having had four complete years to master those skills. They are well positioned to hit the ground running and deliver great care right away upon finishing their studies.

Physiotherapists: Physiotherapists are healthcare practitioners that specialize in the study and treatment of human movement. In Canada they hold a Master of Physiotherapy (MScPT) degree, which entails undergraduate coursework followed by an additional two years of graduate education. Physiotherapists are trained in various rehabilitation techniques, including manual therapy, exercise prescription and certain therapeutic modalities.

Approach to Treatment

Chiropractors: Traditional Chiropractic dogma was focused on using spinal manipulations to correct misalignments and subluxations in the spine for the purpose of restoring proper nerve function. Recent studies have shown that the real effect of manipulations is to restore joint mobility/function as well as to relax any surrounding tissues.

We cannot say this enough: While Chiropractic care often involves these spinal manipulations, they are just one tool in the toolbox of treatments a chiropractor can offer.

Chiropractors also use a variety of manual therapy techniques including soft tissue release, myofascial release, and instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (ie Graston). They are also more than capable of prescribing exercises to help with your mobility and strength. Many of them also specialize in electro-acupuncture and dry needling. They are also NOT just spinal experts. Their education and treatment tools allow them to treat the peripheral joints (ie knees, ankles, shoulders) with just as much expertise.

Physiotherapists: Physiotherapist treatment plans typically involve a combination of exercises, manual therapy, and certain modalities tailored to the patient's specific needs. Some physiotherapists take post-graduate courses to learn to manipulate the body's joints, just as a chiropractor would. Many also go on to specialize in electro-acupuncture and dry needling.

As you can see, Physiotherapists and Chiropractors share a lot of the same tools. After several years in practice the way a Chiropractor and Physiotherapist treat can actually look very similar.

Diagnostic Tools

Chiropractors: Chiropractors are one of the few practitioners outside of physicians who can order diagnostic imaging. Patients can now go directly to a Chiropractor for x-ray requisitions rather than visiting a family doctor. This is great news for patients looking for streamlined access to imaging. Chiropractors also rely on an in-depth physical examination and medical history to diagnose and evaluate injuries throughout the body. The combination of imaging and an in-depth understanding of how to assess human movement makes them excellent diagnosticians.

Physiotherapists: Physiotherapists are not able to order diagnostic imaging at this time and therefore rely on a physical exam for their diagnosis. This includes a thorough patient history along with an in depth physical assessment that will include testing your mobility, strength, functional movements, balance, tissues texture/tension and more. The goal here is to not only arrive at a final diagnosis but also to understand how the injury developed and what factors need to be addressed to aid recovery and prevent re-injury.

Conclusion

Both Chiropractors and Physiotherapists play vital roles in the rehabilitation and management of musculoskeletal issues. While their approaches and scopes of practice differ slightly, after a period of time in practice their treatment can become quite similar and that’s not a bad thing. It means both clinicians can likely help you, regardless of your injury.

Remember that effective rehabilitation often involves a multidisciplinary approach, and the collaboration of Chiropractors and Physiotherapists can provide holistic care for your well-being. At the end of the day, the quality of the individual practitioner may be more important than which discipline you should be seeing, as both can do similar things.

At the Rehab Grid, our Chiropractors and Physiotherapists will often collaborate to get a patient to full recovery. We believe it’s important to have a team of healthcare professionals to help our clients achieve their rehabilitation goals. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.