Chiropractic: Plan for a Strong Healthspan

Our lifespan is the total number of years we live. The term “healthspan” describes the years we live without major disability or chronic illnesses – able to do the things that matter most. (Diversity note: Healthspan can mean different things to different people. For example, someone living with a disability or illness can also choose to maximize their health and abilities regardless of limitations.)

• Americans are getting older. The number of Americans age 65 and older will increase by 47% (from 58 million to 82 million) by the year 2050. (1)
• While the number of years people live is increasing, those years are not necessarily healthy years for many. There has been an increase in chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and that trend is expected to continue. (2)
• One contributor to the increase in chronic conditions is an increase in overweight and obesity (3). According to CDC, about 40% of Americans are considered obese and another 30% are considered overweight (4). In addition, more than half of all U.S. adults fail to meet the surgeon general’s physical activity recommendations. (5)

Along with cardiovascular health, metabolic health and other factors, musculoskeletal health is key to extending healthspan. The musculoskeletal system enables us to be physically active, and physical activity is considered one of the most powerful contributors to health and longevity.(6) In addition:

• A strong musculoskeletal system helps us to continue working and engaging in daily activities, which helps us to maintain independence as we age.
• A strong musculoskeletal system contributes to better balance, which helps prevent falls as we age. Falls are one of the most common causes of death and disability among seniors. (7)
• A pain-free musculoskeletal system contributes to more restful sleep. Getting adequate sleep is essential to overall health and wellness; however, MSK pain can lead to sleep-related problems and, likewise, sleeping problems can lead to chronic MSK pain. (8)

Back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal conditions can impact healthspan by making it harder or impossible to work, participate in social activities or even take part in daily activities such as getting dressed and maintaining a home.

• Globally, back pain ranks as one of the most common and debilitating causes of chronic pain. It is the No. 1 single leading cause of disability worldwide. (9)
• The number of people living with back pain is expected to rise 36% over the next 30 years. (9)
• Headache disorders ranked No. 3 and neck pain ranked No. 15 among global causes of disability. (10)
• An estimated 203 million people globally experience neck pain. That number is estimated to increase to 269 million by 2050. (11)

Doctors of chiropractic are experts in musculoskeletal health, offering an evidence-based, non-drug approach to pain management, improved muscle and joint functioning, and overall health and wellness.

• In 2017, the American College of Physicians (ACP) updated its guidelines for the treatment of acute and chronic low back pain to recommend first using noninvasive, non-drug treatments—including spinal manipulation—before resorting to over-the-counter and prescription drugs. (12)
• In the 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promotes “diverse approaches and varied pain management solutions” and specifically encourages use of non-opioid/nonpharmacologic therapies as a first line of treatment against subacute and chronic pain. (13)
• A 2020 study published in the journal Pain Medicine found that chiropractic users had 64% lower odds of receiving an opioid prescription than non-users. (14)
• A 2017 study published by the Mayo Clinic found that people with neck pain initiating care with chiropractors had lower odds of using advanced imaging, injections and opioid medications. (15)

Chiropractic Care Can Help Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other ways to prevent pain. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to examine and treat the entire body with specific emphasis on the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. In addition to their expertise in spinal manipulation, chiropractors are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle advice. References

1. S. Census Bureau, America is Getting Older, www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/population-estimates-characteristics.html.
2. Benavidez GA, Zahnd WE, Hung P, Eberth JM. Chronic Disease Prevalence in the US: Sociodemographic and Geographic Variations by Zip Code Tabulation Area. Prev Chronic Dis 2024;21:230267. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.230267.
3. Hales CM, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 360. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2020
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 1960–1962 Through 2017–2018. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-adult-17-18/obesity-adult.htm
5. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. Retrieved from https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf.
6. Warburton DE, Nicol CW, Bredin SS. Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. CMAJ. 2006 Mar 14;174(6):801-9. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.051351. PMID: 16534088; PMCID: PMC1402378.
7. James SL, Lucchesi LR, Bisignano C, et al. The global burden of falls: global, regional and national estimates of morbidity and mortality from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Injury Prevention 2020;26:i3-i11.
8. Mayara Santos, Flávia L Gabani, Selma M de Andrade, Bruno Bizzozero-Peroni, Vicente Martínez-Vizcaíno, Alberto D González, Arthur Eumann Mesas, The bidirectional association between chronic musculoskeletal pain and sleep-related problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Rheumatology, Volume 62, Issue 9, September 2023, Pages 2951–2962, https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kead190
9. GBD 2021 Low Back Pain Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990-2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023 May 22;5(6):e316-e329. doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00098-X. PMID: 37273833; PMCID: PMC10234592.
10. GBD 2021 Neck Pain Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain, 1990-2020, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Rheumatol. 2024 Mar;6(3):e142–55.
11. GBD 2021 Diseases and Injuries Collaborators. Global incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Lond Engl. 2024 May 18;403(10440):2133–61.
12. Qaseem A et al. Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(7):514-530. DOI: 10.7326/M16-2367.
13. Dowell D, Ragan KR, Jones CM, Baldwin GT, Chou R. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022. MMWR Recomm Rep 2022;71(No. RR-3):1–95. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/rr/rr7103a1.htm.
14. Corcoran K et al. Association Between Chiropractic Use and Opioid Receipt Among Patients with Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Pain Medicine, Volume 21, Issue 2, February 2020, Pages e139–e145, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnz219
15. Horn et al. Influence of Initial Provider on Health Care Utilization in Patients Seeking Care for Neck Pain. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2017 Oct 19;1(3):226-233. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2017.09.001. eCollection 2017 Dec. PMID: 30225421 PMCID: PMC6132197.