Chiropractor vs Physiotherapist in Burnaby: What’s the Difference?

It’s Not “Cracks vs. Exercises”: 3 Common Myths

Ask most people the difference and you’ll hear something like this: “Chiropractors crack your back. Physiotherapists give you exercises.” It’s a handy shorthand, but it’s out of date, and it can steer you toward the wrong choice. If you’re deciding between a chiropractor vs. physiotherapist in Burnaby for back or neck pain, the real picture is more useful.

Myth 1: “Chiropractors only crack backs.”

Spinal manipulation, sometimes called an adjustment, is what chiropractors are best known for. But most chiropractors also use soft tissue work, gentle joint mobilization, exercise and advice on activity. Manipulation is one tool, not the whole toolbox.

And that popping sound? It’s a small release of gas in the joint fluid, not a bone snapping back into place. Research suggests manipulation helps mainly by calming a sensitive area and easing protective muscle tension, which can make moving feel easier.

Myth 2: “Physiotherapists only give you exercises.”

Exercise is a big part of physiotherapy, and for good reason. But physiotherapists also use hands-on manual therapy, and some with extra training use spinal manipulation too. Their approach tends to lean on a detailed movement assessment, education about your pain and a progressive plan you can follow at home.

Myth 3: “You have to pick one.”

You don’t. Back and neck pain often respond best to a mix of short-term relief and long-term strength and confidence. Hands-on care can help with the first, and exercise and education help with the second.

Similarities Between Chiropractic And Physiotherapy

Hands-on or manual treatment

Both healthcare professionals will often use their hands or hand-held tools to perform a treatment. This can be in the form of a joint mobilization, manipulation, manual spinal chiropractic adjustment or an Activator instrument chiropractic adjustment. Sometimes soft tissue therapy or massage techniques may be a part of your course of care.

Exercise rehab

Your treatment care plan will most likely include a number of different exercises to support your treatment. These include different stretches to ease tight and tense muscles and increase your flexibility. Strengthening and core exercises may be included to strengthen your muscles to provide more support and stability. Other exercises may be included to help with balance and coordination, or movements specific to your sport or activity.

Treatment of nerve, muscle and joint problems

Both physiotherapists and chiropractors are skilled and trained in treating patients with a variety of physical injuries and problems. These can include headaches, neck pain, whiplash, shoulder or rotator cuff tendonitis, elbow pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic back pain, hip bursitis, knee sprains, ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis.

Conditions Treated

Both chiropractors and physiotherapists treat many of the same conditions and areas. In essence, you can see either your physiotherapist or your chiropractor for virtually any of your injuries. In general:

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Other Differences

Chiropractic care

Spine
Chiropractors can treat most areas of your body but a large part of your visit may be focused on your spine and related structures. One of the goals of your chiropractor may be to improve the mobility and function of your spine. During your chiropractic visit, adjustments will likely be performed on your spine and joints.

Adjustment
The main treatment used is the adjustment. These can be performed either manually by hand or with a handheld instrument or device. Improving how your spine moves and functions can help ease your pain and improve your body’s ability to heal and recover. A visit with your chiropractor may last anywhere from just a few minutes to 15 minutes.

Nervous system
Chiropractors recognize that your nervous system impacts your entire body, from your muscles to your organs, your head to your toes. By improving spinal mechanics, this allows your brain to better control your body, reducing injuries and improving your ability to heal.

Physiotherapy

Movement
Physiotherapists restore movement patterns and correct muscular imbalances or weaknesses to reduce discomfort and improve your ability to move. They treat a variety of problems. They help those with back pain, headaches and other injuries such as ankle and knee injuries.

Rehab
They provide post-surgical and post-stroke rehabilitation, areas chiropractors seldom treat. Physios use a variety of techniques and treatment methods. This includes manual therapy, modalities, ultrasound and visceral manipulation. A considerable portion of your care will be focused on exercise rehab in order to regain muscle strength, improve your balance and restore your coordination as you gradually return to your activities and sports.

A standard physiotherapy visit is usually scheduled for 30 minutes. Longer sessions are available if your problem is more complex or if you have a number of different injuries. For example, 45 minute and 60 minute sessions are also available. For rehab exercise, appointments are typically up to 60 minutes.

What Happens at Your First Visit

Both first visits start the same way: a conversation about your pain, your health history and your goals, followed by a physical assessment. Where they tend to differ is the emphasis.

These are typical patterns, not strict rules. Practitioners in both professions adapt their approach to you.

What the Research Says

So which works better? For long-lasting low back pain, a large review of 47 trials published in the BMJ found that spinal manipulation worked about as well as other recommended treatments, such as exercise. Most of the trials involved chiropractors or physiotherapists.

In plain terms, there’s no clear winner. That’s good news, because it means you can choose based on what suits you, and you can combine approaches.

Your back is tougher than you think

Back pain is very common. Most people deal with it at some point, often after something as ordinary as lifting a laundry basket or sleeping in an awkward position. It can be painful and worrying, but it’s rarely a sign of serious damage. Most episodes improve a lot on their own, often within a few weeks. Even when pain lingers or comes back from time to time, the spine is a strong, adaptable structure that’s built to heal.

A chiropractor or physiotherapist isn’t there to “fix” a fragile back. Their job is to guide your body’s natural recovery, ease pain along the way and help you get moving with confidence. Hands-on care can ease stiffness enough for you to move more comfortably, and exercise and education build the strength and confidence your back needs for everyday life.

How to Choose for Your Back or Neck Pain

Ask yourself what you need most right now:

• If your back or neck feels locked up and you mainly want short-term relief, a chiropractor is a good place to start. See our low back pain and neck pain pages.
• If you’ve had a sports injury, surgery or a problem that affects more than your spine, a physiotherapist is often the better first call.
• If your pain keeps coming back, a physiotherapist can help you build a long-term plan to manage it.
• If you enjoy hands-on care but also want to get stronger, seeing both can give you the best of each.

At Cedar Chiropractic & Physiotherapy, our chiropractors and physiotherapists work side by side in Burnaby. You can start with either one, and if the other could help, we’ll bring them into your plan.

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Is Spinal Manipulation Safe for Everyone?

For most people, manipulation is generally safe when it’s done by a trained practitioner. But some health conditions make it the wrong choice. That’s why both chiropractors and physiotherapists ask detailed health questions before using it. Your practitioner will likely skip or change manipulation if you have:

• Weak bones from osteoporosis, or a recent fracture
• Cancer that has spread to the bones or spine
• An infection in or near the spine
• A bleeding disorder, or you take blood-thinning medication
• Rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory condition affecting the upper neck
• Recent surgery in the area
• Numbness or weakness in your arms or legs that’s getting worse

If manipulation isn’t right for you, gentle mobilization, soft tissue work and exercise are good alternatives.

When to skip the clinic and get urgent care

Go to the emergency department if you have back or neck pain along with any of these:

• Trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in your groin area
• Sudden severe neck pain with dizziness, slurred speech, vision changes or a headache unlike any you’ve had before

If you have new back pain along with a fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer, see your doctor soon. Rare problems after neck manipulation have been reported, and researchers still debate whether manipulation causes them. Careful screening is part of good care either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can you do chiropractor and physio at the same time?

A: Absolutely! In fact, for more complex or challenging conditions, combining the two approaches can sometimes be much more effective. Especially if your progress has been slower than expected, a multi-disciplinary approach may be a worthwhile option. Both chiropractic care and physiotherapy are great complements to each other.

For example, your chiropractor may focus on and provide more pain relief to help calm your symptoms down. As this happens, your physiotherapist can then work with you on rebuilding muscle strength, coordination and balance as you gradually return to your usual activities.

Q: Can a physiotherapist fix back pain?

A: Your physiotherapist is a university-trained healthcare professional who is very capable of helping you with back pain. Back pain can have numerous causes, and your physiotherapist can help you sort through the possibilities and determine which one led to your injury.

Whether you have a muscle strain, facet sprain, sacroiliac problem, sciatica, slipped disc or pinched nerve, your physiotherapist is well versed in diagnosing and treating any of these types of injuries. They will recommend the best course of treatment for you to recover quickly and safely.

Q: What is the difference between physiotherapy and chiropractic?

A: Though both professions share many similarities such as types of injuries treated, there are some slight differences between the two. Physiotherapy treatment tends to include a larger component of exercise rehab and focuses on restoring function and mobility to your body. They also treat a large number of patients with leg and arm problems.

Chiropractic care often includes spinal and joint adjustments and their focus is on improving the movement and function of your spine. Chiropractors tend to treat patients with trunk issues such as neck pain, back pain and headache.

Q: Do I need a referral to see a chiropractor or physiotherapist in BC?

A: In most cases, no. You can usually book a chiropractor or a physiotherapist in Burnaby directly. Some extended health plans ask for a doctor’s note before they’ll reimburse you, so it’s worth checking your plan. A few things to know about coverage:

• Many workplace extended health plans cover both chiropractic and physiotherapy, often with a yearly limit.
• MSP only helps people who qualify for supplementary benefits. If you qualify, MSP pays $23 per visit for up to 10 visits a year, shared across chiropractic, physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture and a few other services.
• If you’re seeing both a chiropractor and a physiotherapist, check whether your plan has separate limits for each.

Still not sure where to start? Call our Burnaby clinic at 604-738-1168 and tell us what’s going on. We’ll help you book with the chiropractor or physiotherapist who fits best, and bring in the other if it’ll help you recover.

References
Government of British Columbia. (n.d.). Chiropractors: Medical Services Plan.
Rubinstein, S. M., de Zoete, A., van Middelkoop, M., Assendelft, W. J. J., de Boer, M. R., & van Tulder, M. W. (2019). Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 364, l689.