September 18 is Chiropractic Day - the perfect time to celebrate the profession with your patients and community.
Posted in Chiropractor on Friday, September 9, 2022
By Dr. Bart Green and Dr. Claire Johnson
What is Chiropractic Day?
Chiropractic Day is a perfect time to share the importance of chiropractic with patients and your community. This is the day when chiropractors celebrate chiropractic's birth. Chiropractic is said to have been born on September 18, 1895.1 This is the day that Daniel David Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, stated he performed the first adjustment on Harvey Lillard and restored his hearing.2 At present, there are approximately 104,000 chiropractic practitioners in 90 countries with over 50 chiropractic training programs offered globally. Over the past 125 years, chiropractic has grown in size, but more importantly, in its service to patients and communities. Therefore, Chiropractic Day is a perfect time to educate patients about the benefits of chiropractic.
How did this celebration start?
The first official Chiropractic Day celebration to commemorate the discovery of chiropractic was held on September 18, 1928.3 Over the years, Chiropractic Day increased in popularity. Chiropractors have reached out to communities with lectures, radio broadcasts, newspaper and magazine articles, and advertisements in the local press. In 1952, a proclamation was made in the United States Congressional Record to recognize Chiropractic Day. This declaration included that, “When Chiropractic Day is celebrated on September 18, 1952, it will be a source of the highest gratification to every doctor of chiropractic that not once, in the 57 years since Dr. Palmer gave the first chiropractic adjustment to Harvey Lillard, with its electrifying success, has there been a backward step.”
How can we celebrate Chiropractic Day?
To commemorate chiropractic’s founding, chiropractors are encouraged to celebrate “in a dignified and educational manner.”4 Various activities are low cost or even free. Here are just a few suggestions for how to celebrate Chiropractic Day.1,5
- Display a poster to remind people about Chiropractic Day. Free posters, published in the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities, are available at no cost. Click the “Supplementary Materials” link to obtain print-ready copies:
- Give a lecture about chiropractic and health at your local community center or other organization.
- Learn about one of the most important lawsuits that transformed the chiropractic profession. This book is available for free in pdf and e-reader formats at the Journal of Chiropractic Education.
- Volunteer your chiropractic services in your community through a local charity or ministry.
- Commit to learning more about the art, science, philosophy, and history of chiropractic. Articles are available at no cost from the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities.
- Donate to a charity that supports chiropractic research and education. The NCMIC Foundation provides funding for critically needed chiropractic research and advanced education for chiropractic researchers. The Foundation has provided more funding to support research activity in the profession than any other professional organization.
- Develop your own way to celebrate the birth of the chiropractic profession.
Chiropractic Day is an annual opportunity for chiropractors to share with patients how the profession began and continues to serve patients and the public. Chiropractic is a profession worth celebrating and Chiropractic Day, September 18, is a great way to educate your patients. Join in on the fun and start planning today. How will you celebrate Chiropractic Day this year?
About the Authors
Bart N. Green, DC, MSEd, PhD is a full-time chiropractor and epidemiologist, practicing in an interdisciplinary, on-site health center that serves a large corporation in San Diego, California. He previously started the first chiropractic clinic for the military in San Diego at the Naval Medical Center, practicing for 13 years as an interprofessional teammate in spine, sports, and combat casualty care clinics. During his 30 years as a chiropractor, he has been in private practice and served as a clinician-educator at two chiropractic colleges. He has published extensively and served as a collaborator in multiple research projects. Dr. Green is the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Chiropractic Education and a part-time lecturer for National University of Health Sciences, serving as its associate editor. He is a member of the NCMIC Speakers Bureau.
Claire D Johnson, DC, MSEd, PhD is a professor at National University of Health Sciences, where she serves as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, and the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities. She has authored scientific papers, guided hundreds of authors toward publication, and coached thousands in the scholarly art of peer review. She views her role as a mentor as one of her important contributions to the future of the profession. She has served in leadership roles within professional organizations, including the American Public Health Association, World Federation of Chiropractic, Chiropractic Educators Research Forum, and the Global Spine Care Initiative. Dr Johnson is a member of the Board of Directors of NCMIC.
References
1. Johnson CD. Chiropractic Day: A historical review of a day worth celebrating. J Chiropr Humanit. Dec 2020;27:1-10. doi:10.1016/j.echu.2020.11.001
2. Troyanovich S, Troyanovich J. Reflections on the birth date of chiropractic. Chiropr Hist. 2013;33(2):20-32.
3. Hopkins WH. Chiropractic Day, 1941. The Chiropractor. 1941;37(9):13.
4. Hopkins WH. Chiropractic Day - A national event. The Chiropractor. 1929;25(11):13-14.
5. Johnson V, Assal S, Khauv K, Moosad D, Morales B. Exploring diverse career paths and recommendations for celebrating Chiropractic Day 2021: A narrative inquiry. J Chiropr Humanit. Dec 2021;28:22-34. doi:10.1016/j.echu.2021.10.003