AI in Chiropractic

In January this year, I attended the annual general meeting of the Royal College of Chiropractors. As a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors, I attend these meetings annually to learn from the Royal College members, faculty members, researchers and speakers about the goings-on within the world of medicine, healthcare and manual therapies. As you might imagine, some of these meetings are more beneficial than others, but I always leave these meetings and conferences with new concepts, new information and questions to ponder.

At this particular conference, a senior chiropractor who has been a true figure head in the chiropractic profession was delivering a speech. He held his hands up in the air and waved his hands at the audience and proclaimed:

“AI can’t replace these; I think the Chiropractic profession is safe from AI”.

Now, whilst I understand the sentiment of what this speaker was making, and in many ways, I completely agree. I don’t think AI can or will replace chiropractors or osteopaths, or physiotherapists. However, I have to say that this shows the naivety of the person saying it, because AI is having a significant impact on the chiropractic profession, in much the same way Google first impacted medical and GP practices. It has become the first port if call for so many things, including medical advice, diagnosis and management/treatment options for all kinds of health issues. Whilst this isn’t a direct replacement of the professions in question, its impact is huge, which is what this blog post is all about.

AI Generated Videos

Many of you reading this will be aware of the popularity of watching “patients” receiving spinal manipulation (adjustments) to their spines. There is something akin to watching people having their pimples popped to being adjusted in a video. If you know, then you know!

On many social media platforms, there has been an uptick in the number of AI generated chiropractic sessions. One video that immediately comes to mind I have seen recently is a very realistic looking video of a chiropractor jumping from his office desk onto the back of a patient lying on a treatment table WWE (WWF for those of us who remember!) wrestling style and the treatment table collapses with the patient still on it.

I am unsure if this video has been generated by a chiropractor trying to be humours, or if it someone outside the profession, trying to make a humorous video, or trying to damage or humiliate chiropractors. Personally, I find them hilarious, but another part of me can see how this could have a negative impact on those people who are unsure if they should see a chiropractor. Regardless, the impact of these videos is unclear, for every person who finds them amusing, another person might think it a real representation of what a chiropractor does every day and stop them from seeking care. These videos are incredibly realistic, and many of us cannot tell the difference between some AI generated videos/images and the real thing. I am sure you yourself might have recently seen a video on social media and questioned its authenticity. In any case, these AI videos are impacting on their profession, good or bad.

The Impact of AI on Clinical Practice

Over the course of the last few years, I have noticed an increasing number of people presenting to the clinic with an AI generated report on their symptoms with an AI generated diagnosis and a list of prescribed exercises for said diagnosis. The exercises in question appear to be the typical, generic exercises, often prescribed for the first episode of pain and are not patient specific or individualised for that patients’ needs.

Now, some people reading this blog post will simply say: “well, when ever I go to see a chiropractor, or physiotherapist, or an osteopath, I get given the same generic exercises for my back pain, so why shouldn’t I just use AI and get the same thing?”

This is a fair point, I have certainly seen patients over the course of my clinical career who present a sheet of paper containing generic exercises commonly prescribed for back pain, or neck pain, or knee pain etc. Any other chiropractors, physiotherapists or osteopaths reading this can probably relate to this.

However, the fact that this happens in clinical practice doesn’t make it okay. Those of us who spend considerable time planning our patients plans of management or exercise rehabilitation plans to fit their individual needs, lifestyles and current health/fitness status will understand the frustration of someone being given generic exercises. Whilst this is frustrating from a fellow clinician, it is the standard for AI.

AI generated treatment plans or exercises without due care or consideration for your individual complaint or needs could be detrimental to your recovery. How does AI know what you need to do for your back pain or what ever pain you are experiencing? However, this is something I am seeing more and more in my clinical practice. Why people are turning to AI is understandable. It is quick, easy and free, which makes it incredibly hard to compete with as a clinician.

Should AI Be Used for Health Issues?

In short, yes, AI should or could be used by people when they are experiencing any type of health issue. It can help you understand a complex health condition, like back pain, it could also provide a better explanation of the condition to help people understand their health issue. This can be empowering to the sufferer and allow them to take back control of their health and help point them in the direction for the correct course of action. However, reliance on AI to provide you with a comprehensive plan for your complaint is probably not be the answer. Skipping the human element of healthcare, understanding the nuances and complexities of healthcare and the management of back pain must be a better way forward.

I hope you have enjoyed this shorter blog post. It was nice to write something that didn’t need to be evidence-based and more of an opinion piece. I am not saying that AI couldn’t provide some support for people experiencing back pain in this post. I am simply expressing my experience of the impact of AI on my clinical practice.

By Mark Spriggs DC, MChiro, MSc, PGCert, FRCC