“The practice of chiropractic is defined as the science and art of examination, diagnosis, adjustment, manipulation and treatment of malpositioned articulations and structures of the body, both in inpatient and outpatient settings. The adjustment, manipulation or treatment shall be directed toward restoring and maintaining the normal neuromuscular and musculoskeletal function and health.”
MISSOURI HOUSE BILL NO. 1246, Section A. Section 331.010
The word ‘chiropractic’ comes from the Greek words cheir (meaning ‘hand’) and praktos (meaning ‘done’), i.e. Done by Hand. The name was chosen by the developer of chiropractic, Daniel David Palmer. Palmer defined chiropractic as, “The Philosophy, Art and Science of things natural. A system for adjusting the segments of the spinal column, by hand only, for the correction of the cause of Dis-ease.”
A prolific reader of all things scientific, DD Palmer realized that although various forms of manipulation had been used for hundreds if not thousands of years, no one had developed a philosophical or scientific rationale to explain their effects. Palmer’s major contribution to the health field was therefore the codification of the philosophy, art and science of chiropractic which was based on his extensive study of anatomy and physiology.