A close look at chiropractic work

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Health Report 28 min 9 speakers 8 chapters transcribed 4 days ago

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What sparked the controversy around Ian Rospera’s chiropractic video?

Ian Rossborough 0:00

I have to, unfortunately, just extend her a little bit to get it in the right place. That's why we... That's why we be quick. Hey, darling. Hey. Hey. He'll stop. He'll stop. Yeah, it didn't really hurt.

Joel Werner 0:19

It's difficult to listen to that. It's a video from chiropractor Ian Rosper's YouTube channel, and if it sounds familiar, it might be because you heard it just a few months ago on RN's background briefing.

John Cunningham 0:31

There's not many things that makes an orthopedic surgeon emotional, but when you see a premature baby having its back cracked... It literally

Joel Werner 0:40

made my eyes water. And that's Melbourne surgeon John Cunningham's reaction to the video. Hi, I'm Joel Werner, and today on The Health Report, a special feature on chiropractic controversies. Almost immediately after that background briefing went to air in April, Rospera's video and Cunningham's reaction to it went viral. There was a furor. Outrage. Rossborough was investigated by the chiropractic board and two weeks ago extensive restrictions were placed on his practice. Background Briefing's Anne Arnold was the reporter on that story and today she delves deeper into the world of chiropractors examining some of the more contested aspects of their work.

Anne Arnold 1:24

At a chiropractic seminar, a fan is asking Ian Rospera for a photo.

Unknown 1:30

Ian, can I just take a picture with you?

Anne Arnold 1:32

Sure. Ian Rospera has rock star status among many chiropractors and patients. Does your son know who Ian is?

Unknown 1:39

Not yet, three years old. So there's no idea. But you want

Anne Arnold 1:42

him to know?

Unknown 1:42

Yeah, that's what I'll try to. Next time, probably.

Anne Arnold 1:46

He's charismatic and personable, and his YouTube videos have millions of viewers around the world.

Unknown 1:51

I've seen the video and I've heard a lot of stories about him from my friends and other stuff.

Anne Arnold 1:58

The YouTube videos, which have now brought him serious trouble, had put the Gonstead technique, which he practices, well and truly on the map. He's inspired you?

Unknown 2:07

Yep, that's it.

Anne Arnold 2:09

The Melbourne-based chiropractor was a star attraction at this Gonstead seminar in Sydney back in April. The organisers, usually wary of media, allowed me to attend and record.

Unknown 2:21

Once you get your contact point, roll her to you, roll her to you, roll her to you. You don't want to twist. With your knee, just drop a little bit to feel it open up. Take it down, take it down. Go. The trouble with June here is she thinks too much and

Peter Walters 2:36

doesn't feel enough. It is so precise, so thorough. You really know what you're doing when you get involved in the gunstead technique. There's no guesswork.

Anne Arnold 2:46

Peter Walters was the foundation president of the Gonstead Chiropractic Society in Australia after a trip to the US in the late 1980s. Peter has mentored Ian Rossborough.

Peter Walters 2:58

And it's very demanding, hard to learn, but once you learn it, extremely satisfying. And you help patients that others just can't. I guess you've seen some of that with Ian's videos.

How does the Gonstead technique work and why is it so popular among chiropractors?

Anne Arnold 3:08

His success stories.

Peter Walters 3:09

Yes, yes, yeah. And we've all got those success stories. That's the interesting thing. To be honest, we're pretty proud of the way he's put it out there, because that's not easy. You open yourself up for some pretty good slaps and criticism.

Anne Arnold 3:21

Are you guys, I mean, do you feel that as a society or as a profession that you're open to criticism? There's lots of different points of views around, obviously, about chiropractic.

Peter Walters 3:31

I don't mind informed decision. If people don't like us but they're informed, that's fine with me.

Anne Arnold 3:36

There's no doubting the passion of chiropractors who swear that what they do has direct benefit for their patients. And there's no shortage of patients willing to testify that a chiropractor, and only a chiropractor, has been able to solve their problem. But chiros struggle to convince others in the medical sphere. Apart from widely accepted evidence that spinal manipulation can benefit chronic lower back pain, there are only small studies and anecdotal experiences. So what is it that chiropractors offer? Fundamental to a lot of their work is the notion of subluxation. It means different things to different practitioners. This is Ian Rossborough talking to me in a room at the seminar.