Page 24 - BackSpace October 2017

Feature
Activator celebrates 50th anniversary
WITH 50 years in business, 23 clinical trials, 6 FDA-registered products and 159 peer-reviewed publications, Activator Methods International continues to lead the way in innovative chiropractic technology.
To celebrate 50 years since the invention of the Activator instrument, Activator Methods International held its first ever Global Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona from 20-22 July.
The invitation-only celebration brought together global leaders from ten different countries in the chiropractic industry, current and past Activator board members and several Activator instructors from around the world. More than 200 people attended the three-day celebration.
The highlight of the event was the featured speakers and
panel discussions. Secretary-general of the World Federation of Chiropractic, Richard Brown, DC presented on The Changing World of Chiropractic. Vasileios Gkolfinopoulos, DC, David O’Bryon, LL.D. and Craig Little, DC participated in a panel discussion.
Vasileios Gkolfinopoulos was a guest speaker at the 50th anniversary celebrations for Activator Methods. The following is an extract from his speech:
Escorial Maria Cristina in Spain, Ricardo Fujikawa, MD, DC speaking on In Vivo Effects of the Activator
V Instrument in Bone Structure: Osteoporosis and Dr Frederick
Carrick DC, PhD, MS-HPEd of the University of Cambridge spoke about How Activator Adjustments Affect the Nervous System. In addition, Greg Kawchuck, BSc, DC, MSc, PhD
talked about the evolution of chiropractic treatment and the next 50 years.
“We were honoured to host so many leaders in the chiropractic industry at our Global Leadership Conference. To have so many join us in celebrating our 50th anniversary made this truly a special event,” said Dr Arlan Fuhr, inventor of the Activator Methods and instrument.
During the event Activator announced its new virtual training system to bring the Activator Methods training seminars and certifications to chiropractors around the world. The platform is expected to launch in early 2018 and will be translated into over a dozen languages.
Learn more about Activator Methods at www.activator.com ECU treasurer: a vision of the future
Other special guest speakers included the principal of the Madrid College of Chiropractic at the Royal University Center
THERE ARE different descriptions of what constitutes chiropractic care. But what describes us most accurately is that we are health care professionals specialising in spinal and MSK health. Most of the time our interventions include, but are not solely defined by, a chiropractic adjustment. In fact, we offer more than that. We use clinical knowledge, diagnostic and examination skills, and a very diverse toolbox of treatments! We also exhibit great knowledge about, and undoubtedly influence, the nervous system as well!
So what is the future for chiropractic?
• the future chiropractor will be a health care practitioner and MSK expert who will be able to support the care they provide with evidence
• chiropractic will be the number-one MSK health care profession But this future depends on whether we will be successful in adapting to a rapidly changing health care environment. It is the
ECU mission to give a lead in ensuring that and I am certain that we will succeed. Our strategy is built upon four pillars:
1 Legislation
Even though deregulation is a current trend in many parts of the world (e.g. USA, EU, UK), legislation is essential for patient safety. In Europe there is a varied landscape. Some countries have it all and some countries have nothing. We must not let up the pressure at
a national level in all unlegislated countries.
2 Research
The ECCRE (ECU’s research arm) as well as numerous national research councils devote a significant amount of resources to research. The ECU currently dedicates 25% (more than €200,000) of its income to original research and actively supports the collection and analysis of data about patient outcomes and experience.
3 Unity
We will never completely agree on everything. Complete unity
is a mirage, but it is a direction we must constantly embrace. We can explore our common ground and focus on expanding it, while respecting differences of opinion as long as they are kept within ethical and legal boundaries. We will not achieve the goal of being number one for MSK health if fragmented.
Regrettably, there are certain behaviours around that cause damage to the profession. We need to eradicate these and a united front is the best way to achieve that, exercised through peer pressure and regulation.
4 Education
We need to grow and we need to do so fast, adapting our approach
to the best pedagogical developments – including appropriate contributions from part-time learning, distance learning, conversion courses, etc. We know we have excellent education. The challenge now is to preserve that quality while improving significantly on the quantity. Further, to hold our own in an increasingly multidisciplinary world, we should aim for at least one university-based school in each major country around Europe – and, why not, the world.
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BACKspace www.chiropractic-ecu.org October 2017