Sasso Family Chiropractic Center

Articles of Interest

What is Objective Straight Chiropractic?

by Joe Strauss, D.C., F.C.S.C.

The term "Objective Straight Chiropractic" first appeared in the book Refined By Fire, The Evolution of Straight Chiropractic in 1994. It is used to describe a group within the chiropractic community that represents a very narrow, single objective to the practice of chiropractic. The practice is purpose or objective driven hence, the name objective straight chiropractic. While every approach to the practice of chiropractic has an objective, very few define themselves by that objective!

Although the term Objective Straight Chiropractic (OSC) is relatively new, this approach to chiropractic began formally in the mid-seventies with the creation of the Federation of Straight Chiropractic Organizations (FSCO, 1976) and the change in name by Sherman College of Chiropractic to Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. At the time, no other schools or organizations identified themselves with the term "straight" in their name. Unfortunately, after that a number of organizations also claimed they were straight. They referred to the FSCO and Sherman as super straights as well as other less kindly names. To demonstrate that all straight chiropractors are not the same, the terms traditional straight and objective straight were coined. Until the mid-seventies all straights were traditional, following the original precepts of the Palmers. Unfortunately, other things were added along the way which became part of the traditional approach even though B.J. and D.D. never endorsed them. The most controversial addition was diagnosis. Traditional chiropractic became more and more medical, more and more confused, and had such wide variations in practice that it was difficult to know who was straight and who was not. Further, certain groups in the profession in an effort to create a false unity were trying to obscure the term "straight."

The objective straight chiropractor has one purpose to his/her practice. He/she corrects vertebral subluxations because they interfere with the full expression of life by reducing the ability of the innate intelligence of the body to coordinate function through the nerve system. Objective straight chiropractors correct subluxations not because they cause disease or are associated with any medical condition but simply because the body works better without them. Objective straight chiropractors do not claim that vertebral subluxation is the cause for any or all diseases but simply an impediment to the ongoing life process and that alone justifies their correction. Other terms that are synonymous with objective straight chiropractic include non-therapeutic chiropractic and modern-day straight chiropractic. It should be noted that all straight chiropractors who practice by objective do not agree with the term objective straight chiropractic. They believe that anything other than this approach is mixing and consequently, the adjective "objective" is unnecessary. They feel that it gives credibility to the traditional approach as being straight and closely aligns the two approaches when in reality, traditional straight chiropractic (having a "cause of disease" objective), is more closely aligned to mixing chiropractic and medicine than to objective straight chiropractic. Despite that, traditional chiropractors continue to refer to themselves as being straight chiropractors, hence, the need to further clarify straight with the term "objective."