Approaches to Chiropractic Care in Aging Patients

The goal of this observational study is to understand how chiropractors adjust their therapeutic approaches based on their beliefs, the patient's age, and patient-specific characteristics, with a particular focus on aging patients. The study population includes licensed chiropractors in Quebec treating adult and aging patients in real clinical settings. Patients involved are receiving their usual care and are not the primary focus of the study. The main questions it aims to answer are: * How do chiropractors modify their treatment strategies for aging patients? * What contextual and clinical factors influence these therapeutic decisions? Researchers will observe chiropractors during routine care to assess treatment characteristics. To do this, participants will: * Use a sensor to measure the force applied during specific manual treatments. * Complete brief questionnaires after each treatment to report contextual details. * Allow for the presence of a researcher during treatment delivery for observational purposes. Patients will: * Fill out a short pre-treatment questionnaire. * Receive their usual care with no interference in the treatment process. * Be informed in advance and free to decline participation at any point. This study aims to provide a detailed picture of current chiropractic practices in Quebec related to the care of aging patients, while minimizing disruption to clinical routines.

Inclusion criteria for chiropractors: * Be a practicing chiropractor working in a private clinic in Quebec located within approximately 150 km of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. * Have a patient base mainly composed of younger adults (ages 18 to 49) and aging adults (50 years and older). * Use diversified manual therapy techniques on the spine and pelvis. This terminology is commonly used in chiropractic and refers to a range of techniques including spinal manipulation, spinal mobilization, instrument-assisted manipulation, and the use of pelvic blocks. Exclusion criteria for chiropractors: * Not having a treatment room large enough to accommodate the researcher and her equipment, in addition to the patient. * Having a schedule that does not allow extending the duration of multiple treatments within a single day. Inclusion criteria for patients: * Be an adult aged between 18 and 49 years or 50 years and older. * Be a regular patient of the chiropractor. Exclusion criteria for patients: \- New patients, defined as those attending their first or second appointment at the clinic. These visits are typically longer, and it is reasonable to expect that the patient may have more questions during these initial sessions. The presence of a third party could be uncomfortable for a patient who is still adapting to a new type of care or a new chiropractor. We do not wish to interfere with a patient-chiropractor relationship that is still being established.