Career question: chiropractors with scoliosis — is full-time practice sustainable?
Hi r/chiropractic,
Not seeking medical advice — this is a career question. I already have a treating team and I’m not looking for input on my own condition.
I’m 32, based in France, currently a project manager in industry. I’m seriously considering a career change to chiropractic (5-year program at IFEC in France) and I’d like to hear from chiropractors who practice with scoliosis or a history of back issues themselves.
My questions are about the profession, not my health:
1. Physical demands of the job: For chiros who have scoliosis or chronic back issues, how sustainable is full-time practice over a career? Adjustments, hours on your feet, repetitive manual work — what’s the realistic picture?
I have many works experiences and the worst are being sitted all day long.
2. Practice adaptations: Have you adjusted your techniques, hours, or specialty (e.g., toward instrument-assisted, low-force, pediatric, sports) to make it work long-term?
3. Hindsight: Knowing what you know now, would you still have chosen this profession? Anything you’d warn someone in my situation about?
4. Career change: If anyone here entered chiropractic school after a previous career in a different field, I’d be curious how that transition went.
Thanks for any insight — I want to make this decision with clear eyes.