Objective: To analyze global research trends in chiropractic treatment for musculoskeletal conditions using bibliometric methods. Methods: A total of 2,508 articles published between 1978 and 2025 were retrieved from Web of Science, PubMed, and the Index to Chiropractic Literature and analyzed for publication output, countries, authors, institutions, journals, and keywords.
Methods: A total of 2,508 articles published between 1978 and 2025 were retrieved from Web of Science, PubMed, and the Index to Chiropractic Literature and analyzed for publication output, countries, authors, institutions, journals, and keywords.
Results: Publication output increased steadily after 1995 and peaked in 2021–2022. The United States and Canada were the leading contributors, followed by Australia, China, and Denmark. Eric Chun-Pu Chu had the highest publication volume, while Jan Hartvigsen demonstrated the greatest citation impact. Core journals included the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics and Chiropractic and Manual Therapies. Keyword analysis showed sustained emphasis on low-back pain and spinal manipulation, with growing attention to integrative care and quality improvement.
Conclusion: Chiropractic research has expanded substantially, with increasing international collaboration and evolving research priorities.
Keywords: Chiropractic; Bibliometric analysis; Musculoskeletal condition; Trends
List of abbreviations: Web of Science: WoS; Index to Chiropractic Literature: ICL; Emerging Sources Citation Index: ESCI; Science Citation Index Expanded: SCIE
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