2026 Minnesota Statutes

148.01 CHIROPRACTIC.

Subdivision 1.Definitions.

For the purposes of sections 148.01 to 148.10:

(1) "abnormal articulation" means the condition of opposing bony joint surfaces and their related soft tissues that do not function normally, including subluxation, fixation, adhesion, degeneration, deformity, dislocation, or other pathology that results in pain or disturbances within the nervous system, results in postural alteration, inhibits motion, allows excessive motion, alters direction of motion, or results in loss of axial loading efficiency, or a combination of these;

(2) "acupuncture" means a modality of treating abnormal physical conditions by stimulating various points of the body or interruption of the cutaneous integrity by needle insertion to secure a reflex relief of the symptoms by nerve stimulation as utilized as an adjunct to chiropractic adjustment;

(3) "animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment" means treatment that includes identification and resolution of vertebral subluxation complexes, spinal manipulation, and manipulation of the extremity articulations of nonhuman vertebrates. Animal chiropractic diagnosis and treatment does not include:

(i) performing surgery;

(ii) dispensing or administering medications; or

(iii) performing traditional veterinary care and diagnosis;

(4) "chiropractic" means the health care discipline that recognizes the innate recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery by identifying and caring for vertebral subluxations and other abnormal articulations by emphasizing the relationship between structure and function as coordinated by the nervous system and how that relationship affects the preservation and restoration of health;

(5) "chiropractic services" means the evaluation and facilitation of structural, biomechanical, and neurological function and integrity through the use of adjustment, manipulation, mobilization, or other procedures accomplished by manual or mechanical forces applied to bones or joints and their related soft tissues for correction of vertebral subluxation, other abnormal articulations, neurological disturbances, structural alterations, or biomechanical alterations, and includes but is not limited to manual therapy and mechanical therapy as defined in section 146.23;

(6) "diagnosis" means the physical, clinical, and laboratory examination of the patient, and the use of diagnostic services for diagnostic purposes within the scope of the practice of chiropractic described in sections 148.01 to 148.10;

(7) "diagnostic services" means clinical, physical, laboratory, and other diagnostic measures, including diagnostic imaging that may be necessary to determine the presence or absence of a condition, deficiency, deformity, abnormality, or disease as a basis for evaluation of a health concern, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, further examination, or referral;

(8) "good standing" means that a license is not the subject of current disciplinary action under section 148.10 or an equivalent disciplinary law in another jurisdiction;

(9) "reinstatement" means the process by which a board-terminated license or voluntarily retired license returns to active license status under section 148.071 or 148.076;

(10) "therapeutic services" means rehabilitative therapy as defined in Minnesota Rules, part 2500.0100, subpart 11, and all of the therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventive sciences and procedures for which the licensee was subject to examination under section 148.06; and

(11) "voluntarily retired license" means a license held by a chiropractor who has changed the chiropractor's license status to a voluntarily retired license under section 148.075.

Subd. 1a.

[Renumbered 148.032, subdivision 1]

Subd. 1b.

[Renumbered 148.032, subd 2]

Subd. 1c.

[Renumbered 148.032, subd 3]

Subd. 1d.

[Renumbered 148.032, subd 4]

Subd. 2.Exclusions.

The practice of chiropractic is not the practice of medicine, surgery, osteopathic medicine, or physical therapy.

Subd. 3.

MS 2012 [Repealed, 2014 c 291 art 4 s 59]

Subd. 4.Practice of chiropractic.

An individual licensed to practice under section 148.06 is authorized to perform chiropractic services and therapeutic services, and to provide diagnosis and to render opinions pertaining to those services for the purpose of determining a course of action in the best interests of the patient, such as a treatment plan, appropriate referral, or both.

Subd. 5.Practice of therapeutic services.

Therapeutic services must be performed within a practice where the primary focus is the provision of chiropractic services, preparing the patient for chiropractic services, or complementing the provision of chiropractic services. The administration of therapeutic services is the responsibility of the treating chiropractor and must be rendered under the direct supervision of qualified staff.

Subd. 6.Practice of acupuncture.

Acupuncture must not be used as an independent therapy or separately from chiropractic services. Acupuncture is permitted under this section only after registration with the board, which requires completing a board-approved course of study and a board-approved national examination on acupuncture. Renewal of registration requires completing board-approved continuing education requirements in acupuncture. The restrictions of section 147B.02, subdivision 2, apply to individuals registered to perform acupuncture under this section.

History:

(5725, 5731(c)) 1919 c 64 s 2,8; 1927 c 230; 1975 c 362 s 1; 1983 c 346 s 1; 2008 c 297 art 1 s 24-28; 2009 c 86 art 1 s 19; 2014 c 291 art 4 s 4-6; 2016 c 119 s 7; 2026 c 127 art 4 s 1-4,24