Interesting topic. Comparing different professions use of manipulation pre test warnings to patients based upon the level of insurance cover raises many questions. If an insurer could prove that a therapist did not give correct warning to a patient regarding informed consent, the insurer could be within their rights to deny a claim by the therapist when a negative patient incident occurred, regardless of the perceived insurance cover.
The onus then falls upon the therapist to: 1. Ensure the manipulation technique performed was valid for the patient 2. The patient understood the risks involved. 3. Signing a waiver against a high risk procedure when their are insufficient valid statistics, plus ensuring patient understanding of the information within the waiver - could be a minefield in court. The therapist may find themselves completely at risk.
Check out the site www.quackwatch.com (chiropractic section) for a debate on manipulation. Even U.S. chiropractors cannot agree on the validity of manipulation / adjustments.
MrPhysio