Most of the people I talk to, and patient’s I see for the first time, will say a phrase like, “I just need popped back into place Doc.” Then, I tell them though that may occur, that’s not exactly what I’m hoping to accomplish with the adjustment. The best chiropractors in the world, IMO, are masters at feeling joint restrictions and properly visualizing/diagnosing dysfunctional movement patterns. This is how I explain the biomechanics of what is actually happening when you get adjusted…
The human body typically has 24 interconnected vertebral segments and at the bottom of the last vertebrae there is a sacrum and a coccyx. These “bones” make up part of what is known as our axial skeleton. Each of these bones articulate (form a joint) with the bones directly next to them. Each of these joints were designed to move in multiple planes (sagittal, coronal, horizontal). However, due to life (work, bad posture, stress, etc.) certain joints in our spine will lack this “optimal movement” and become “restricted”. This is when the problems begin to occur.
When a particular joint in our spine is restricted, we will begin recruiting other joints and other muscles to perform a desired action. This overstresses the joints and muscles that are being recruited because they are working overtime. This is when dysfunctional movement patterns take place. Almost always, repetitive dysfunctional movement patterns will lead to pain and injury. This is why chiropractors often say, “pain is the last thing to come, and the first thing to go.” What we mean is you probably had a dysfunctional movement pattern before the pain occurred and you may still have a dysfunctional movement pattern after the pain subsides.
With that being said, the adjustments I perform will be directed into these restricted joints. Therefore, the goal of my adjustment is to restore proper function, not to restore the structure of the spine. When we restore proper function of these joints and combine the adjustment with rehabilitative exercises and muscle therapy, then we will see positive changes in our posture!
Feel free to message me on any questions/concerns you may have! In the coming weeks I will release a post on the neurology behind the adjustment, and a video of a full spine adjustment! Stay tuned! I hope everyone has a happy New Year!
