What Does a Chiropractic Adjustment Do?

“The chiropractic adjustment is a precise, gentle, controlled movement of the joint that reverses stiffness, muscle contraction and instability.”

When joints undergo stress they tighten up. It’s your body’s natural protective response. In the same way you put the brakes on in your car if you sense trouble, your body does the same.

Most of the time, your body releases the tension once the stress has passed. Think of carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder. The extra weight causes temporary stress to your shoulder joint so it tightens up. The supporting muscles in your shoulder, arm, neck and back contract. The longer you keep the weight on, the more this process progresses.

Once you remove the bag however, in a short space of time, everything returns to normal. Your shoulder moves freely again and the surrounding muscles can relax. The brakes on your shoulder joint are off.

But what happens if we keep putting the same stress on our joints? What would happen to your shoulder if you carried that heavy bag around all day, everyday for a week? A month? A year?

Gradually the movement in your shoulder would stiffen up even when you weren’t carrying the bag. The surrounding muscles would become tight and sore as they’ve constantly been switched-on. Because joints and nerves always work together your nerves, the little wires that surround the joints and coordinate movement, start to malfunction. This can create instability, which your body responds to by tightening up even more.

Modern life can place a lot of continuous stress on joints. Sedentary lifestyles, poor posture, repetitive movements and an over-busy workload are all potential culprits. This gradual build-up of tension, muscle tightness and instability can result in pain and stiffness that feels like it has no obvious cause.

Chiropractors use a comprehensive analysis of joint motion, muscle palpation and nerve tests to identify exactly which joints in your body have undergone continuous stress. The adjustment is a precise, gentle, controlled movement of the affected joint that reverses stiffness, muscle contraction and instability.

The adjustment restores normal joint motion, allowing the surrounding muscles to relax and the nerves to function properly again. The joint begins to move freely, the muscles ease off and, because the nerves are controlling the area more effectively, stability returns.

Chiropractors train for four years to perfect the techniques employed to safely and gently locate and release joint tension. Because the adjustments are so specific, they change joints in a way that exercises alone cannot. As the adjustments continue to restore joint movement, the joint heals, resulting in the elimination of pain and stiffness.

If you’re experiencing pain we can help you. We’ve looked after people from all walks of life and with a wide range of conditions including neck pain, back pain, hip pain, sciatica, migraines and headaches.

Contact us to start your journey to a pain-free life.

Source:
Neurophysiological effects of spinal manipulation - The Spine Journal