Why Chiropractors Adjust Your Back

“Hey Dr. Anderson, why do you crack backs?” That is a really good question! 

First of all, let’s be clear, I’m NOT just CRACKING your BACK.  I understand that releasing the pressure in a joint will make a pop sound most of the time. Music to my ears!  The pop however, is not the goal.

Here’s the real reasons why I adjust your back:  

Adjustments provide improved nutrient supply. The cartilage and other structures inside of a joint have NO direct blood supply. NONE. These structures get their nutrients through normal movement. The blood supply is on the outside of the joint and nutrients move into the synovial fluid of the joints when they MOVE!  Joint motion moves this fluid and provides fresh nutrients to all parts of the joint, as well as removing wastes. If a joint becomes locked down by muscle spasm, scar tissue, a cast, or any other means, for a prolonged period of time, the joint begins to feel stiff. You know the feeling of needing to stretch after sitting for a long period of time.  It’s the same thing here. When you get adjusted, you increase your mobility. That one thing is worth a lot to you. Just ask an elderly person in a wheelchair if they’d like to get up and walk and move around  again.

Your joints are particularly vulnerable to problems because they work in tandem and compensate for one another. Your facet joints should all work together, so if one is injured, it can become locked down to prevent further injury. When this happens you may get the desire to stretch or move your back. This usually works, but if all of the other joints compensate for the problem joint and take that added stress of movement on themselves then the problem joint stays locked down. Adjustments induce a full range of motion and synovial fluid movement. → Adjustments = Happy Joints = Mobility = Less Arthritis  in your spine.

Adjustments reduce pressure on the nerves. Your nervous system is the control center of your body. The spine protects it.  Nerves and nerve bundles are considered to be soft tissue.  They don’t function well under physical pressure.  In fact it has been shown that inflammation, a bulging disc, or disc fragment floating around can seriously interfere with proper nerve signals.  The stuck joint as discussed previously can also be physically pressing on a nerve, or could be causing inflammation that is irritating the nerve, or could just be moving in a way that rubs the nerve the wrong way.  In any case, an adjustment can cause a relief of this pressure, through movement of the joint to the correct position, or motion.

When joints move, there are specialized nerve endings that tell your brain all about it. This is called “Proprioception.” Adjustments help with proprioceptive retraining which allows for improved function. The brain also records these proprioceptive signals from the joints motion. The brain is in need of retraining, especially for chronic conditions,  regarding the motion of the joints. When you’re adjusted it takes your joint through its full range of motion. This new input is then stored and replayed in the brain, similar to muscle retraining that physical therapists will do, or physical training of athletes. When the body has done the motion enough times it remembers it. This retraining provides a functional correction that may also provide pain relief.

Lastly, this part is cool: Proprioceptive stimulation triggers the release of endorphins in the brain. These endorphins cause a near instant and temporary relief similar to pain medication making you less aware of your problem without any side effects. This has a secondary benefit:  Adjustments relax local tissues such as trigger points or tight musculature that may be pinching your nerves.

If you think anything has been getting on your nerves, it might just be time for an adjustment!

Gregg Anderson, D.C.