Crack!

What the heck was that? You’re laying on the chiropractic table and the chiropractor says to you “Breathe in, out, relax your body” Crack! WHAT THE HECK!!!!

Common comments we hear from clients or “Friends” of clients are: “Why do you go to the chiro, they just crack your back.” “Chiros are bone crunchers.” “Man aren’t you scared they will break your neck/back?”

The “Cracking” noise is actually termed cavitation. A cavitation is thought to come about due to there being lower pressure in the facet joints. Once there is a small but quick movement/stretch of these facet joints the pressure inside that joint builds up and therefore causes the gas to “Pop”. This is the audible sound you hear. It is quite normal. Actually a lot of people don’t feel the treatment is as affective until you get the “pop”. In other words, was the adjustment as effective if you didn’t get the pop?

Well the short answer is yes.  It’s not necessary to always get the pop. An adjustment or manipulation as some will term it happens when a manual therapist, be it Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, Osteopath or even a GP apply a specific impulse or thrust at the physiological end range of a joint. This stretches the tissues around that area. It is at this point you typically hear the crack.

At ARC Chiropractic (Nambour and Bli Bli) we treat all ages- from very young to very wise in their years. We do not attempt to get a cavitation out of our very young and very wise in years. We simply mobilise or stretch the tissue to help bring about a change. Sometimes just simple eyeball pressure is all that is needed to bring about change. This is the amount of pressure we place on our youngsters and oldsters.

Is a manual adjustment safe?

Chiropractic care has a very low risk profile. However any form of treatment/ modality you seek will carry some risk associated with it. Whether it be massage, manual or medical approach.

As stated in betterhealth.vic.gov.au “Spinal manipulation is very safe when performed by a trained, registered practitioner, although some people may experience mild soreness or discomfort following treatment. This usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.”

The word Chiropractic literally means done by hand. Chiropractors (and other manual therapists) are trained to apply a specific force to a joint that is restricted or reduced from it normal function, in the hope to restore movement of that joint. There are many techniques that chiropractors employ to help bring about the restoration of the joints including activator method, drop table method and sacral occipital techniques. These are all techniques we use at ARC Chiropractic.

People commonly visit a chiropractor for help with:

  • back pain
  • neck pain
  • headache
  • whiplash
  • strains and sprains from daily activities
  • overuse injuries
  • work and sports-related injuries
  • arthritis
  • restricted movement in the back, shoulders, neck or limbs

We are not bone crunchers. Our aim is to help restore and balance the body to its optimal self. So whether the “Crack” is big, small or non existent, there is change that is happening in your body. All of this is to try and restore function and movement to the joint.

Along with the traditional chiropractic techniques we offer dry needling, acupuncture, cupping, soft tissue, massage, rehabilitation and stretching. These are all part of our regular treatments. We don’t believe in the “crunch crunch out you go” method of treatment.