What happens during a chiropractic adjustment?

Chiropractic adjustments are renowned for providing much need relief of stiff, sore joints and the process is often referred to as “cracking” your back etc.

Are the bones actually cracking?

In reality, no; they are not.  The “crack!”, “pop!” and “click!” that you feel and hear with an adjustment is actually an amazingly interesting process.  

When a Chiropractic adjustment is applied to a joint such as the lumbar spine, a very specific and fast stretch will occur on that joint.  It stretches muscles and ligaments around that joint which only respond to speed, whilst simultaneously stimulating the nervous system.  This stimuli helps create a more normal perception of the joint in your brain and decrease pain you might have felt for months or even years. An adjustment may create a noise like ‘pop’ or a ‘click’, which is actually a release of gas within the joints.

So, a Chiropractic adjustment is really quite something. It is not just a “crack” or a “pop.”

It’s a unique approach in the management of neck, back and joint pain from a functional neurological perspective. 

Dr. Amanda O’Doherty

Hi, I’m Amanda. Chiropractor, mum, human body nerd, keen walker (with stroller of course) and social butterfly. I work with mothers and babies to help with underlying musculoskeletal issues of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding; so that mothers can gain confidence in their body for their birthing and breastfeeding journey.