Just because you routinely do your stretches and think you can take care of your own back when it’s aching, doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t need chiropractic services. It may mean you are unclear about what a chiropractor can actually do for you.
It is never recommended that anyone pops or cracks their own back and it’s important to understand what it means the loss of range of motion happens.
Chiropractors focus on our central nervous system and how our brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves function. The nervous system is the body’s communication system. Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other treatments to help ensure proper alignment of the spine. It is an alternative treatment that can help a person avoid surgery or medication when possible.
Your range of motion is the full movement potential of your joints and the range of flexion and extension you have in your joints. Even if you feel that you have a good range of motion, it may not always be the case. There are two categories of range of motion, and these categories are divided into segmental and global ranges of motion.
The segmental range of motion refers to how well your spinal joints move individually, while global refers to how all the different areas of the spine move overall. The chiropractor will check your range of motion and see if there is any restriction or even instability in your movement.
While cracking your back on occasion can help relieve some of the pressure on your spine, it shouldn’t be done too often, and you should never attempt to do it yourself. When you pop your joints or crack them, you are stretching the joint capsule which releases gas that forms bubbles. If you have a restricted range of motion, the other joints will begin to overcompensate. So, when you attempt to crack your back yourself, you can actually worsen the problem you are experiencing and cause more pain.
You should also avoid popping your own back simply because you are not trained to do so. You may end up stretching joints and ligaments beyond what is needed which can have negative effects on the spine and can also prove to be dangerous.
Chiropractic care can be extremely beneficial whether you currently experience back pain or not. They can effectively realign your spine, treat you for headaches that may be caused by irritated nerves, and this type of therapy is usually much more effective and affordable than treatments offered by your general practitioner.The chiropractor can assess your body and spinal column and come up with a preventative plan that helps eliminate the chance of pain or problems in the future. Regular chiropractic appointments can help strengthen the body and can even start the journey of recovery and healing any damage you may have incurred due to an injury.