Accordo Chiropractic
What is the difference between manipulation and an adjustment?
Let's start with explaining what a subluxation is. A subluxation is a slight misalignment of the spine's vertebrae that can cause discomfort from nerve interference and joint degeneration (arthritis). Most people have subluxations and don't know it - until pain drives them to seek out the root cause.
Usually the first stop is to see a doctor or physical therapist. In many of these cases the extreme end of a joint's range of motion has resulted in dislocation. Many in the medical field (doctors, physical therapists, etc.) can determine a joint's range of motion with a thorough palpation examination, this is considered manipulation.
Between a joint's normal range of motion and the point at which joint damage occurs, there is a small zone known as the paraphysiological space. This is where a chiropractor can make an adjustment. Made with precisely directed force where the restriction in motion occurs, the adjustment helps restore the normal joint alignment and function. A chiropractor spends thousands of hours perfecting this treatment by feeling the spine and its movement.
Manipulation uses slow, low-velocity, high-amplitude movements to encourage a more extensive range of motion in a joint, but it is unlikely to correct subluxations.
In contrast, an adjustment involves high-velocity (fast), low-amplitude movement to a specific joint. Adjustments are the primary modality for helping people recover from subluxations.
Some people mistakenly think they are making an adjustment to a joint when they crack or pop their neck or knuckles. But this cracking sound (called cavitation) is just incidental noise caused by changing the pressure in the fluid surrounding the joint. One might get momentary relief from releasing feel-good hormones, but cracking one's joints is not making an adjustment and does nothing to correct a subluxation.
Chiropractors not only use their hands in manual adjustments but also specific tools. An Arthrostem is a machine (almost like a massage gun) that can target a joint's paraphysiological space. An activator is a manual tool that mimics a doctor's high-velocity, low-amplitude force in making precise adjustments. Sometimes these are safer but equally effective options for patients with injuries or fear of adjustments.
Nociceptors—the nerves that sense and respond to parts of the body that suffer from damage—send signals to the brain to trigger an appropriate defense response. Subluxations can also transmit signals to the brain that can feel overwhelming, like static on a radio station that won't quite come in. With the proper adjustment, the nervous system can perform as it should, and people can think more clearly. Chiropractors are highly educated to restore normal joint biomechanics and normal nervous system function, which in turn leads to a healthier life.
Cracking one's joints is not making an adjustment and does nothing to correct a subluxation.
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