Services
Chiropractic adjustment
Reviewed by Dr Voula Roumel, Chiropractor , registered since 1987, AHPRA CHI0000942872
Last updated
A chiropractic adjustment is a controlled movement applied by hand to a specific joint. The chiropractor uses their hands, or occasionally a small instrument, to apply a quick, low-force movement to a joint that is not moving through its normal range.
That is the whole of what it is. Which joint, in which direction, at what speed and with how much force are the decisions that make it useful, and those come out of the assessment, not from a routine.
How the chiropractor decides what to adjust
The segment that hurts is often not the segment that has stopped moving. A stiff joint changes how the ones either side of it work, and the pain frequently turns up in the one taking up the slack rather than the one causing the problem.
So the assessment looks at how the region moves as a whole:
- How each segment moves individually, and where the restriction actually sits
- What the surrounding muscles are doing, guarding, tightness, tenderness
- How posture and habitual position are loading the area
- Whether anything neurological is involved, particularly where symptoms travel into an arm or leg
That is why a first appointment runs about 30 minutes and most of it is not treatment.
What it feels like
A quick pressure, usually, rather than pain. There is often a popping sound, that is gas coming out of solution in the joint fluid as pressure inside the joint changes, the same mechanism as cracking a knuckle. It is not bones moving against each other, and it is not a measure of whether anything useful happened. A good deal of technique makes no sound at all.
An irritable joint can be tender for a day afterwards, in the way a muscle is after unfamiliar exercise. The chiropractor will tell you what to expect before you leave.
When adjustment is not the right approach
Not everyone should be adjusted, and establishing that is part of what the assessment is for. The orthopaedic and neurological screen at your first appointment exists to identify presentations where a different approach, or a different practitioner, is needed.
Where a high-velocity adjustment is not appropriate, low-force technique is used instead. That covers a lot of ground: older patients, anyone managing osteoporosis, patients within a few months of surgery, highly irritable joints, pregnancy, and children, where age-appropriate technique bears no resemblance to what is used with adults.
If chiropractic is not the right answer at all, you will hear that rather than be treated. Where specialist care is the next step, you will get a detailed letter outlining the findings and recommendations, including the specialist we believe is best suited to your needs.
What it is usually combined with
Adjustment is rarely the whole of a treatment. Depending on the presentation it sits alongside:
- Massage therapy for the muscular guarding that builds around a restricted joint
- Dry needling, where trigger points are part of the picture
- Rehabilitation exercises to take home, so the range gained in the appointment is used between appointments
- Posture correction and practical changes to how you sit and work
What it is used for
Most commonly lower back pain, neck pain, sciatica and headaches with a musculoskeletal component, but the presentation is what determines the approach, not the label.
Frequently asked questions
Does an adjustment hurt?
Most people describe it as a quick pressure rather than pain, and the popping sound, which is gas moving in the joint fluid, not bones cracking, surprises people more than the movement does. An irritable joint can be tender for a day afterwards, in the way a muscle is after new exercise. Tell the chiropractor what you are feeling as it happens; the technique is adjusted from what you report, which is the point of doing it by hand.
What is the popping sound?
A cavitation, gas coming out of solution in the fluid inside the joint as the pressure in it changes. It is the same mechanism as cracking a knuckle. It is not bones moving against each other, and the sound is not a measure of whether the adjustment worked: plenty of effective technique makes no sound at all, particularly the low-force approaches used with older patients and children.
Do I have to be adjusted?
No. Adjustment is one of several approaches used here and it is not appropriate for everyone. The assessment is partly about establishing that. If it is not suitable, or you would rather not, say so and the chiropractor will work with what does suit. Nobody here treats a patient who has not agreed to what is about to happen.
Is it safe for older patients or during pregnancy?
Technique is matched to the person, and low-force approaches exist precisely for patients where a high-velocity adjustment is not appropriate, including older patients, people managing osteoporosis, and pregnancy. Dr Kenneth Taylor is certified in the Webster Technique and sees pregnant patients from early gestation into postnatal recovery. Tell reception when you book so you are matched to the right chiropractor.
How often would I need adjusting?
There is no standard schedule here and no package to sign up to. The chiropractor will tell you what they expect after the first appointment rather than before it, and if chiropractic is not helping, you should hear that from them rather than work it out yourself.
Ready to book?
Appointments Monday to Saturday, with confirmation by SMS.