Following World Osteoporosis Day last week, our resident chiropractic expert tells us just which myths are worth listening to when it comes to our bones.
Myth one – chiropractors crack your bones
If a chiropractor cracked your bone – this would mean that your bone would be broken. So myth one is the biggest myth of all.
When a chiropractor does a manual adjustment on someone, the correct term to use to describe the popping sound heard is – cavitation. This means that the joint is tractioned in a controlled manner and any air bubbles trapped between the joint surfaces release and make that popping sound. It is the traction part of the manual adjustment that makes it effective – not the cavitation or the popping sound.
Myth two – all chiropractors treat the same way
There are many different types of chiropractic clinics and they use a wide range of techniques. Some chiropractors use hand held tools, others use manual therapy, whilst others use a branch of kinesiology, which is the study of the mechanics of body movements. Over time therapists tend to develop their own niche and work out how they can best help their patients. Even though all chiropractors do not treat the same way, they will certainly work out the best way to treat you using their own methods and techniques. Chiropractors can tailor the techniques that they use to suit each individual. For someone who has osteoporosis for example, gentle and low force techniques are more appropriate.
Myth 3 – chiropractic therapy puts your bones back in place
This is a tricky one to explain. You often hear chiropractic clients say that “they have put their back out”. If you think about what that statement actually means, if your back was out of place you would have sustained a very serious injury. The changes in alignment that we experience are really subtle changes. These alignment changes usually amount from muscle imbalances, ligament sprain and joint restriction. Chiropractic therapy is aimed at reducing imbalances in muscles and ligaments, reducing joint restriction and restoring movement.
Myth 4 – Physiotherapists give exercises and chiropractors don’t
Most musculoskeletal therapists (chiropractors, physiotherapists, myofacial therapists etc) prescribe exercises to their patients to do at home as an adjunct to the treatment they are undergoing in the clinic. The right stretches and exercises can play a huge part in getting you back into fine form. Doing daily exercises is a way of addressing an injury at a regular intervals and staying on top of it.
We feel so much better after a session with our local chiropractor but let us know your experience in the comments below or join in the conversation via our social media channels.