Why is Your Trip to the Chiropractor Not Working?

You’ve probably heard it before: “Every time I go to the chiropractor, I feel good for about a day and then my problem comes right back”.

The sad truth is this is the case for many people that regularly go see a chiropractor. Which then leads to the follow up statement “Once you go see a chiropractor, you have to keep going back forever”. Sound familiar?

During one of our recent podcast episodes “Do You Really Need to Stretch”, we talk about two of the most common causes of decreased range of motion. The fact of the matter is spinal manipulation, commonly known as a chiropractic adjustment, is one tool a chiropractor or physical therapist can use to influence the joints of the spine and restore proper range of motion when there is a true mobility issue at hand.

If you truly are a candidate for spinal manipulation, this would require you to have significant mobility restrictions within the joints of your spine. Although this is a relatively common phenomenon, especially within the joints of the neck and low back, this is NOT a one-size-fit-all approach or solution to your problem. 

The truth of the matter is those joints were tight, restricted, locked up, etc. for a specific reason, most likely compensational for something else going on in the body. This could be due to a number of different reasons including a lack of physical activity, a high degree of repetitive movements, dehydration, trauma, etc.

In order to maintain a proper range of motion in the joints of the spine after spinal manipulation intervention, or in other words “holding an adjustment”, you will most likely have to perform some form of simple exercise, range of motion, or stretch as a way to reinforce what was done in your chiropractor’s office. 

I know this isn’t what many of you want to hear, but let’s think about this for a second. If you have a history of chronic low back pain for several years, and you go see a chiropractor for treatment, why would you think that one office visit, that one momentary crack/pop, will be the permanent solution to your problem?

And before you jump to conclusion and say “See, they just want you to come back every week to get the same adjustment”, this is actually the opposite of what I am trying to shed light on. The fact of the matter is this: after you have received treatment, whether this is spinal manipulation, soft tissue work, or any other modality (yes, there are tons of options here), you need to be doing some kind of activity to reinforce what was done in the office. As mentioned earlier, this could be anything from a simple stretch, a quick arm raise, some breathing work, or even a recommendation to a specific type of exercise program.

If you leave the office without receiving this recommendation, I would suggest finding yourself another chiropractor or physical therapist willing to do so because unfortunately there is no magic wand to be waved, no secret pill or potion to take, and what a clinician does with their hands for 15 minutes to an hour simply will not un-do what you are doing the other 23 hours of the day.

Yours in health,

Kevin Noel, DC CSCS