We have all heard of getting an “adjustment” for your back. With a chiropractor in SW Calgary, adjustments can make the entire process feel extremely good and overall relaxing.
It’s entirely normal to hear a popping sound and feel a sort of tension release after hours of sitting or being in the same position. It can also happen during a visit to a spine specialist or a chiropractor.
Many theories look to explain why this sound and feeling take place. Numerous professionals believe that it’s caused by changes in pressure within the synovial fluid. This is the fluid that lubricates our joints.
When we do something like cracking our back, we stretch the joint capsule. By stretching it, the synovial fluid can flow more freely and this movement releases pressure. This releases gases and it causes the crackling sounds.
However, there are other explanations. Another theory is that gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen are released after they have been accumulating for a while in your joints. This seems to be especially true when the joints are not aligned correctly. Therefore, according to some scientists, cracking our joints releases the pressure. Furthermore, there’s a release of endorphins around the area. This might be the reason why it feels so good.
You should never feel intense or stabbing pain during an adjustment. Therefore, it’s important to consider that if you crack your back in a very sudden or violent way, you might suffer nerve injury. Furthermore, you could strain or tear some of your muscles. This can lead to a limitation in your mobility. If this happens, contact a chronic pain clinic in SW Calgary for an examination by a professional.
Can I get a spinal adjustment safely?
There are certain exercises, like Yoga or Pilates, which can help you to stretch safely. These must be led by trained professionals. That said, you can also do it safely at home as long as you do conservative stretching with some back exercises.
These can help in cases of chronic back pain. You can include these exercises as part of your everyday life, and test them to see which one works best for your needs.
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Bring your knees to your chest
The initial position is lying on your back. From there, you are going to pull your knee and bring it towards your chest. You do one leg first and then the other one while relaxing your neck and back. You can repeat these movements two or three times.
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Becoming a bridge
For this one, while still lying on your back, you want to bring your heels towards your glutes. This way your knees will be pointing towards the sky. You’re going to carefully lift your pelvis and hold for 10 seconds if possible before slowly coming back down.
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Rotation of your lower back
You are going to stay on your back after finishing the prior exercise and you raise both knees so that they’re bent. Your shoulder is going to stay still as you move your hips from side to side so that your knees come in contact with the ground. If possible, maintain this position for 10 seconds on each side.
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Rotation of the lower back while seated
For this one, we’re going to sit down. We have both legs extended, and then we grab the right leg and we flex it and put it over our left leg. Afterward, we place our left elbow on our right knee. If you feel like you can do it, rotate your upper body to the right. Try to hold this position for 10 seconds and then do the same on the other side.