At City Centre Chiropractic, we describe a chiropractic adjustment as a barrage of *proprioceptive input. But how does this different from normal everyday motion, exercise or other sensory stimulation? Indeed for chiropractic adjustment to have a therapeutic effect it must provide some novel stimulus.
The following is adapted from a research article by lanuzzi and Khalsa (2005).
Spinal manipulation is a popular effective treatment for low back pain although the mechanisms by which it is effective are just beginning to become understood. It is though that a spinal manipulation can change the flow of sensory information from facet joint nerves to the central nervous system contributing to the relief of pain.
The muscles and ligaments around the facet joints have special nerve endings that respond to tension pressure stretch. There are also special nerve endings that respond to too much tension, pressure or stretch and tell the rest of your body that you are in pain.
Research has shown that spinal manipulation changes not only the muscles and ligaments in the areas but also stimulates the nerves to correctly recognise tension, pressure and stretch again. It also suggests that this nerve stimulation is very different to what happens during normal fairly activities to exercise.
So Basically
- Your adjustment is different to exercising or stretching and has different effects on your body.
- Although the research is still in it’s early stages it suggests that your spinal adjustment works neurologically rather than mechanically. This means that it works because of the changes to the nerve rather than the muscle of ligament.
*Proprioceptive nerves tell the body where it is in space. For example, the proprioceptive nerves in your left foot tell your body if it touching the ground if the ground is level etc.
(Adapted from Professional Power Boot Camp Notes)