Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Crack Your Own Back
Have you ever stood up after you got out of bed in the morning, stretched your arms, and then turned side to side to crack your back?
If so, you’re probably not alone. But that doesn’t mean it’s a habit you should continue.
As your partner in health, we want your back to be happy, healthy, and free of chronic issues like pain. But adjusting your own spine is something you should leave to us – and here’s why.
Your spine is complex. In fact, it’s so complex that chiropractors undergo thousands of hours of training to be able to provide you with the care that your body needs. The spine is delicate and very responsive, and let’s face it, you only get one!
You could damage your nerves. Between each of your 33 spinal bones pass a network of nerves that help your brain communicate with the rest of your body. Imagine letting an untrained friend, or even yourself, move your bones forcefully without proper training or knowledge – it could wreak havoc on your nervous system or even cause damage.
You’re likely not adjusting the area that needs it. When a chiropractor examines your spine and body, they find the areas of subluxation and work to correct the problem. Sometimes (quite often in fact), the area that hurts isn’t actually the area where the problem lies. Also, if you twist to crack your spine in an attempt to get relief, the most likely area to “snap” is your weakest link, not necessarily where you need to be adjusted. Repeating this process contributes to hypermobility of a vulnerable area, while the problem remains uncorrected. Sometimes self-adjusting feels good for an instant, due to many intrinsic chemical releases, but generally results in doing more harm than good.
If you’re dealing with back pain on your own, let us help. Reduce your risk of limited mobility, muscle tears, injury, and more by seeing a trained professional for your chiropractic care instead of going the do-it-yourself route.
We look forward to getting to know you and welcoming you into the practice.