Don't like the "crack" in chiropractic??

It's called a lot of different things...

...the "crack"...

...the "audible"...

...in chiropractic terms, we call it the adjustment and it is the fundamental base of what we do...

"...yeah, but what does it actually do??"

...the chiropractic adjustment is specifically to remove what is referred to as a subluxation. A subluxation is traditionally considered a joint (anywhere in the body, it does not have to be the spine) that has an unfavourably altered movement pattern. A chiropractic adjustment should restore that joint to a normal movement pattern, but it often does more than that...chiropractic adjustments have been shown to decrease muscular tension, increase the range of motion of the joint adjusted, decrease pain and have a positive affect on muscular strength.

"...okay, all of that is great...but what makes that sound??"

...the "crack" sound it caused when the joint is taken into the paraphysiological space:

As shown by the diagram above, this means that the joint is taken to the end of it's passive range of motion (without active help from the patient) - and then a quick, small amplitude movement is a applied to the joint...this action is known as the chiropractic adjustment...

"...okay, I understand all of that...but what if I find that sound or motion uncomfortable?? Does that mean I shouldn't see a chiropractor and get adjusted??"

...no, seeing a chiropractor is still something you should undertake...however, it means that you should have an open conversation with your chiropractor about how you feel...most chiropractors will have a number of treatment modalities available to treat you...and a number of those will be low force options, that should not produce the audible "crack". There are probably too many different techniques to list here, but it is a standard part of chiropractic training that a low force technique is taught to every chiropractic student before they graduate.

"...but surely that sound isn't normal?? It is safe, isn't it??"

...it is - chiropractic care is extremely safe...a recent review by Mercola shows the low incident of injury from chiropractic care.  Another recent review conducted in America shows the incidence of chiropractic injury against a number of factors:

...as always, if you have questions on how you're being treated, or on the safety of the treatment itself - talk to your chiropractor...or contact me: the.chiro@mail.com

Barefoot and running...

(Sorry for the delay between blogs, but sometimes life takes over...anyway, back to the regularly scheduled blogging)

So, you've seen the weird looking five-toed shoes...that person running the Sydney marathon in bare feet...you hear the buzz at the gym...barefoot running...

...the explanation for what it is is reasonably straight forward - run without shoes on...

...that sounds a little confronting, doesn't it?? And sounds counter to everything we've been told about the cushioning effect, last corrections and arch preservation that used to promote certain running shoes...

"...you mean my $300 [BRAND DELETED] runners are no good??"

...not necessarily, but they're not necessarily doing you a lot of favours either...

...so, let's start at the beginning - what are the benefits of barefoot running??

...there's Harvard University research out there that suggests landing on your mid or forefoot will strengthen the shock absorption capabilities of your feet, knees and hips - therefore, protecting your lower back from injury...

...the other element that supports barefoot running is the concept that our bodies receive most of its proprioceptive feedback through the muscles on the bottom of our feet. Considering our modern environment means we walk on artificially flat surfaces in artificially flat shoes - the amount of feedback our body gains is greatly reduced. This feedback is generally used to give our body a greater awareness of our position in space and improve our balance - factors that become incredibly important as we age...

...so, there are obviously benefits to ditching the runners and going barefoot but the questions remains - should I run barefoot??

"...barefoot??...with the glass and broken twigs and stuff...doesn't sound awesome..."

...running barefoot is definitely something that will benefit most people, but it comes with a caution - barefoot running is actually very difficult to begin with - and you really need your technique to be correct when you're doing it...

...a lot of people believe that they just have to buy a pair of five-toed or minimalist shoes, and that's it...that's a long way from the truth...you need to learn to run all over again...

...my suggestion, if you decide that barefoot running is something you want to challenge yourself with, is that you start small...find an oval, beach or park near you, and find a very clear area of it...then run for 100-200 metres without placing your heel on the ground...walk back to the start in the same manner, and repeat...do this three times, and stop there for the day...

...I know that sounds really simple, and that it wouldn't be much of a challenge but I promise you it will be more challenging than you think...
...then come back in a couple of days, and try again - this time run an extra 50 metres...continue to slowly build up over time...barefoot running isn't something you'll be able to conquer overnight - you have a lifetime of running and walking habits to overcome...

Good luck, enjoy the experience - and if you need more tips or training suggestions, this is where to reach me: the.chiro@mail.com