Respect Your Spine: It Is Your Lifeline

Occasionally, over the years, as a chiropractor, I have been in social settings or parties where someone would come up to me complaining of a kink in their neck or back. They would ask me if I could ‘crack’ their back. I would gently explain that I respect their spine too much to do that and that I would have to do a thorough chiropractic analysis, which may include X-rays of the spine.

Also, over the years, I have had situations such as yesterday with a new patient. She was in terrible shape but expressed fear about having her back ‘cracked.’ Her family members finally convinced her to seek the services of a chiropractor; she was that desperate.

The two situations I have described symbolize a lack of respect for the spine, but for different reasons. Some people treat the spine as trivial, with people intentionally ‘cracking’ their backs or trying to contort the neck in awkward positions until they hear a ‘popping’ sound. Their rationale is that it feels better. Once again, feeling better doesn’t necessarily mean that it is getting better. 

Let’s remember that the spinal column houses a delicate system that encases the spinal cord and permits the exiting of the spinal nerves that transmit nerve impulses to and from the brain. 

Often, the joints that are moved are the ones already moving freely, especially if a person has hypermobile joints. The ones that are locked in an abnormal position are the problematic ones.

Chiropractic does not involve gross spinal manipulation; it involves specific adjustments as a correction process.