Physical Therapy Services
Spinal Manipulation
Long-term relief from the underlying source of back pain.
Spinal Manipulation
Spinal manipulation reduces pain (decreasing the need for medication in some cases), rapidly advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms of treatment. It is recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first.
Spinal manipulation has been known to be the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults. Research has shown that there is strong evidence that spinal manipulation for back pain is just as effective as a combination of medical care and exercise. In some cases, it has been noted that spinal manipulation is just as effective as prescription NSAIDS combined with exercise. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2013 suggested spinal manipulation as an option for people suffering from low back pain. It was noted that surgery is usually not needed and should only be tried if other therapies fail.
For more information or to request an appointment, call us today at (718) 714-6995.
How This Works
What spinal manipulation treatment involves
Spinal manipulation is a hands-on technique applied to a specific spinal joint. The therapist positions the segment carefully, takes up the slack in the joint, and then applies a quick, controlled, small-amplitude thrust at the end of that available range. The audible pop that sometimes accompanies it is gas coming out of solution in the joint fluid — it is not a bone moving back into place, and the technique works whether or not it happens.
It is a short technique inside a longer session. Manipulation is typically used to restore movement at a segment that has become restricted, and is then followed by mobility and strengthening work so that the segment is used through the range that was just made available.
What to Expect
Your visits, step by step
Screening before anything is done
Manipulation is not appropriate for everyone or for every presentation. Your therapist takes a history and performs a physical and neurological examination first, which is also how contraindications to manual treatment are detected. If it is not suitable for you, it is not used.
Positioning and the technique itself
You are positioned so the target segment is isolated, usually lying on your side, front or back. The thrust itself is quick and small — the setup takes longer than the technique. You will be told what is about to happen before it happens.
Movement straight afterwards
Manipulation is followed by active movement and exercise in the same session. Restoring motion at a joint is only useful if the surrounding muscles then learn to control it.
Reassessment
Your therapist re-tests the movements that were restricted before, and the plan for subsequent visits is set against what changed.
Benefits
What spinal manipulation treatment is used for
- Used to address restricted movement at a spinal segment.
- Used as a conservative, drug-free treatment option for low back pain, which published guidance lists among the options to consider before more invasive care.
- Applied alongside exercise rather than instead of it, as part of a wider rehabilitation plan.
Results of an injury vary from person to person. What is appropriate for you is decided at your evaluation — call (718) 714-6995 and we can talk it through.
Common Questions
Spinal Manipulation FAQs
Does it hurt?
The technique itself is quick and most people describe it as a brief pressure or release rather than pain. Getting into position can be the more uncomfortable part if your back is very irritable. Tell your therapist at any point and the approach will be changed — there are gentler mobilisation techniques that do the same job more slowly.
Is the cracking sound the bone going back into place?
No. The sound comes from a change of pressure inside the joint, and treatment can be entirely effective without it. Nothing is being put "back in".
Is spinal manipulation safe for everyone?
No, and that is why the examination comes first. There are conditions for which manipulation is not appropriate, which is exactly what the physical and neurological examination screens for. If it is not suitable, your therapist will use other treatment instead.
Will I need to keep coming back for adjustments indefinitely?
Manipulation here is used as one technique within a rehabilitation plan, alongside exercise aimed at the underlying mechanics. Your therapist will discuss the plan with you after your evaluation.
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