When most people think of chiropractic care, they picture the classic “back crack.” But while spinal adjustments are a cornerstone of chiropractic care, they’re just one (albeit very important) part of chiropractic care’s holistic approach to pain relief and wellness. Chiropractors use a variety of treatments, from spinal manipulations to myofascial release and therapeutic exercise—to help patients relieve pain, promote healing, improve mobility, and support long-term spinal health.
This article clears up some common misconceptions by explaining how spinal adjustments fit into the bigger picture of chiropractic care, what makes them unique, and how they work alongside other treatments.
A spinal adjustment (sometimes called spinal correction) is a hands-on technique chiropractors use to improve joint motion and alignment. If you’ve ever wondered, “What is a spinal adjustment?” or “How do chiropractic adjustments work?”, here’s the answer:
In short, spinal adjustments are a form of manipulative correction[1] that targets joint restrictions and misalignments in the spine.
You might be asking, “How does a chiropractor adjust your back?” or “How does chiropractic adjustment work?” Here’s a close look at what to expect at your first appointment, and how adjustments affect your body:
Contrary to myth, adjustments are not about “pushing bones back into place.” Instead, they encourage proper movement patterns and support the body’s natural healing process.
While spinal correction is highly effective, chiropractors also use complementary therapies to address muscles, ligaments, and movement patterns. That’s because pain or stiffness often involves more than just the joints—it can also come from tight muscles, weak stabilizers, or poor posture habits. Here are three other core chiropractic treatments and how they differ from adjustments:
1. Soft Tissue Massage
Chiropractic care isn’t limited to the joints. Soft tissue massage techniques target muscles, tendons, and fascia to reduce tension, improve circulation, and relieve pain. Unlike a spa massage, these are often more focused and therapeutic—addressing specific problem areas that may be contributing to spinal stress.
When used alongside manipulative correction, soft tissue therapy helps the muscles relax and makes adjustments more effective.
2. Therapeutic Exercise
Have you ever left a chiropractic office with “homework”? That’s therapeutic exercise. These are custom movements or stretches designed to strengthen weak muscles, improve flexibility, and support long-term recovery. At Chiro One, active therapies are a part of every personalized treatment plan. These prescribed therapeutic exercises support the adjustment, help improve balance, flexibility and stability, correct and retrain posture, improve muscle strength and mobility to help prevent future injuries and promote long-term muscle memory for longer lasting relief from pain.
Think of it as the bridge between the treatment table and everyday life. Adjustments restore motion, but therapeutic exercise helps maintain it.
3. Lifestyle and Ergonomic Guidance
Many chiropractors also coach patients on posture, workstation setup, sleep positions, and daily habits that affect spinal health. While this isn’t a hands-on treatment, it’s an essential part of reducing flare-ups and preventing future injuries.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that chiropractors only perform back “cracks.” In reality, chiropractors create personalized care plans that might include:
For example, someone with sciatica may benefit from spinal adjustments to relieve nerve irritation, soft tissue massage to ease muscle spasms, and therapeutic exercise to strengthen the core. A patient with chronic tension headaches might receive spinal correction, along with posture training and stress-reducing stretches.
So, why not just do massage or exercise alone? The answer lies in synergy. Adjustments address the root cause—restricted spinal joints—while other therapies support the surrounding muscles and movement patterns. Together, they create lasting change.
In other words, spinal adjustments are often the starting point, but full chiropractic care goes beyond the adjustment table.
If you’ve ever wondered whether chiropractic care is “just about back cracking,” the answer is clear: it’s much more. Manipulative correction through spinal adjustments is powerful, but it’s only one of many tools chiropractors use to help patients move better, feel better, and live healthier lives.
So, the next time you ask yourself, “How do back adjustments work?” remember—they’re part of a holistic approach designed not only for immediate relief, but also for long-term wellness.
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