{"id":18333,"date":"2022-07-18T13:06:35","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T17:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abccliniquesante.com\/uncategorized\/le-craquement-et-les-traitements-chiropratiques-mythes-et-realites\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T11:21:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T15:21:19","slug":"le-craquement-et-les-traitements-chiropratiques-mythes-et-realites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/abccliniquesante.com\/en\/chiropractic\/le-craquement-et-les-traitements-chiropratiques-mythes-et-realites\/","title":{"rendered":"“Cracking” and Chiropractic Treatments: Myths and Realities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chiropractors are commonly known as the professionals who \u201ccrack bones or joints\u201d. This is a topic our chiropractors discuss daily with our new patients at ABC Clinique Sant\u00e9, in order to debunk the myths surrounding this famous crack. This cracking is also often known as \u201ccavitation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Our aim is to make you (almost) professionals in the field of \u201ccracking\u201d and its \u201cimportance\u201d. Here are a few examples of common myths on the subject:<\/p>\n

Myth 1: Bones \u201ccrack\u201d after a chiropractic adjustment (i.e. high-speed joint manipulation)<\/h3>\n

No, it’s not! The noise you regularly hear during a chiropractic adjustment is simply the result of a \u201cgas\u201d cavity that forms in the fluid surrounding your joints. When sufficient traction is exerted on a joint, a cavity forms and, consequently, the famous \u201ccracking\u201d sound can be heard.<\/p>\n

Myth 2: \u201cCracking\u201d is necessary for treatment to have the desired optimum effect. In other words, \u201cIt has to crack\u201d.<\/h3>\n

This is not the case. Research has repeatedly shown that various manual therapy techniques used by chiropractors, including lower-speed mobilizations, which more rarely produce a \u201csnap\u201d, can thus lead to pain relief and a temporary improvement in ranges of motion, just like techniques that generate \u201ccavitation\u201d. What’s more, chiropractic adjustments often produce little or no audible noise, without detracting from the known \u201cneurophysiological\u201d effect of the intervention. On the other hand, some studies have shown that patient beliefs about the efficacy or otherwise of an intervention have a significant influence on clinical outcomes. So, if you firmly believe that \u201ccracking\u201d is necessary to get better, you may find less relief from manipulation without audible cracking. In other words, if you want to get the most out of your chiropractic care, don’t worry too much about \u201ccracking\u201d – it’s only important to the extent that you believe it is. Yes, our beliefs can have impressive effects on the nervous system!<\/p>\n

Myth 3: During a spinal adjustment, cracking always occurs at the precise point where the manipulation is applied.<\/h3>\n

While this may seem logical at first glance, this myth continues to be widely propagated to this day. For example, it’s not uncommon for the audible sound not to come from the joint(s) targeted by your chiropractor, while at other times, the sound may appear to come from the exact spot where the chiropractor has placed his or her hand contact. Recent studies have also shown that it’s often difficult to be certain without sophisticated and expensive equipment, but rest assured, this in no way means that the manoeuvre was \u201cmissed\u201d if there wasn’t a nice \u201ccrack\u201d! As mentioned above, your chiropractor doesn’t necessarily need the \u201ccrack\u201d to achieve the desired effect. It’s just something that happens, without having any significant impact on our treatments.<\/p>\n

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Visit the clinic nearest you:<\/p>\n