November 2022

Subluxations, or joints partially dislocated, can come from acute injury to the joint, sitting too long, laying down for too long, overstretching from hyperextension, or repetitive movement that is damaging tissues. Other things can cause a subluxation as well such as arthritis, or pregnancy. All of these things can compromise integrity of ligaments. 

I often get patients coming to me who tweak their back by bending over to pick up something small such as a pencil or another small item. This happens not because they are weak, but because of a lack of stability. Many times when bending over it is easy to lose good posture, and when that posture goes out the window, there is an increased risk to injury. Also, the lack of keeping the stomach tight (to guard your movements) can greatly influence the risk of injury.

When bending down, bend with your hips and knees while sucking in your stomach. Do NOT bend with your back with your stomach relaxed!

Yours in health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

You may hear the term “subluxation” being thrown out there in the language of chiropractors. Chiropractors are taught in school that a stuck joint, or a restricted joint is a subluxated joint. A subluxation means a partial dislocation of the joint or bone which can alter physiological functions. This can be treated by joint resetting, physical therapy or chiropractic care, pain relief and sometimes surgery. 

You can know that a joint is subluxated or “out of place” if the joint is painful or swollen, feels unstable, or there is a loss of mobility. If a nerve is being affected there may be some numbness that can occur. Most people know if they have a “bone out of place” because it’s painful! Seeking out care can be very important if symptoms are not getting better. If you find yourself in pain with your joints, seek your local chiropractor, physical therapist or massage therapist to receive treatment and get better!

Yours in health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…

Cavitations are just bubbles that are formed within a fluid space when a force is applied to it. This force can be from waving your hand or arm under water and seeing the bubbles form, or a quick stretch being applied to a joint causing bubbles to form in and around the joint – it’s the same thing. The “pop” sound that so many have become addicted towards hearing upon receiving an adjustment is nothing more than just bubbles forming.

Can a restricted bone or joint move without having the cavitation present? Yes! It happens many times. There are many ways to adjust a persons bones or joints. Maybe I’m just a softy, but I like to provide the least amount of trauma possible to a patients body, and if I don’t have to, I won’t put the body under unnecessary stress. My hope in writing this post, is to open the mind to other possibilities in how we view Chiropractic and getting our bones “cracked.” ☺

Yours in Health,

Dr. Josef Patterson…