How do Chiropractors Know Where to Adjust?

Chiropractic services can treat many ailments, primarily issues with muscles, nerves, and the spine. Most chiropractors use manual adjustments and tools to perform adjustments and restore normal posture, alignment, and signaling. But how do they know where to adjust?

4 Ways a Chiropractor Determines Where to Adjust

Chiropractors rely on standard diagnostics to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. When you visit the clinic, you’ll undergo routine evaluation, including medical history review, answering lifestyle questions, and x-rays if needed. 

The goal is to assess the nature and extent of your symptoms and identify the underlying cause. Each patient’s case is unique, so make sure you provide honest answers to all questions your chiropractor asks. Here are four ways chiropractors identify areas that need an adjustment. 

1.    Range of Motion

During your initial visit, the chiropractor will ask you to complete various movements to assess the range of motion of each joint. This procedure isn’t always necessary but is common because most issues that call for a chiropractor impact your mobility and flexibility.

The physician will observe while you complete different moves to identify the areas affected most and the extent of discomfort. By examining the range of motion, they can quickly pinpoint the problem and determine other diagnostics required for further examination.

2.    Joint and Body Palpation

Palpation involves using fingers to feel the body and evaluate motion. Human motion falls into three primary planes; frontal, traverse, and sagittal. Frontal refers to front-back division while traverse divides the body into the upper/top and lower/bottom parts. 

Lastly, sagittal motion divides the body into the left and right sides. Joint and body palpation assess the texture, temperature, elasticity, and pulsations in the area under evaluation. The chiropractor may perform light or deep palpations to identify the painful structures and misalignments. 

3.    Gait and Posture Assessment

Gait refers to the pattern of walking or locomotion, while posture is the position you hold yourself when standing or sitting. Chiropractors understand the natural gait and posture and will assess these areas when determining where to adjust.

A basic assessment of your gait and posture will provide insights into the musculoskeletal system and its capability to adjust to different strains and stressors. The chiropractor will observe how you walk, sit, squat, lean, stand, jog, and run to identify the problematic area.

4.    Symptom and Lab Analysis 

Depending on your symptoms, your chiropractor may recommend imaging through x-rays if they suspect inflammation or other advanced ailments. Make sure you provide accurate accounts of the symptoms and discomforts you experience. 

Trusted Chiropractic Clinic in Seattle

Are you looking for an experienced chiropractor to help you resolve misalignments and other musculoskeletal issues? It is essential to work with a reputable and board-certified professional with a specialty in spinal adjustments.

At Vida Integrated Health, we focus on delivering holistic, integrated healthcare. We have trained chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and medicine physicians under one roof. Our goal is to diagnose patient issues correctly and deliver effective treatment.