Why You Shouldn't Adjust Yourself | Windsor WI Chiropractor Explains Safe Alternatives
I hear this question from patients who've been trying to manage their spinal health on their own. "Why can't I just adjust myself?" they ask, often followed by variations like "I can pop my own back just fine" or "Why should I pay someone to do what I can do myself?"
Why not?We get asked this from time to time, and it usually means that the person on the other end has never been to a chiropractor because they didn’t think it would help, or they have no one around them to suggest it.
A few thoughts run through my head when I hear this, and no, it isn’t an immediate NO. I like to think through this idea with an open mind, so when I answer, I can have a conversation about it, and not just an off-putting answer that doesn’t open the door for me to learn more about you as a potential patient.
First, Let's Talk About What You're Actually Trying to Accomplish
When someone asks about adjusting themselves, they're usually dealing with stiffness, tension, or discomfort that feels like it needs to "pop" or release. That sensation is real, and your instinct to want relief makes complete sense.
The issue isn't that self-manipulation never provides temporary relief—sometimes it does. The real question is whether you're addressing what actually needs attention, or if you're just moving the joints that are already hypermobile while the restricted areas remain stuck.
The Specificity Problem
Here's where things get interesting from a biomechanical standpoint. When you twist your neck or back to get that satisfying pop, you're typically moving the segments that are already moving too much. The joints that actually need attention—the ones that are truly restricted—often won't budge with general twisting or stretching.
Mobilizing segments that are already mobile will make them MORE mobile and the stuck segments even more STUCK. This doesn’t necessarily bode well for a long term fix. Leaving you wanting to self-adjust more and more. Frustrating.
Why The Relief Feels Good But Doesn't Last
That temporary relief you get from self-manipulation happens because you're stimulating mechanoreceptors in the joint capsules, which can temporarily override pain signals. It's the same reason why rubbing a bumped elbow helps in the moment.
But if the underlying movement restriction hasn't been addressed, you'll find yourself needing to repeat the process more and more frequently. What started as occasional neck twisting becomes something you feel compelled to do multiple times throughout the day.
The Assessment Factor
When I evaluate someone's spine, I'm looking for specific patterns of restriction and compensation. Which segments aren't moving properly? What's causing the nervous system to create protective muscle tension? How is this affecting movement patterns throughout the entire kinetic chain?
Without this assessment, self-manipulation becomes a guessing game. You might get lucky occasionally, but you're more likely to repeatedly stress the wrong areas while leaving the actual problem untouched.
What About Those YouTube Videos and Apps?
I appreciate that people are taking an active interest in their health, and there's definitely value in movement, stretching, and general mobility work. The issue with generic "adjust yourself" content is that it can't account for your specific pattern of dysfunction.
What helps someone with thoracic outlet syndrome could potentially aggravate someone with cervical instability. A mobility routine that's perfect for someone with thoracic kyphosis might be counterproductive for someone with hyperlordosis.
The Progressive Loading Concern
Here's something that concerns me about frequent self-manipulation: you often need to use progressively more force to get the same relief. This happens because you're gradually creating more laxity in joints that were already moving too much.
Over time, this can lead to a situation where your spine becomes more unstable in some areas while remaining restricted in others—essentially the worst of both worlds.
When Self-Care Actually Works
Now, let me be clear about something important: I'm absolutely in favor of people taking an active role in their health. There are many effective self-care strategies that can complement professional treatment or help maintain good spinal function.
Targeted stretching, proper movement patterns, ergonomic improvements, and specific strengthening exercises can all be incredibly valuable. The key is knowing what you're trying to accomplish and whether your approach is appropriate for your specific situation.
The Collaborative Approach
Rather than thinking of chiropractic care as something that creates dependency, I prefer to view it as a way to identify what's actually happening, address the specific restrictions, and then teach you how to maintain the improvements.
Many of our patients in Windsor and the Madison area come in with a goal of understanding their bodies better so they can make informed decisions about self-care. They want to know which movements help, which ones to avoid, and how to recognize when they need professional intervention versus when they can manage things themselves.
Making an Informed Decision
If you're someone who's been adjusting yourself regularly, I'd encourage you to consider a comprehensive assessment to understand what's actually happening with your spine and nervous system. You might discover that some areas need more mobility while others need more stability.
You might also find that addressing the root cause of your stiffness—whether it's postural, ergonomic, or related to movement patterns—reduces your need to constantly manipulate your joints.
The Bottom Line
Can you adjust yourself? Technically, you can manipulate joints to create temporary relief. But should you, and will it address what's actually causing your symptoms? That depends entirely on your specific situation.
If you're dealing with persistent stiffness, recurring pain, or finding yourself needing to self-manipulate more frequently, it might be worth having someone take a look at what's really going on. Understanding the difference between what feels good in the moment and what actually helps long-term can save you a lot of frustration down the road.