Since DD Palmer performed the first chiropractic adjustment way back in 1895, chiropractors have always been interested in the science of the human body. In 1895 leeches were still in common use to rid the body of poisons, so it goes without saying that our understanding of science has come a long way since then.
In the early years, it was postulated that the vertebrae would move ‘out of place’ and compress the spinal cord or nerves exiting the spine. The ‘foot on the hose‘ theory was that the hard bone pressing on the soft nerve would interfere with nerve transmission from the brain to the body. This theory gained popular recognition amongst the chiropractic profession because it made sense based on early 20th century anatomy. It was also observed that most people seeing chiropractors seem to get better. If the outcome is good, the theory must be right?
Despite chiropractors having great success with their patients in most cases, the theory turned out to be wrong. As knowledge of anatomy and neurophysiology has improved, our understanding of the human body has become more sophisticated. It is now widely accepted that in most cases, spinal vertebrae do not ‘go out of place’ and chiropractors did not ‘put them back in’.
When you receive an adjustment from a chiropractor, he\she is not putting vertebrae back in place but stimulating special receptors called proprioceptors that fire nerve messages into the spinal cord and brain to help improve spinal function. The amount of stimulation is controlled, using different techniques and pressures. As it turns out, stimulating your senses really is good for you!
