Myth 2: Chiropractors Just “Crack Bones”

If You're Bones Actually Cracked... You'd Be In Trouble


This is one of the most common misconceptions about Chiropractic care, and one of the most misleading.



The idea that Chiropractors “just crack bones” is not only inaccurate, it oversimplifies a highly specific, neurological and biomechanical intervention into a sound effect.


Let’s clarify what is actually happening when a manual Chiropractic adjustment is performed and what the sound really is.

What People Hear Is Not Bones Cracking


The sound people sometimes hear during a manual Chiropractic adjustment is not bones cracking.

It is a release of gas from within a joint, known as joint cavitation.



This phenomenon occurs when:

  • A restricted joint is moved rapidly and precisely
  • Pressure within the joint capsule changes
  • Dissolved gases are released, creating an audible “pop”


This is the same process that occurs when someone cracks their knuckles, but the similarity ends there.

Knuckle cracking is random.


A Chiropractic adjustment is intentional, targeted, and clinically guided.

What a Chiropractic Adjustment Actually Is


A Chiropractic adjustment is:


  • A high-velocity, low-amplitude movement
  • Applied to a specific spinal segment
  • Chosen based on examination findings
  • Designed to restore normal joint motion
  • Intended to influence nervous system function


It is not forceful.
It is not random.
It is not about the sound.


In fact, an adjustment can be completely effective with or without a noise, it depends on the technique. Some low force methods our doctors utilize results in no noise at all coming from the spine when performed.



Why Precision Matters More Than Pressure


Research shows that where and how an adjustment is delivered matters.

Adjusting joints that are restricted (often referred to as subluxated segments) produces significantly greater neurological and functional changes than adjusting non-restricted areas (Niazi et al., 2024).


This means:

  • Chiropractic is not about “cracking everything”
  • It is about identifying which segments are not moving
  • And restoring motion only where needed


This is why thorough assessment is essential.

Chiropractic Is About Movement, Not Noise


Spinal movement is fundamental of nervous system health and function. Our nervous system is what controls health and healing in the body. The two have a profound connection and correlation.


When a spinal joint loses normal motion:

  • Local inflammation increases
  • Muscle coordination changes
  • Sensory input to the brain is altered
  • Long-term degeneration accelerates


Chiropractic adjustments restore motion to motion segments, which has been shown to:

  • Reduce pain
  • Improve proprioception
  • Improve sensorimotor integration
  • Influence brain processing (Haavik & Murphy, 2012)


The sound is irrelevant.
The movement and input to the nervous system is everything.

Why the “Cracking Bones” Myth Persists


This myth exists because:

  • Some fail to explain the purpose of the Chiropractic adjustment
  • Social media idolises exaggerated techniques


When Chiropractic is reduced to a noise, its clinical value is lost.

At Adjusting to Health, we are clear:


  • The adjustment is a means to restore function
  • Not a party trick, Not guesswork


What Happens When Joints Don’t Move Properly


Decades of research shows that joint immobilisation leads to:


  • Muscle weakness and coordination loss
  • Reduced joint nutrition
  • Increased stiffness and degeneration
  • Altered neurological input

 (Liebenson, 1996)


Pain relief without restoring motion does not resolve the problem.

This is why masking pain with medication often leads to recurrence.

Why Chiropractic Feels Different to Other Therapies


Chiropractic care differs greatly from massage, physiotherapy or mobilisation technique because:


  • It uses rapid movement to stimulate neurological pathways
  • Slow movement does not produce the same effect
  • Speed, not force, drives neurological response

(Henderson, 2012)


This explains why:

  • Chiropractic often works when other therapies haven’t
  • Improvements can extend beyond pain to sleep, energy, and mood
  • Outcomes improve with appropriate frequency and dose

(Haas et al., 2014)


The Bottom Line

Chiropractors do not “crack bones”.

We restore movement, improve joint function, influence nervous system processing, support long-term recovery, adaptability and resilience. The sound is incidental, the science is not.


References


Haavik, H. and Murphy, B. (2012). The role of spinal manipulation in sensorimotor integration. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 35(8), pp.611–618.


Haas, M. et al. (2014). Dose-response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic low back pain. The Spine Journal, 14(7), pp.1106–1116.


Henderson, C.N. (2012). The basis of spinal manipulation: Chiropractic perspective of indications. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 22(5), pp.632–642.


Liebenson, C. (1996). Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Practitioner’s Manual. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.


Niazi, I.K. et al. (2024). Neuroplastic responses to chiropractic care: A randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 14, 1159.