The TikTok Effect: Chiropractic “Crack” Videos

For better or worse chiropractic “crack” videos have taken over TikTok and it leaves people wondering (and asking us) are the videos really what chiropractic care is like? The easy and short answer is no, not really!

Why do some people post those videos?

Before we get into the nitty gritty of what chiropractic care actually looks like in our office, let’s remember the purpose of those videos. For the most part, the videos of a chiropractor putting their patient into a crazy position and getting dramatic sounding crunch are for entertainment not education. And to be entertaining, the videos are over the top and dramatized. In reality, consistent, gentle, and mostly unglamorous adjustments are what work the magic. There is rarely a “one-time” fix like the videos make it seem. Healing takes time and consistency.

What the heck is that sound?

Now that we’ve established the purpose of those videos, let’s talk about the sounds you hear during them. This noise is caused by the release of gas bubbles in the joints, a totally natural occurrence that can happen when the pressure within the joint changes. The popping sound is a phenomenon known as “cavitation”.  And in the videos, the sound is amplified to be MUCH MUCH louder than it ever occurs during a gentle, specific chiropractic adjustment. In truth, cavitation is just a side effect of an adjustment and not an indication that an adjustment was performed. Often, a chiropractic “manual” adjustment may be performed without hearing that sound at all.  Actually, most chiropractic adjustments can be modified so they do not cause that sound and are just as effective.

So, if the videos aren’t real, what does chiropractic care actually look like?

While I can’t speak to what your experience may be in every chiropractic office, I can tell you what care looks like at Westwood Family Chiropractic. Before we ever start adjustments, we do a comprehensive examination starting with a conversation about your concerns, your health history, your goals, and how we can help you achieve them. After your consultation we perform a postural evaluation, a chiropractic spinal examination, and often times we take spinal x-rays depending on clinical need. We want to make sure chiropractic adjustments are going to be safe, effective, and most importantly tailored to your needs and your body. The way we adjust a 20-something year old athlete looks vastly different than how we adjust a 90-something year old grandma. After your exam, our doctors take time to review all of your findings and then we get back together to go over your findings with you, how chiropractic care can help you reach your goals, and how care will look for you. All of this happens before we start any adjustments. Once we get to your first adjustment, we take it slow starting with the philosophy that less is more in the beginning. Again, healing takes time and consistency, so we don’t want to rush the body’s process.

But what happens during an adjustment?

The goal of chiropractic care in our office is to improve function by addressing vertebral subluxations (areas of the spine where there are misalignments, decreased motion, or fixations that impact nerve function at those levels). What happens during an adjustment is a force is being applied to a specific point on a vertebra at a specific vector and speed to restore nerve supply that has been decreased due to misalignment, increase motion, and enhance overall function. As the adjustment occurs, physiological changes take place within the body, including the release of endorphins, reduction of muscle tension, and improved blood circulation. These effects contribute to improved brain/body communication, pain relief, increased range of motion, and a heightened sense of well-being.

Do you ever post videos of your adjustments?

Although we can understand why some people think the over-dramatic “crack” videos are satisfying or entertaining, we NEVER post videos of adjustments. As we already said, the TikTok videos are not representative of what chiropractic care actually looks like, so we don’t find it appropriate to record or post adjustments. Also, that time is for you and you shouldn’t be distracted by a camera in your face when you’re trying to get your adjustment. It is important to us that you receive the care you need in a comfortable, professional environment.