Question
Dr. Boss,

How does a chiropractor know if it's just a tight muscle he's feeling that could potentially be massaged or stretched out, or if it's an area that really needs a chiropractic adjustment?

Thanks,
Paul

Answer
Paul,

Thanks for your question. I hope that my answer helps.

This is one of those questions that is a little hard to answer because of the fact that the answer is that a good chiropractor knows the difference. The way he knows is 8 years of college and then experience. Everyday I hear my patients say, "You really know how to find those spots!"  Well, it is true.  After palpating thousands of muscles and spines, you know what you are feeling for and what you are feeling.  I know that when I first started in my training, I did not really know the difference, but that is what the schooling is for, isn't it?  

After 13 years of practice, when I palpate a patient's back, it is like "knowing the back of my hand" when I feel the difference between a tight muscle and a spinal fixation or distortion.  It is really easy because they feel so different.  Normally there will be muscle tightness involved with spinal fixation/distortions.  To be honest, there is rarely a simply tight muscle when you are dealing with spinal postural muscles.  This is because the muscle move the spinal bones.  If a spinal postural muscle is in spasm or tight, it is going to affect the spinal vertebral joints and related structures.  

You can have a tight muscle anywhere in the body, but it is always going to affect joint movement because that is what the muscle does.  If a muscle is tight, it is shorter than normal, which means that where the muscle goes and what it moves is going to be affected in one way or another.  I hope this makes some sense to you.

If you have any other questions, please contact me through allexperts.com.

God Bless,

Dr. Boss