Does spinal manipulation help relieve back pain?
July 1, 2008
The answer is “MAYBE.” The use of spinal manipulation (the medical term for “popping” your back) is commonly thought to be performed only by chiropractic physicians, but physical therapists have also been using these techniques successfully for many years. In fact, much of the research regarding spinal manipulation has been performed by physical therapists, including recent studies that suggest that individuals who have acute low back pain and meet certain specific criteria have as much as a 95% chance of short term improvement with manipulation and simple exercises. So, if you meet the criteria and have no medical issues that would make manipulation unsafe then, YES, spinal manipulation will help you in restoring you to your previous level of function.
