Stiff spinal joints limit range of motion and cause pain 

Whether it’s due to the chronic inflammation involved in arthritis, acute injury, or tight muscles surrounding the joint capsules, a stiff and sore spinal joint is sure to throw a wrench in your best laid plans. And that wrench often hurts- the stiffness itself is a precautionary measure telling your body not to move this particular region excessively in order to avoid reaching a breaking point. The cruel irony is that motion actually facilitates healing so, in order to reduce stiffness and pain, we need to focus on improving range of motion. How do we do that? Spinal mobilization.

Spinal mobilization is gentle and effective

Spinal mobilization utilizes a number of manual and instrument-assisted techniques including release work, flexion-distraction and the Activator method in order to effect improvements in range of motion. These are gentle modalities that focus on using rhythmic, passing motions to an affected vertebrae in order to restore alignment to the spine and improve function in the facet joints through which spinal nerves pass on their way to other parts of the body. By targeting the affected region from various angles, we are able to gently stretch the joint, resulting in more mobility and less pain. 

Improving spinal health with spinal mobilization

By reducing stiffness and pain, we can move on to the next steps of rehabilitation including stretching and strengthening that will further improve range of motion and establish resiliency to injury in a previously immobile region. If you are interested in using mobilization techniques to improve your spinal health, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.