How it works

Human back with a visible pain

Chiropractic care works by helping you move better, feel  better, and live with less pain – naturally.

Chiropractic care is a trusted and established form of physical therapy that focuses on restoring mobility, reducing pain, and improving your quality of life.  Whether you’re struggling with back pain, joint stiffness, or muscle tension, chiropractic treatment offers practical solutions that target the source of the problem.

What Do Chiropractors Do?

Chiropractors use a wide range of hands-on techniques to improve your body’s function. These may include:

  • Joint manipulation (spinal adjustments)

  • Massage and soft tissue techniques

  • Muscle stretching and strengthening

  • Postural and lifestyle advice

Our goal is to reduce pain, restore flexibility, and improve how your body moves.

What Conditions Do Chiropractors Treat?

Chiropractors commonly help with:

  • Lower back and neck pain

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Shoulder, hip, and knee injuries

  • Osteoarthritis and joint stiffness

  • Wrist, ankle, and elbow pain

  • Shoulder blade pain and spinal discomfort

In short: if it hurts when you move, we can probably help.

What causes pain and stiffness?

There are many tissue types in the body that can be a source of pain.  In the musculoskeletal system, these include joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, discs, and bursa.  When injured these tissues become inflamed and painful.  Chiropractors identify which tissues are inflamed and determine ways to restore these tissues to normal functioning.

Two of the most common issues we see are:

🔸 Stiffness

When joints or muscles become too tight, they’re more likely to get strained or inflamed. Stiff tissues can’t absorb force well, leading to injury and pain. Chiropractic adjustments and stretching can help restore mobility and reduce tension.

🔸 Weakness

Weak or underused muscles are more easily overloaded and may disrupt normal joint function. This can result from inactivity, long-term injury, or inflammation. Strengthening these muscles is often key to long-term relief.

Joint Pain - a common problem

Joints, especially in the spine, are one of the most frequent sources of pain. Spinal (facet) joints can become stiff, inflamed, and irritated—leading to reduced motion and persistent discomfort.

If this inflammation isn’t treated, it can lead to scar tissue and long-term stiffness as collagen builds up in the joint. Chiropractors assess for restricted or painful joints and use targeted spinal adjustments to restore natural movement and ease inflammation.

An animation of vertebral joint stiffness and inflammation.
In this animation, the facet joint between the bottom two vertebra on the right is inflamed. This is impeding normal spinal movement. The top two vertebrae are moving normally. A chiropractic adjustment is a short specific thrust which can improve mobility in a restricted vertebral joint. This results in a reduction in joint stiffness, and may decrease swelling and pain.

How Do Joints Get Injured?

Joints can become injured in many ways:

  • Sudden trauma (sprains, dislocations, fractures)

  • Lack of movement or prolonged immobilisation

  • Poor posture or awkward positions for long periods

  • Repetitive strain or overuse

  • Pre-existing conditions like osteoarthritis

  • Inflammatory or autoimmune disorders

The Role of Inflammation

Each joint contains a synovial membrane that produces lubricating synovial fluid. When this membrane becomes inflamed:

  • It produces excess fluid, leading to swelling and stiffness

  • The fluid’s quality decreases, impairing lubrication

  • Enzymes and inflammatory cells may damage cartilage

Without treatment, this cycle leads to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and long-term joint damage.

An injured joint becomes inflamed, painful and stiff. Overtime the joint becomes increasingly damaged.

Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic

When inflammation and stiffness persist, the joint begins to degenerate—leading to osteoarthritis. Cartilage breaks down, joint spaces shrink, and pain and deformity increase.

In the early stages, chiropractic care can help:

  • Improve joint motion

  • Reduce pain and stiffness

  • Slow progression of degeneration

In later stages, even if the osteoarthritic joint becomes less inflamed, nearby joints often compensate and become irritated. Treating these surrounding joints can provide relief—even in older patients.

Pain doesn’t always match what shows up on an X-ray. That’s why we focus on what you’re feeling, not just what we see on a scan.

Movement is Medicine

Staying active is vital for joint health. Movement stimulates the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates and nourishes your joints.

Plus, regular physical activity strengthens muscles, improves circulation, boosts mental health, and supports your overall well-being.

In Summary...

Joint stiffness—especially in the spine—is one of the most common causes of chronic pain. Chiropractors are trained to find and treat these stiff, inflamed joints with precise spinal adjustments. The goal? To restore movement, reduce inflammation, and help you live pain-free.

Ready to move better and feel better?

Book your appointment now and take the first step toward a healthier, more mobile you.