What is the click during manipulation?
Pain is often centred around a restricted joint which has became jammed or inflamed, with the surrounding muscles going into spasm and maintaining the pain. Joint manipulation involves putting the restricted joint through a very small stretching movement at speed – this just feels like a quick push on the joint. Separating the joint surfaces like this causes a release in the pressure within the joint. It is this change in pressure which causes the clicking noise and the result is a joint that moves more freely. Any “click” is a by-product of the manipulation – in other words, it does not have to happen for the treatment to be effective.
