WHAT IS THAT CLICK?

Osteopaths and chiropractors alike are often known for "the click."

But what exactly is that sound you hear?

In technical terms, it's called a High Velocity Low Amplitude Thrust (HVT for short), but we often refer to it as "a manipulation."  It's an important tool in our osteopathic toolbox....but by no means the only one!

We take a joint past the point where it's stuck and use a short/quick impulse to get the joint moving again. This helps evenly distribute movement and forces through the spine. The sound you hear is just gases releasing from the joint space, much the same as if you were to crack your knuckles. At the same time, a bombardment of nerve signals is sent back to the brain from that level in the spinal cord, which helps to reset the circuits of pain and dysfunction in the area.

These manipulations are often scary for people, but despite the sound you hear they are not painful and hugely beneficial for your healing process. However, your osteopath will have already evaluated whether the technique is necessary, appropriate, and safe for the patient in each session. And osteopaths use a whole host of other soft tissue and myofascial release techniques, so don't rely solely on the manipulations!