Chiropractic adjustments are one of the few medical procedures that can result in instant improvement. Most people will get up from an adjustment and feel better instantly, with an increased active range of motion not only in the problem area, but in the entire structural aspect of your body as well! For example, if you are a runner who experiences acute knee pain after running a certain distance, then a chiropractic adjustment can achieve a ‘loosening’ of the knee as well as an alignment of your pelvis. You may even notice a difference in your gait, as you gain a new balance to your body. In this case, the goal is to gradually improve your body’s ability to increase that running distance pain-free and with no malfunction in your running mechanics until there is no longer a problem! Athletes who are chronic sufferers will experience step-by-step improvement.
In general, most chiropractic patients find that the problems that brought them to their chiropractor soon begin to lessen after their first few visits, although some patients may feel little difference after initial adjustments. This does not mean that they are not receiving any benefit; healing may be occurring under the surface. Occasionally, a patient may initially feel muscle soreness after their first few adjustments, usually giving the feeling of exercising for the very first time, but this is a normal occurrence. Keep in mind that it may take a month or even a few months to fully recover from an injury caused by repetitive stress, faulty gait/stroke/stride, or traumatic injuries, as the body regains a healthy neutral alignment. The good news is that, eventually, all such injuries can be overcome!