Yes, you can receive chiropractic care after spine surgery. And yes, there are some caveats to this statement.
It is permissible to adjust above or below a surgically modified area of the spine. It is contraindicated to adjust any bones that have been surgically altered. Because spinal surgery involves hardware that aims to prevent spinal movement, it is in the best interest of the Chiropractor to avoid adjusting these areas entirely.
It is possible to adjust bones above and/or below the surgical area, but not without extreme care. This is why the specificity of the adjustment is paramount to Chiropractic.
Most spinal surgeries involve fusing two or more vertebrae. This will change the biomechanics of the spine. Surgery compromises joint mobility and significantly decreases range of motion.
Joints above and below the surgical area compensate for this lack of movement. They become hypermobile. This means there is more than usual movement and mobility in the joint.
When adjusting someone who has had spine surgery, precautions are warranted. Each situation is patient-specific. One of the biggest questions a Chiropractor needs to answer is: “Does the patient’s body have the potential to adapt to this specific adjustment in a positive way?” Surgery or not, answering this question with certainty will determine how the Chiropractor will proceed.
Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP
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Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby
