Chiropractic Glossary

A low-force chiropractic technique that uses a small handheld spring-loaded instrument to deliver a precise impulse to a joint. Because the instrument fires faster than the body can brace, it achieves a therapeutic correction without high-velocity thrust or audible cracking. It is commonly used for patients with osteoporosis, acute inflammation, post-surgical care, or those who are nervous about traditional manual adjustments. The Activator Method is one of the low-force techniques available at Mecham Chiropractic.

Pain that has a sudden onset, usually linked to a specific injury, inflammation, or tissue damage. Acute pain typically lasts less than three months and is the body's immediate signal that something has been hurt. Chiropractic care is often most effective when started early in the acute phase — within the first few days or weeks after injury — because joint restrictions respond better before surrounding muscles develop compensatory guarding patterns. Common acute conditions treated at our Murray office include auto accident injuries and sudden back pain.

The tough outer ring of a spinal disc, made of layered fibrous cartilage. The annulus surrounds and contains the softer inner nucleus pulposus. When the annulus is weakened or damaged — often through repetitive stress, poor posture, or trauma — the nucleus can push outward, causing a bulging disc. If the annulus tears completely and the nucleus breaks through, the result is a herniated disc. Maintaining good spinal alignment through chiropractic care helps reduce the excessive pressure that breaks down annular tissue over time.

The study of how the body moves — how forces are produced, transferred, and absorbed through bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints during everyday activities. Poor biomechanics (how you sit, walk, lift, or sleep) are a leading contributor to chronic musculoskeletal pain. A chiropractic evaluation at Mecham Chiropractic includes a review of biomechanical patterns to identify which movement habits are stressing the spine and contributing to recurring pain. Correcting underlying biomechanical problems is often what separates long-term recovery from repeated short-term relief.

A condition where the outer layer of a spinal disc extends beyond its normal boundary without rupturing. Unlike a herniated disc, the annulus fibrosus remains intact but is stretched and weakened. Bulging discs most commonly occur in the lumbar spine and can press on nearby nerve roots, causing pain, numbness, or weakness that radiates into the legs. Many patients with bulging discs respond well to conservative care including chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and targeted soft tissue work before considering surgical options.

The upper portion of the spine, comprising seven vertebrae (labeled C1 through C7) that run from the base of the skull to the top of the thoracic spine. The cervical spine supports the full weight of the head — approximately 10 to 12 pounds — and allows a wide range of motion including rotation, flexion, and extension. Restrictions or misalignments in the cervical spine frequently cause neck pain, tension headaches, and referred pain into the shoulders and arms.

Pain that persists beyond three months and often extends well past the normal healing time for the original injury or condition. Chronic pain involves changes in how the nervous system processes pain signals, which is why it often feels disproportionate to the original injury. Common causes include unresolved joint restrictions, old disc injuries, postural strain, and scar tissue from prior trauma. Chiropractic care helps manage chronic pain by restoring joint mobility, reducing nerve irritation, and breaking the cycle of guarding and re-injury that keeps chronic conditions active.

A non-surgical treatment that uses a motorized traction table to gently distract the spine and create negative pressure inside the disc. This negative pressure draws herniated or bulging disc material back toward the center and encourages nutrients and hydration to re-enter the disc. Decompression therapy is particularly effective for lumbar disc herniations, sciatica, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease. Most treatment plans involve multiple sessions over several weeks. Read more about spinal decompression at Mecham Chiropractic.

A condition where the soft inner core of a spinal disc (nucleus pulposus) breaks through the outer ring (annulus fibrosus) and protrudes into the spinal canal. The herniated material can press directly on nearby nerve roots, causing sharp, radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or legs depending on which level is affected. Lumbar herniations commonly cause sciatica. Cervical herniations can cause neck pain with arm numbness. Most herniations respond to conservative chiropractic care when addressed early.

A chiropractic adjustment method using a segmented table with sections that can be raised and then drop slightly when a thrust is applied. The drop reduces the force needed from the chiropractor while still moving the joint through its corrective range. This technique is frequently used for lumbar and pelvic adjustments and is well-suited for patients who are pregnant, have had prior back surgeries, or experience significant muscle tension during manual adjustments. It is one of the comfort-focused options available as part of our low-force chiropractic techniques.

A clinical approach that integrates the best available research with clinical expertise and patient values. Evidence-based chiropractic care means using techniques and treatment plans that have been shown in published research to produce meaningful outcomes for the condition being treated — rather than applying the same approach to every patient regardless of the problem. At Mecham Chiropractic, the treatment plan Dr. Mecham recommends is informed by both clinical assessment findings and current research on outcomes for your specific condition.

A chiropractic adjustment applied to a joint outside the spine — such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle. Extremity restrictions are common in athletes and active adults and can affect movement patterns in ways that create secondary problems in the spine. Extremity adjustments restore proper joint mechanics, reduce inflammation, and improve functional movement. They are commonly performed alongside spinal adjustments when a patient presents with shoulder impingement, knee tracking problems, plantar fasciitis, or post-sprain stiffness.

Small paired joints located at the back of each spinal segment that guide and limit spinal motion. Every vertebra has two pairs of facet joints connecting it to the vertebrae above and below. Facet joints can become irritated, inflamed, or restricted through repetitive loading, poor posture, disc degeneration, or trauma. Facet joint syndrome produces localized back pain that often worsens with extension (bending backward) and twisting. Chiropractic adjustments targeting facet restrictions are among the most researched and effective treatments for this type of back pain.

A gentle, low-force chiropractic technique performed on a specialized articulating table that allows the spine to flex, extend, and rotate in a controlled way while the chiropractor applies mild traction. Flexion-distraction is particularly effective for lumbar disc herniations, sciatica, facet syndrome, and spinal stenosis. It creates negative intradiscal pressure similar to spinal decompression therapy but with a more manual, movement-based approach. This technique is a low-impact alternative to high-velocity adjustments for patients with significant disc involvement or acute pain sensitivity.

The assessment of how a person walks — evaluating foot strike, stride length, weight distribution, hip and knee alignment, and how movement patterns in the lower extremities affect the spine. Abnormal gait is a common driver of chronic low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and recurring foot problems. At Mecham Chiropractic, gait analysis informs decisions about foot orthotics, lower extremity adjustments, and rehabilitation recommendations. It is especially relevant for patients dealing with foot pain and those returning to activity after injury.

See Disc Herniation above. A herniated disc occurs when the nucleus pulposus breaks through the annulus fibrosus and protrudes into the spinal canal. The resulting nerve compression can cause sharp radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness. Lumbar herniations most commonly affect the L4-L5 or L5-S1 disc levels and produce symptoms that travel down the leg. Cervical herniations at C5-C6 or C6-C7 levels typically produce arm symptoms. Many patients avoid surgery by beginning conservative chiropractic care early in the process.

The body's immune response to tissue injury — characterized by swelling, warmth, redness, and pain at the affected site. Acute inflammation is a necessary part of healing. Chronic inflammation, however, can perpetuate pain and slow recovery. Joint restrictions and disc injuries create ongoing low-grade inflammation that keeps the surrounding tissue sensitized. Chiropractic adjustments help reduce mechanical causes of inflammation by restoring joint motion, which allows the body's normal anti-inflammatory processes to work more effectively. Managing inflammation through movement and joint alignment is a core part of musculoskeletal recovery.

The supply of nerve fibers to a specific organ, muscle, or region of the body. Each spinal level innervates a specific dermatome (skin area) and myotome (muscle group). Understanding innervation patterns helps identify which spinal level is responsible for a patient's radiating symptoms. For example, sciatic nerve compression at L5 produces symptoms in a specific pattern down the outer leg into the top of the foot, while S1 compression produces pain into the heel and outer edge of the foot. Accurate identification of the innervation level guides chiropractic diagnosis and treatment.

A loss of normal motion at a specific joint — also referred to as hypomobility. Joint restrictions can occur in the spine or extremities and are a primary focus of chiropractic evaluation and treatment. Restricted joints generate pain, create compensatory movement patterns in surrounding areas, and irritate nearby nerves. A chiropractic adjustment restores motion to a restricted joint by applying a controlled force through its restricted range. Joint restrictions are often painless on their own but create downstream problems in other structures that are overloaded trying to compensate.

An elastic therapeutic tape applied to the skin over muscles and joints to provide proprioceptive feedback, reduce swelling, and support tissue during movement without restricting range of motion. Unlike rigid athletic tape, kinesiology tape stretches with the body and is designed to be worn during activity. It is commonly used for soft tissue injuries including shoulder impingement, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and acute muscle strains. At Mecham Chiropractic, kinesiology tape may be used alongside adjustments as part of a comprehensive sports injury recovery plan.

A band of tough fibrous connective tissue that connects bone to bone across a joint. Ligaments provide stability and limit excessive joint movement. They have a limited blood supply compared to muscle tissue, which means ligament sprains heal more slowly than muscle strains. Whiplash injuries commonly involve ligament damage to the cervical spine, which is why symptoms from auto accident injuries can persist for weeks or months. Chiropractic care during ligament recovery focuses on maintaining proper joint mechanics to prevent abnormal scar tissue formation.

The lower back region of the spine, composed of five large vertebrae (labeled L1 through L5) between the thoracic spine and the sacrum. The lumbar spine carries the majority of the body's weight and is the most common site of spinal pain and disc injuries. The L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs are among the most frequently herniated in the body, often leading to sciatica. Lumbar back pain is the most common reason patients seek chiropractic care at Mecham Chiropractic in Murray, UT.

A broad category of hands-on treatment techniques used by chiropractors and physical therapists to address musculoskeletal dysfunction. Manual therapy includes spinal manipulation (adjustments), joint mobilization, soft tissue release, and myofascial techniques. Chiropractic manual therapy is supported by extensive clinical research for conditions including low back pain, neck pain, and cervicogenic headaches. The specific technique used depends on the joint involved, the nature of the restriction, and the patient's tolerance and preference.

A form of manual joint treatment that uses slow, oscillatory movements applied within or at the end of a joint's range of motion — without the high-velocity thrust used in a manipulation (adjustment). Mobilization is gentler than a traditional adjustment and is appropriate for patients with acute inflammation, hypermobility concerns, or who cannot tolerate stronger input. It gradually increases joint range of motion and reduces stiffness without applying the rapid force that produces the audible pop some patients associate with chiropractic. Mobilization can be used as an alternative or complement to traditional adjustments.

A condition where a nerve is compressed or irritated as it passes through a narrow anatomical space. Common sites include the carpal tunnel at the wrist, the cubital tunnel at the elbow, the piriformis muscle in the hip (piriformis syndrome), and various points along the cervical and lumbar spine. Nerve entrapment produces pain, burning, tingling, or numbness in the distribution of the affected nerve. Chiropractic care addresses nerve entrapment by relieving mechanical pressure from the surrounding joints or soft tissue — particularly effective when the entrapment is at the spinal level.

The soft, gel-like inner core of a spinal disc, composed primarily of water and proteoglycan molecules. The nucleus acts as a shock absorber, distributing pressure evenly across the disc when the spine bears load. As people age, the nucleus loses water content and becomes less effective at absorbing compressive forces, which contributes to degenerative disc disease. When disc degeneration progresses or trauma occurs, the nucleus can push through the annulus fibrosus and press on nearby nerve roots, resulting in a herniated disc.

A custom or semi-custom insert placed inside a shoe to correct foot position, distribute pressure more evenly, and improve gait mechanics. Foot orthotics address problems including flat feet (overpronation), high arches (supination), plantar fasciitis, and heel pain. Because the foot is the foundation of the kinetic chain, correcting foot mechanics often reduces strain at the knee, hip, and lumbar spine — making orthotics a useful tool not only for foot pain but for patients with recurring back or hip pain that has a postural or gait component. Custom orthotics are available at Mecham Chiropractic.

A condition where the piriformis muscle — located deep in the buttock — spasms or becomes inflamed and irritates the sciatic nerve that runs beneath or through it. Symptoms mimic true sciatica: pain, burning, or numbness radiating from the buttock down the back of the leg. Unlike disc-driven sciatica, piriformis syndrome originates from muscle and not from the spinal canal, making it important to differentiate between the two during evaluation. Treatment typically involves soft tissue release of the piriformis, sacroiliac joint adjustments, and targeted stretching — all approaches available at Mecham Chiropractic.

The body's sense of its own position in space — the sensory feedback system that allows you to know where your limbs are without looking at them. Proprioception relies on sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, and joint capsules. Joint injuries and chronic pain alter proprioceptive input, which can impair balance, coordination, and movement accuracy. Chiropractic adjustments stimulate mechanoreceptors in joint tissues, improving proprioceptive signaling. This is one reason why patients with chronic joint dysfunction often notice better balance and more fluid movement after consistent chiropractic care.

The measurement of how far a joint can move through its full arc in each direction. Reduced ROM is one of the primary indicators of joint restriction and is a standard part of every chiropractic evaluation at Mecham Chiropractic. ROM is measured in degrees and compared to normal values for that joint. Improving range of motion is one of the most consistent outcomes of chiropractic adjustments for the spine and extremities. Patients often notice improved ROM immediately after an adjustment, though lasting improvement requires multiple visits to retrain joint behavior.

Pain felt in a location distant from its actual source. The brain misinterprets the origin of the pain signal because multiple nerves share similar pathways. Common examples include sciatica (pain down the leg from lumbar disc pressure), cervicogenic headaches (head pain originating from cervical joint irritation), and arm pain from cervical nerve compression. Referred pain is one reason chiropractic evaluation focuses on the full spine rather than just the area where pain is felt — the source and the symptom are often in different locations.

The joint connecting the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to the ilium (the large pelvic bone). Most people have two sacroiliac joints — one on each side — and they absorb shock transferred between the upper body and the legs. SI joint dysfunction is a common but underdiagnosed cause of low back and buttock pain, particularly in pregnant women, people who sit for long periods, or those who have had a fall or trauma. Chiropractic adjustments to the SI joint restore normal mobility and reduce the muscle guarding that accompanies SI joint restriction.

Pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve — the longest nerve in the body, running from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of each leg. True sciatica involves nerve compression or irritation, typically from a lumbar disc herniation, bone spur, or piriformis syndrome. Symptoms include sharp, shooting pain; burning; numbness; tingling; or weakness in the leg or foot. Chiropractic care for sciatica focuses on relieving the mechanical pressure causing the nerve irritation — through adjustments, decompression, or soft tissue work depending on the cause.

A narrowing of the spinal canal or the openings through which nerve roots exit the spine (foraminal stenosis). As the available space decreases, the spinal cord or nerve roots become compressed, causing pain, numbness, weakness, or balance problems — particularly with walking or prolonged standing. Lumbar stenosis most commonly affects people over 50 and often produces symptoms that improve with sitting or leaning forward (a position that opens the spinal canal). Chiropractic care and spinal decompression can help manage stenosis symptoms by improving joint mobility and reducing inflammatory pressure on affected nerve structures.

A chiropractic term for a vertebra or other joint that has lost its normal position or movement pattern in a way that affects nerve function and surrounding soft tissue. A subluxation is not necessarily a dislocation — it is a functional problem rather than a structural displacement visible on imaging. Chiropractors identify subluxations through motion palpation, postural assessment, and range of motion testing. Correcting subluxations through precise adjustments restores normal joint mechanics, reduces nerve irritation, and removes a source of chronic musculoskeletal stress.

The middle section of the spine, consisting of twelve vertebrae (T1 through T12) located between the cervical spine and the lumbar spine. Each thoracic vertebra attaches to a pair of ribs, making this region less mobile than the neck or lower back but important for posture, breathing mechanics, and upper back stability. Thoracic restrictions are common in people who work at desks or drive frequently. They contribute to mid-back pain, shoulder blade discomfort, and can affect the mechanics of both the cervical and lumbar spine above and below.

A therapeutic technique that applies a sustained or intermittent pulling force along the axis of the spine to create separation between vertebrae, reduce disc pressure, and relieve nerve compression. Traction can be applied manually by the chiropractor or mechanically using a traction table or spinal decompression device. It is commonly used for disc herniations, sciatica, cervical radiculopathy, and facet joint irritation. The amount of force, the angle, and the duration of traction are adjusted based on the patient's condition and response to treatment.

One of the 33 individual bones that stack together to form the vertebral column (spine). Each vertebra has a body (the large front section that bears weight), a posterior arch (the back section that protects the spinal cord), and several processes that serve as attachment points for muscles and ligaments. The 24 moveable vertebrae — cervical, thoracic, and lumbar — are separated by intervertebral discs that act as shock absorbers. The sacral and coccygeal vertebrae are fused. Each vertebra also has openings (foramina) through which spinal nerve roots exit to supply the body.

A cartilaginous cushion located between adjacent vertebrae throughout the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Each disc has a tough outer ring (annulus fibrosus) and a soft inner core (nucleus pulposus). Discs act as shock absorbers and allow spinal flexibility. They have no direct blood supply and receive nutrients through osmosis during movement — which is why regular movement and chiropractic care that maintains proper spinal mechanics help preserve disc health. Disc injuries, including bulging and herniation, are among the most common causes of spinal pain and nerve compression.

A cervical spine injury caused by a sudden, forceful acceleration-deceleration movement of the neck — most commonly from rear-end motor vehicle collisions. The rapid back-and-forth motion overstretches the ligaments, muscles, and joint capsules of the cervical spine, often causing damage that does not appear on standard imaging. Symptoms include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, shoulder pain, and sometimes cognitive or sleep disturbances. Delayed symptom onset is common — many patients do not feel the full effect until 24 to 72 hours after the crash. Early chiropractic evaluation after an auto accident significantly improves recovery outcomes.