When lower back pain slows you down — whether it’s from sitting too long, lifting something wrong, or stress building up — chiropractors aim to identify the source of dysfunction and provide non-invasive, hands-on care that helps restore movement and comfort.
Here’s a look at how that happens.
Manual Adjustments: The Core of Chiropractic Care
The most well-known tool in a chiropractor’s kit is the spinal adjustment (also called spinal manipulation). This technique involves applying a controlled, specific force to a joint — usually in the spine — that isn’t moving as it should.
During an adjustment:
- You may lie on a chiropractic table while the chiropractor positions you in a way that isolates the joint needing attention.
- A quick, focused thrust is applied.
- You may hear a small popping or cracking sound — that’s just gas releasing from the joint, not bones cracking.
The purpose of this technique is to:
- Improve joint mobility
- Restore natural spinal alignment
- Decrease nerve irritation or compression
- Support better muscle balance and movement patterns
For many patients, the result is improved flexibility, a lighter feeling in the body, and a noticeable reduction in stiffness or pain.
One of the key benefits to working with Sovar Chiropractic is that you have the option for a more gentle approach if you do not prefer the twisting and popping associated with the more common adjustments.
Realignment: Why It Matters
The spine isn’t just a stack of bones — it’s the central highway for your nervous system. When joints in the spine become restricted or misaligned (often from poor posture, repetitive stress, or injury), it can impact not only how you move but also how your nerves function.
Chiropractors focus on:
- Reducing pressure on spinal nerves, which can relieve pain or tingling sensations
- Helping the body rebalance itself so that muscles stop overcompensating
- Preventing future issues by addressing the root cause of pain, not just the symptoms
Realignment isn’t just about standing straighter — it’s about helping your whole body move and function more efficiently.
Other Techniques Beyond Adjustments
While spinal adjustments are foundational, chiropractors often incorporate a range of other therapies to support recovery and comfort:
Soft Tissue Therapy
To address tight or overworked muscles, chiropractors may use hands-on techniques or tools to:
- Loosen trigger points
- Break up muscle adhesions
- Improve circulation in affected areas
Stretching & Rehab Exercises
Many chiropractors prescribe targeted stretches or movements designed to strengthen the core, support posture, and reinforce the results of care.
Lifestyle Guidance
From desk ergonomics to sleeping positions, chiropractors often advise small day-to-day changes that help prevent flare-ups and support long-term spine health.
Sustaining Relief – A Long-Term Effort
While adjustments and in-office care can create powerful results, real, lasting relief from lower back pain often requires teamwork. Chiropractors aren’t miracle workers — and they don’t pretend to be. The best outcomes happen when you’re actively involved in your own recovery.
Think of your chiropractor as a guide, not a magician. They can help get things moving, but you have to help keep them moving through supportive habits in between visits.
Here are some practical lifestyle tips your chiropractor may recommend to amplify and extend your progress:
Stretches & Movement Exercises
Your care doesn’t stop at the treatment table. Chiropractors frequently assign targeted stretches and mobility drills that help stabilize and support the spine. These may focus on:
- Hamstrings & hip flexors (which often pull on the lower back)
- Core stability (to reduce pressure on the lumbar spine)
- Thoracic mobility (mid-back movement improves overall posture)
Doing these movements consistently — even for just 5–10 minutes a day — helps retrain your body to move more efficiently and reduce the risk of pain returning.
Ergonomic & Postural Adjustments
Back pain often starts with how we live and work — not just how we move. That’s why many chiropractors will coach you on making small, sustainable adjustments to your environment:
- Desk & screen setup
- Chair height and lumbar support
- Foot positioning
- Standing breaks or movement intervals during long work sessions
Even how you sleep — pillow height, mattress firmness, and sleep position — can influence how your spine feels day to day.
Tiny changes in posture and ergonomics, repeated consistently, can make a huge difference over time.
Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition (High-Level Overview)
Pain isn’t just mechanical — it’s also chemical. If your body is inflamed, it’s more sensitive to pain, more reactive to stress, and slower to recover.
That’s why many chiropractors talk with patients about reducing inflammation through nutrition, such as:
- Eating more whole, unprocessed foods
- Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids (from fish, flax, walnuts)
- Reducing refined sugars and processed oils
- Staying mindful of food sensitivities that could trigger inflammation
This doesn’t mean a full diet overhaul overnight — just small shifts in the right direction that support your recovery, energy, and resilience.
“What you eat can either feed inflammation or fight it. We’re aiming for the latter.”
Hydration & Sleep: The Unsung Heroes
Recovery happens when you’re resting — not when you’re scrolling through your phone at 1 AM.
- Hydration keeps joints and discs lubricated and supports tissue repair
- Sleep is when your body regenerates, rebalances hormones, and reduces systemic stress
- Aim for 7–9 hours per night and at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily as a baseline
Sleep and water aren’t glamorous, but they might be the most underrated tools in your recovery toolbox.
The more you participate, the better the outcomes. Chiropractic care can jumpstart healing, but your daily actions keep it going. It’s a two-way street — and you’re in the driver’s seat as much as your chiropractor is.
So stretch. Move. Rest. Hydrate. Eat well. Take breaks. Your future self (and your back) will thank you.
The Sovar Chiropractic Process
So, you’re sitting in a private patient room — a little curious, maybe even a little nervous. What’s next? Let’s walk through what typically happens from Day One to Discomfort-Free — so you know exactly what to expect.
Step 1: The Chiropractor Introduces Themselves & Reviews Your Health Info
Once you’re settled in the treatment room, Dr. Hayden Sovar or Dr. Scott Sovar will greet you personally and begin by reviewing the health intake form you completed earlier.
This is your opportunity to share your story — in your own words.
Rather than launching into a physical exam right away, they’ll start with a relaxed conversation to get a better picture of your overall wellness and the issue that brought you in. You might be asked questions like:
- Where exactly are you feeling discomfort?
- (Is it sharp, dull, on one side, or does it radiate?)
- When did you first notice the issue?
- (Was it gradual or the result of a specific activity or incident?)
- Are there movements, postures, or times of day that make it better or worse?
- Have you already tried anything to relieve it?
- (Stretching, rest, over-the-counter meds, other care providers?)
This conversation helps lay the foundation for your care plan. It also gives your chiropractor a chance to start connecting the dots — understanding not just where you hurt, but how it’s affecting your daily life, routines, and goals.
By the time this part wraps up, you’ll feel like you’re being heard, not hurried – and that’s exactly how it should be.
Step 2: Physical Assessment & Movement Checks
After your conversation with Dr. Hayden or Dr. Scott, the next step is a hands-on physical assessment. This is where your chiropractor begins observing how your body moves — and where it might not be moving as it should.
The goal? To identify patterns, restrictions, or imbalances that could be contributing to your lower back discomfort.
Here’s what this part of the visit typically involves:
Posture & Gait Observation
You may be asked to stand, walk, and sit naturally while your chiropractor observes your posture and movement patterns. This helps them identify whether one shoulder sits higher than the other, if your hips rotate unevenly, or if your stride is compensating for tightness or pain.
Even subtle misalignments or imbalances can give valuable clues.
Range of Motion Testing
Next, your chiropractor may ask you to perform basic movements — such as bending forward, arching backward, turning side to side, or lifting one leg at a time.
These movements are designed to check:
- How much flexibility you have
- Where movement feels restricted
- Whether pain shows up during specific motions
All of this helps narrow down which joints or muscle groups might be involved.
Gentle Palpation
Using their hands, your chiropractor will carefully feel along your spine, hips, and surrounding muscles. They may press or glide their fingers along certain areas to detect:
- Tenderness
- Swelling
- Muscle tightness
- Joint stiffness
This step often reveals issues you may not have even noticed — areas of compensation or imbalance that have built up over time.
Neurological & Reflex Checks (As Needed)
If you’re experiencing symptoms like numbness, tingling, or sharp shooting pain, your chiropractor may perform light neurological checks to assess how your nerves are functioning. This could involve:
- Reflex tests with a small hammer
- Light sensation checks
- Strength assessments
These are quick, non-invasive tools that help rule out certain causes or determine if further testing is needed.
Putting It All Together
By the end of this step, your chiropractor will have a much clearer picture of what your body is doing — and what it’s trying to tell us.
They’re not just looking for the site of pain, but for root causes like joint dysfunction, poor movement patterns, or muscle imbalances that might be setting the stage for recurring issues.
Most patients find this part eye-opening — it’s not uncommon to discover contributing factors that hadn’t been on your radar before.
Step 3: Diagnosis & Care Plan Discussion
Now that your chiropractor has completed his assessment, it’s time to connect the dots. This is where you’ll get clear, personalized feedback about what they’ve found — and what the next steps may look like.
Think of this as your “aha!” moment, where observations, movement tests, and your health history all start to form a clearer picture of what’s going on in your lower back.
Your Chiropractor’s Findings
Dr. Hayden or Dr. Scott will explain:
- What seems to be contributing to your discomfort (e.g., joint misalignment, muscle imbalances, or movement restrictions)
- Where in your body the issue appears to originate, which isn’t always the exact place you feel pain
- How your posture, lifestyle, or repetitive motions might be playing a role
They may also reference any patterns they observed during your exam — for example:
“You have limited mobility when twisting to the right, and that’s putting extra strain on the lower lumbar spine.”
Expect this conversation to be easy to follow, even if it involves anatomy. They’ll take the time to explain things clearly, using visuals or models when helpful.
Building Your Care Plan
Once your chiropractor outlines what they’ve found, they’ll walk you through a care plan customized to your needs, your schedule, and your goals. This plan may include:
- The frequency of visits (e.g., 2x per week for 2–3 weeks)
- What types of care will be used (adjustments, soft tissue work, guided exercises)
- Short-term goals (pain reduction, mobility improvement)
- Long-term goals (strength, stability, injury prevention)
Care plans aren’t rigid or one-size-fits-all — they’re more like roadmaps with check-in points. Your chiropractor will explain how progress will be monitored and when reassessments will happen.
Step 4: Your First Chiropractic Adjustment (If Appropriate)
After reviewing your health history, conducting the physical assessment, and walking you through your care plan, your chiropractor may recommend beginning care right away — and that often starts with your first adjustment.
This part of the visit is usually the most anticipated — especially if you’ve never been to a chiropractor before. Let’s walk through exactly what to expect so you feel confident, relaxed, and ready.
What Is a Chiropractic Adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment is a targeted, manual technique used to improve joint function and mobility. It typically involves a quick, precise movement applied to a specific joint — often along the spine — with the goal of:
- Reducing stiffness or restriction
- Improving range of motion
- Supporting natural alignment
- Alleviating tension in surrounding muscles and tissues
Depending on your specific needs, your chiropractor may adjust one or more areas — most commonly the lumbar (lower back), pelvis, or thoracic spine (mid-back).
You may hear a “pop” or “crack” — that’s totally normal. It’s just gas being released from the joint space (like cracking your knuckles), not bones grinding or anything harmful.
What Happens During the Adjustment?
Here’s what the adjustment process typically looks like:
- Positioning: You’ll be guided into a comfortable position — usually lying face down or on your side — on a specially designed chiropractic table.
- Preparation: Your chiropractor may explain the movement they’re about to perform, and give you simple instructions like “Take a deep breath in… and exhale.”
- The Adjustment: Using their hands or a small instrument, the chiropractor will deliver a quick, gentle thrust to a targeted joint. The motion is brief, controlled, and often surprisingly subtle.
- Recheck & Repeat (If Needed): Depending on your condition, a few different areas may be adjusted during this visit.
- Post-Adjustment Rest: You’ll have a moment to sit up, move around, and give your body time to settle in. Many patients report feeling “lighter” or “more aligned” right after.
Will It Hurt?
Most adjustments don’t hurt at all — they’re often relieving. Some patients feel a bit of soreness afterward, similar to what you might experience after a new workout. That’s completely normal as your body begins to adjust to its new alignment.
If you’re ever uncomfortable or unsure, just say the word. Dr. Hayden or Dr. Scott will always prioritize your comfort, explain every step, and tailor techniques to your comfort level and mobility.
After the Adjustment: What Comes Next?
- Your chiropractor may give you simple post-visit guidance: drink water, go for a short walk, avoid sitting too long.
- You might receive a printed copy or digital summary of your care plan.
- Your next appointment will likely be scheduled within the next few days to continue your care progression.
Some patients feel immediate relief after the first visit. For others, it’s a gradual process. Either way, your chiropractor will keep checking in, monitoring progress, and adjusting the plan based on how your body responds.