Feel "Out of Alignment" No Matter How Often You Get Adjusted?
Do you ever set up for a Squat and just feel off? It feels like you are crooked, twisted, or misaligned. It makes you second-guess your technique, and worry that you may not be performing your lifts in a safe manner. You go to your chiropractor to get cracked, and while it provides relief for about an hour, the next time you are in the gym, that exact same "out of place" sensation is right back where it started. But if we are still completing the movement and your coach says it looks good, is that "off" feeling a structural problem, or is your brain’s internal set point just lying to you?
The Minnesota Thermostat
When you constantly feel like your body is "out," the myth you've been told is that your bones are physically slipping out of place. What you are actually experiencing is a change in your neurological set point. Your joints are packed with tiny sensors that report your position to your brain, and over time, your brain creates a baseline for what it thinks is straight, even if that position is completely inefficient.
To understand why this happens, look at how we perceive the weather here in Minnesota.
When we are deep in the middle of January and it has been sub-zero for three weeks straight, a 30°F day rolls around and suddenly everyone is walking around in short sleeves. It feels genuinely warm. But if that exact same 30°F day hits us in the middle of July, you’d be shivering, miserable, and reaching for a winter coat.
The actual temperature didn’t change. The environment didn't change. Your brain’s internal baseline changed based on what it was used to experiencing.
When your pelvis or spine feels "off" during a squat, you may not be in a bad position. Instead you have spent so much time in an inefficient position that it now views that position as normal baseline and the efficient position as “off”.
Why the Crack Wears Off
This is exactly why chasing a weekly adjustment keeps you stuck in a loop. An adjustment doesn't change the climate of your joints. Instead, it sends a massive wave of new sensory input to your brain. It acts like a temporary neurological distraction. It is like shivering when you're freezing. It feels like you are warmer and distracts you from the temperature, but the second you step out of the shower, you are right back in the cold room.
When we coach you into a optimal, stable position in the gym, your brain is going to scream that it feels completely wrong. It feels like 30°F in July.
But different doesn’t mean broken. It feels weird simply because you are in a new position, but this is the exact position we want you in. You don't need a temporary sensory distraction to mask the feeling; you just need to keep exposing that new position until your brain adapts, resets its internal thermostat, and makes the correct movement feel like a normal.
Need an Extra Help?
Knowing what sensations are harmful or helpful can be challenging on your own. Apply for a Discovery visit where we will work with you one-on-one at our Hopkins location to give you the confidence and understanding of what the different sensations mean.