Are Chiropractors Safe? Cracking Down On Myths With Dr. Zimbaro

There’s one myth about chiropractic care that HealthOne's Dr. Michael Zimbaro  finds the most amusing. It’s the idea that chiropractors crack patient’s bones, joints, or backs while giving them treatment. 

“That’s the most common myth I hear in my practice, by far,” he says. “A lot of people will come in and say they saw this YouTube video, or an Instagram or TikTok post, where this guy’s back was being cracked, but none of that is happening. That’s not what we do at all.” 

This is the challenge with social media and YouTube being so easily accessible these days. Everything is out there. And while certain forms of media can certainly be entertaining, it becomes difficult to know what’s real and what’s fake. That’s where we come in!  

Part of our mission at HealthOne is to educate Canadians about health and wellness topics. With the help of our knowledgeable practitioners, we create blog posts like this one to help you identify facts from fiction. 

Yes, there occasionally is an audible popping noise during chiropractic treatment — but it’s not because bones are cracking. In fact, there aren’t any rehab jobs where bones are being cracked in the first place! 

The noise is caused by a decrease in the capsular pressure on the joint, which results in gases within the fluid in between the joints being released. It’s very similar to cracking your knuckles. 

We interviewed Dr. Zimbaro to answer more common myths about chiropractic treatment. 

Is a Chiropractor a Doctor? 

Everyone wants to feel safe when they visit a manual practitioner. Knowing that you’re in good hands (literally) can ease your nerves and make your experience significantly better.  

A common myth is that chiropractors aren’t actually considered doctors, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

“Chiropractors are members of a regulated healthcare profession which is regulated by the College of Chiropractors of Ontario, which is the governing body for the province,” Dr. Zimbaro says. Every chiropractor practicing in Ontario must be a registered member of the College. 

Chiropractors are authorized to use the doctor title whether they are providing patient care or communicating a diagnosis within their scope of practice. 

Are Chiropractors Safe? 

Yes, they are. Chiropractors like Dr. Zimbaro are considered primary healthcare providers who are qualified to assess, diagnose and treat certain issues affecting the neuromuscular skeletal system. 

“We can help patients manage pain, whether that’s due to injury or due to non-traumatic events in everyday situations,” he says. 

Chiropractic care is always performed with your safety in mind – just like all of the Rehab services offered at our clinic. 

Is It Good to Go to a Chiropractor? 

It’s best to treat an injury before it develops into something truly debilitative, especially impacting those who like to stay active. 

If you have some pain from a past injury, go see a chiropractor. It could be arthritis from a shoulder injury that occurred 25 years previous. Or perhaps it’s an injury that’s more recent, like new pain from running or biking over the summer.  

A good chiropractor like Dr. Zimbaro can sort you all out. 

What is a Chiropractor? 

A chiropractor is a healthcare professional. Chiropractic care is a diagnosis and treatment that corrects mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, in particular the spine.  

Most chiropractic treatments involve manually adjusting the spine, other joints in the body and soft tissues. The main goal of treatment is to relieve pain. 

“No matter what your lifestyle is, we can help you feel better and deal with less pain each day. That could mean you're a weekend warrior who wants to get back into doing activities, or you have old injuries from the past that are now re-surfacing,” Dr. Zimbaro says.  

What Does a Chiropractor Do? 

As we mentioned, chiropractors don’t crack bones. Any sound you might hear is nothing to be afraid of – it's the body’s natural response to the joints, ligaments and tendons being moved. 

Sometimes, you might hear a sound from a tendon snapping back into place. Arthritic joints can also make sounds because there’s no smooth cartilage and the joint surface is rough. The good news overall is that joint cracking is not harmful to the body. You’re in good hands when you visit a skilled and experienced chiropractor! 

How Much Does It Cost for Chiropractic Treatment? 

The cost at HealthOne is $130 for the initial assessment, for one hour, then follow-up treatment is $85 per session. 

“Typically, what will happen is the patient will come in and we will do a deep dive, depending on what their condition is,” he says. “I will ask them when this injury occurred, perhaps it was from skating or skateboarding. Most of the time the issue is not localized in the injury area. There are other things going on, where the body has had to compensate to take care of it. We don’t have to go with a long-term plan all the time. It just depends on the person’s history.” 

Bottom line: this is a form of manual therapy that’s safe and can be trusted and will have you feeling your best physically in no time at all.  

Daily movement is important for our physical and emotional well-being, and you don’t want any physical impediments getting in the way of that. 

Book a consultation with Dr. Zimbaro to see if you're a good fit for chiropractic care at HealthOne.

One Life. Live Inspired.