What is chiropractic?
Chiropractic is a discipline focused on the spine, its mobility and its relationship with the nervous system. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises it as a healthcare profession in over 90 countries; in Spain, however, it is practised lawfully but is not regulated as a healthcare profession. The chiropractor assesses how your spine moves and functions and applies specific manual vertebral adjustments, adapted to each person's age and circumstances. At Centro Quiropráctico Puig in Estepona, Dr. Puig has been applying this discipline for over a decade with 6 different techniques.
WHO definition
Chiropractic is concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders of the neuromusculoskeletal system and the effects of these disorders on general health.
The situation in Spain: Chiropractic is a profession lawfully practised in Spain, though it is not regulated as a healthcare profession.
The spine and the nervous system
The spine is the axis that holds the body up and, at the same time, the structure that protects the spinal cord and the nerve roots that leave between the vertebrae. That is why its mobility and posture matter so much to the way we move every day.
When one or more spinal joints lose some of their mobility, it is common to notice stiffness, changes in posture or a feeling of load. The chiropractor focuses on assessing that mobility and working on it with specific adjustments, always after an examination and after explaining what has been found.
What is a vertebral subluxation?
In chiropractic, a vertebral subluxation is the term for a spinal joint that has lost some of its normal mobility or position. It is a concept specific to chiropractic, not a medical diagnosis, and it describes what the chiropractor assesses during the examination and works on with the adjustment. At Centro Quiropráctico Puig in Estepona, Dr. Puig assesses it at every visit and chooses the technique best suited to each person.
Factors we take into account
- 1 Physical factors: sustained postures, repetitive movements, a sedentary lifestyle, intense sport, falls or knocks.
- 2 Lifestyle habits: too little rest, too little physical activity or a poorly set-up workstation, which affect how the spine is loaded throughout the day.
- 3 Emotional tension: periods of sustained pressure, which many people notice as stiffness in the neck and back.
The chiropractic adjustment
The chiropractic adjustment is a precise manual movement, of high velocity and low amplitude, applied to a specific spinal joint. It is not about brute force: it is a refined technique that takes years of university training to master.
The aim of the adjustment is to improve the mobility of the joint being adjusted. Before applying it, the chiropractor has reviewed your history and ruled out contraindications.
Every adjustment is tailored to the person: adjusting an adult athlete is not the same as adjusting an expectant mother or a newborn. At Centro Quiropráctico Puig in Estepona, Dr. Puig works with 6 techniques (SOT, Diversified, Gonstead, Thompson, Cox Flexion-Distraction and Activator Method), which means he can choose the most suitable approach after a full functional assessment.
What is the "crack" sound during an adjustment?
The "crack" sound you sometimes hear during a chiropractic adjustment is normal and harmless. It is produced by the release of small gas bubbles (carbon dioxide) inside the joint capsule, a phenomenon called cavitation. It is not bone on bone and it does not indicate any damage. Many adjustments, in fact, produce no sound at all, particularly with low-force techniques such as Activator Method or SOT.
Training and qualifications of a chiropractor
A chiropractor who is an AEQ member has completed 5 to 6 years of specific university training, with more than 5,500 academic hours covering anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, neurology and adjustment techniques.
Our team in Estepona
- → José María Puig Sobrino, Doctor of Chiropractic. Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.). AEQ member no. 1036. Sacro Occipital Technique (SOT) specialist. Activator Method certified. Gonstead Technique. Cox Flexion-Distraction. Member of Spanish Chiropractic Association (AEQ).
Chiropractic in Spain
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises chiropractic as a healthcare profession in over 90 countries. In Spain, however, chiropractic is a lawful practice that is not regulated as a healthcare profession. That makes it especially important to know who to turn to.
The Spanish Chiropractic Association (AEQ), founded in 1986, brings together only graduates in chiropractic whose university qualification is recognised by the European Council on Chiropractic Education (ECCE). It currently has more than 430 members across Spain.
Checking that the professional is an AEQ member is the simplest way to verify that they have completed the 5 to 6 years of university training set out in the international standards for chiropractic education. Dr. José María Puig Sobrino is AEQ member no. 1036. Before choosing a chiropractor, always check that they are an AEQ member.
If you need a chiropractor outside the Costa del Sol, Quiropractica.com, the chiropractor directory lets you find professionals across Spain, check their training and techniques and book online.
What to expect on your first visit
On your first visit to Centro Quiropráctico Puig in Estepona, Dr. Puig will carry out a full functional assessment: a conversation about your health history, a physical examination of the spine and mobility and postural tests. With that information he will explain clearly what he has found and propose a personalised care plan; if anything needs a medical assessment, he will refer you on before starting. If appropriate, the first adjustment is carried out in that same session. The whole visit lasts 45 to 60 minutes. To book your first appointment, call 952 791 996.
Professional associations and bodies
Frequently asked questions about chiropractic
Chiropractic is a discipline focused on the spine, its mobility and its relationship with the nervous system. The chiropractor assesses how your spine moves and applies specific vertebral adjustments, adapted to each person. The WHO recognises it as a healthcare profession in over 90 countries; in Spain it is practised lawfully but is not regulated as a healthcare profession.
When it is carried out by a professional with university training and after a prior assessment, serious adverse effects are uncommon. Adjustments are tailored to each person, because adjusting an adult is not the same as adjusting a baby or an expectant mother, and if anything needs a medical assessment the chiropractor should refer you on. Always check that your chiropractor is an AEQ member.
Chiropractic is legal in Spain, though it is not regulated as a healthcare profession. Outside Spain, the WHO recognises it as a healthcare profession in over 90 countries. In Spain, the Spanish Chiropractic Association (AEQ) brings together only professionals with university qualifications recognised by the European Council on Chiropractic Education. Dr. Puig is AEQ member no. 1036.
A chiropractor who is an AEQ member has completed 5 to 6 years of specific university training (more than 5,500 teaching hours), including anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, neurology and adjustment techniques. This training is delivered at universities recognised by the European Council on Chiropractic Education.
It is a precise manual movement, of high velocity and low amplitude, applied to a specific vertebra or joint. Its aim is to improve the mobility of that joint. It does not call for excessive force: it is a refined technique that the chiropractor adapts to each person's age and circumstances.
It is the term chiropractic uses to describe a spinal joint that has lost some of its normal mobility or position. It is not a medical diagnosis. It is usually linked to physical factors (sustained postures, knocks), lifestyle habits or periods of tension, and the chiropractor assesses it during the examination and works on it with specific adjustments.
Generally, no. The adjustment is a precise, controlled movement. You may feel a momentary pressure and hear a "crack": it is gas being released in the joint, which is normal and harmless. After the adjustment, some people feel a slight sensation similar to that after exercise, which fades within a few hours.
It is not essential. Some people come without any discomfort because they want their posture and mobility checked, because they play sport or because they spend long hours sitting down. At the first visit we look at whether a care plan makes sense for you or whether a one-off check-up is enough.
