When spinal joints undergo abnormal mechanical changes, traditionally referred to by chiropractors as joint fixations or ‘subluxations’, the nervous system changes the way it does things, to compensate for the problem such as a change in gait (how you walk/move).  The longer joint and muscle issues are present, the more ingrained the compensation pattern is, and hence will offer more resistance to getting back to normal.

When you are adjusted, your brain, through the nervous system, must re-learn how to operate the affected joints and muscles properly again. This often takes a little time.  For this reason, any person, particularly people who engage in high-performance activities such as sport or heavy manual labour, should not exercise at their usual ‘100%’ for a few days after their adjustment. It is often best to build up the workload in steps, so the new changes can be integrated into your new ‘action’.  The first day back to exercise/work should be at about 60%.  Any adverse outcome should show up within 12-24 hrs, so if things go well, then move to 80% the next session, and if feeling good, perhaps 100% on the session after that.  Your chiropractor may recommend differently, based on your individual condition.