The Active Healthcare Practice

🎣 CLICK BAIT 🎣

I knew this one would get your attention. 😏

This is an ankle distraction manipulation.

I might use a technique like this for someone with a history of ankle sprains, stiffness, reduced ankle mobility or a feeling that the ankle just isn’t moving as comfortably as it should.

The aim is to help improve movement, reduce discomfort and make loading the ankle feel easier and more comfortable.

And yes...

It produced a very satisfying click.

My patient’s immediate reaction was an audible:

“Corrrr...”

Which raises an interesting question.

If the click isn’t important, why do people often feel such instant relief?

Because the relief probably isn’t coming from the click itself.

The sound is simply gas moving within the joint as pressure changes occur during the manipulation.

What people are actually noticing is that the ankle often feels freer, less restricted and easier to move immediately afterwards.

The click gets the credit.

The change in movement does the hard work.

What matters isn’t whether a click occurred.

What matters is what happens next.

Does movement improve?

Does the ankle feel less restricted?

Can the person walk, squat, run or load the ankle more comfortably?

That’s what I’m interested in.

The click is just the soundtrack.

The result is what matters. 👣