--- title: "Is Chiropractic Safe? Reward vs Risk | Happy Family Chiropractic Juneau" description: "Dr. Derek Larsen DC addresses chiropractic safety concerns with research showing serious adverse reactions happen 1.46 times per 10 million adjustments." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Reward vs Risk, The Safety of Chiropractic.", "description": "This last week I struck up a conversation with a few people around Juneau. Amid the conversation the question \"What do you do for work?\" came up and I responded that I was a chiropractor.", "image": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/images/blog-safety.jpg", "url": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/reward-vs-risk-the-safety-of-chiropractic/", "datePublished": "May 23, 2021", "dateModified": "May 23, 2021", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Derek Larsen, DC", "url": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/meet-our-local-chiropractor-in-juneau/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Happy Family Chiropractic", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/images/logo.png" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/reward-vs-risk-the-safety-of-chiropractic/" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/chiropractic-patient-education-in-juneau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Reward vs Risk, The Safety of Chiropractic.", "item": "https://happyfamilychiropractic.com/reward-vs-risk-the-safety-of-chiropractic/" } ] } ] --- Good news. We now accept select insurance plans for chiropractic care. Now accepting select insurance plans. 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[![](/images/team-derek.jpg)Dr. Derek Larsen, DC ](/author/dr-derek-larsen/)| May 23, 2021 | 6 min read ![Safe chiropractic neck adjustment at Happy Family Chiropractic in Juneau Alaska](/images/blog-safety.jpg) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Blog](/chiropractic-patient-education-in-juneau/) 3. Reward vs Risk, The Safety of Chiropractic. Share [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhappyfamilychiropractic.lovable.app%2Freward-vs-risk-the-safety-of-chiropractic)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhappyfamilychiropractic.lovable.app%2Freward-vs-risk-the-safety-of-chiropractic) This last week I struck up a conversation with a few people around Juneau. Amid the conversation the question "What do you do for work?" came up and I responded that I was a chiropractor. Oftentimes the response to that statement is good but in these two specific cases the individuals shuttered a bit at the sound of chiropractic. Taken slightly aback I asked for opinions on the topic. The first individual said that she was scared of chiropractic having never been. The other individual shook his body trying to wriggle away from the thought as he said that he didn't like the sound of bones cracking. In both cases I assured the individuals that there was no reason to fear chiropractic because of how safe it is. Today I would like to reassure you of the safety of chiropractic. ## What does google say? I put myself into the general public's shoes for a second concerning safety of chiropractic topic. I asked myself "What would I do if I was trying to decide if I should see a chiropractor, and I wanted to know about chiropractic safety?" I assume I would likely take the treacherous path and consult who I like to call Dr. Google. With the knowledge I now have I would highly recommend avoiding the Dr Google consultation. Google is not a doctor and cannot treat or diagnose any disease. If you want to know about Chiropractic, ask a chiropractor. Professionals within their particular fields are the experts. ## Diving a bit deeper into the research. Speaking of the severe adverse reactions, they do occur just very rarely. In a peer reviewed research article called Safety of Chiropractic interventions: a Systematic Review written by Gouveia et al in 2009 they found after looking over a lot of other research that it is reported that serious adverse reactions happen 1.46 times per 10,000,000 adjustments. To put that into perspective according to one article you have a 1 in 17,000 chance of dying if you do 1-19 minutes of vigorous exercise per week! Just judging by those numbers it seems like a pretty safe bet. ## How we assure your safety at Happy Family Chiropractic We learn to gauge the precise amount of force needed to adjust a joint. This is a delicate process that takes time to learn, and develop. Then, in cases where I am unsure of the force an individual can withstand during an adjustment, I revert to an adjusting instrument that delivers a very low force quick adjustment. The adjustment does not require a pop. The adjustment occurs when we restore joint motion not after we hear a crunch. ## What do the insurance companies think about chiropractic? Within chiropractic practices the averages are between $1,000 to $2,000 per year for malpractice insurance. To put that into perspective medical doctors who practice general surgery can expect to pay between $41,000 and $190,000 per year depending on location. Based solely on this we can make the assumption that insurance companies find that chiropractic care is much less risky, relatively. ## The Reward is much greater than the Risk In any decision we have to make in life there is a risk versus reward discussion. We take risks every day in life, especially in Alaska. Many of the activities we enjoy such as hiking, boating, and fishing claim lives every year but we are still out hiking, boating and fishing. The reward is worth the risk and this applies to chiropractic care. I can assure you that at Happy Family Chiropractic we do all we can to mitigate those risks so that you can experience the reward of chiropractic care. Can't wait to see you in downtown Juneau! ### Continue Reading [ ![Illustration of temporomandibular joint and its connection to neck pain](/images/blog-tmj-neck-pain.png) #### Understanding TMJ and Neck Pain: Causes and Treatments September 12, 2025 ](/understanding-tmj-and-neck-pain-causes-and-treatments/)[ ![Stretching exercises for neck and shoulder pain relief demonstrated by chiropractor](/images/blog-neck-shoulder-pain.png) #### Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief: Tips and Exercises August 12, 2025 ](/neck-and-shoulder-pain-relief-tips-and-exercises/)[ ![Chiropractic treatment options for neck pain relief](/images/blog-treating-neck-pain.png) #### Treating Neck Pain: At-Home and Professional Remedies July 12, 2025 ](/treating-neck-pain-at-home-and-professional-remedies/) ![Dr. Derek Larsen DC at Happy Family Chiropractic in Juneau Alaska](/images/team-derek.jpg) ### Dr. Derek Larsen, DC Founder and Chiropractor Founder of Happy Family Chiropractic and the lead chiropractor in Juneau, Alaska. Dr. Derek focuses on family, prenatal, pediatric, and sports chiropractic care. [View profile](/author/dr-derek-larsen/) ### Experience Chiropractic Live in Juneau and want to feel the benefits of chiropractic care? Schedule today. [Schedule an Appointment](/book-appointment/) ### Visit Us 800 Glacier Ave, Juneau, Alaska. We're open Monday through Friday. [Book an Appointment](/book-appointment/) ![Happy Family Chiropractic](/assets/hfc-logo-white-voZj0riv.png) Your path to feeling like yourself again, through expert chiropractic care, massage therapy, and a team that genuinely likes their job. ### VISIT - 800 Glacier Ave Juneau, AK 99801 - Mon to Fri, 9am to 6pm ### REACH US - [(907) 202-8817](tel:+19072028817) - [Book online](/book-appointment/) ### EXPLORE - [Chiropractic](/services/chiropractic) - [Massage](/services/massage-therapy/) - [Insurance](/insurance/) - [Blog](/chiropractic-patient-education-in-juneau/) - [About](/about/) © 2026 Happy Family Chiropractic. 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