Chiropractic Techniques
“Percussion Force” is 6 pounds against the Atlas. The patient must be “Pre-Set” or positioned with the head on a head “Mastoid Support,” with lower cervical spine positioned. This Pre-Set patient position uses anatomical advantages when coupled with the actual AO Instrument adjustment Percussive Force and Vectors. It can be said the Pre-Set patient position is 90% of the adjustment and the AO Instrument provides the additional 10% to complete the adjustment.
The X-ray machine set up requires a tilting bucky for the best frontal view and for the horizontal view. The AO X-ray set up is common to all upper cervical practices and is known as an “In Line” or “Calibrated” set up.
The measuring of the five views are now best done with digital views and using the AO computerized x-ray marking and measuring software. The usual time to measure these views at the computer is now only about 5 minutes.
The response from the patient is one of a very pleasant experience. This in part is due to the fact that the Atlas vertebrae only weighs 2 ounces. The Occiput, Atlas and Axis comprise a freely moveable joint, or Diarthrodial Joint. There are no intervertebral locks, such as in the C3 to C7 spinal levels. There is no cracking of the spine during the adjustment. I tell patients all chiropractic adjustments are good and all different techniques are good. Each technique does yield certain results. The AO Instrument Adjustment should yield a reduction of the subluxation of the Head, Atlas and Lower Cervical spine toward Orthogonal.
Having the head Orthogonal will cause what I call a “domino effect” in the correction of other compensation in the entire spine. When the head is lateral or off-center, the body will then compensate, known as the “Righting Reflex” found in Orthopedic textbooks. The shoulder will compensate the other direction that the head laterally bends and often there will be a short leg as well. These compensations are no longer needed by the body and will correct with other treatment.
Dr. Sweat encourages secondary chiropractic treatment to the thoracic, lumbar and pelvic spine. The key is, when the head is Orthogonal, the other levels of the spine respond amazingly better and easier to these treatments. The short leg is usually absent and the scanning palpation to the cervical spine is also reduced from a sharp pain to only a dull ache or less. This palpation scanning of the neck and the short leg, along with patient complaints, lead to the decision to adjust the Atlas with the AO Instrument on return visits as needed.
Happy Adjusting and Good Holidays.
Image above reprinted with permission. Ple xus Oct/No v 2019 21
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