Chiropractic Techniques
Applied Kinesiology
The use of manual muscle testing to evaluate body function was introduced by George Goodheart D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) in 1964. Since then, research into and knowledge of AK has expanded considerably, providing many additional dimensions to the diagnosis of bodily dysfunction. The development of AK has resulted in modifications along with the introduction of some new procedures. Even in the early days of AK, it was apparent how the use of many basic treatment methods in Chiropractic, Osteopathy, Acupuncture and Homeopathy, produced immediate improved neuromuscular function and could be directly measured using manual muscle testing.
Health is composed of structural, chemical and emotional factors which must be equally balanced as seen in the triad of health. Each side of the triad is equally as important. When a person has ill health, at least one side of the triad is involved and often two, or all three. The principle of AK is to analyze and check all three sides and treat accordingly.
AK gives very good insight into body function but it must be emphasized that it is used in conjunction with standard diagnostic tests: history, physical diagnosis, blood tests, x-rays and other relevant investigations.
Sports Injuries
Treating sports injuries often requires specialized knowledge. AK is especially suited for sports injuries. The AK practitioner is the ultimate expert on muscle function and can easily detect all sorts of muscle injuries which are often responsible for sports injuries. Behind each joint injury, there is always an underlying muscle weakness which can be detected by manual muscle testing. Besides structural alignments, nutrition is a vital part in preventing and correcting sports injuries.
Many chiropractors, who are also AK specialists, have recently been chosen American Olympic Chiropractors as a result of their understanding of sports injuries. They are now together treating the olympic athletes. Kiropraktorcentrum is a well known clinic in Sweden for sports injuries and currently treat many of the Swedish Olympians in track and field.
Sacro-Occipital Technique
Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT) is an advanced chiropractic technique that was researched and developed by Dr. M. B. DeJarnette, a chiropractic and osteopathic doctor.
Due to their importance, the brain and spinal cord are protected by bone. The brain by the skull and the spinal cord by the spinal column. Cerebro-spinal fluid is produced in the brain and is pumped from there down the spinal cord, around the spinal cord and brain and is then reabsorbed. Many years of research has shown that there is a small rhythmic pumping motion that occurs between the sacrum (the tailbone), and the occiput (the bone in the back of the skull).
This pumping motion helps to circulate cerebrospinal fluid or CSF around the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. The CSF helps to cushion the brain and spinal cord, as well as providing nourishment, removing waste, and acting as an ideal medium for nerve energy conduction. When this fluid stagnates due to a malfunction in the pumping mechanism, malnourishment occurs, waste products build up to toxic levels, and nerve energy conduction is reduced or lost. Also, because the covering of the brain and spinal cord - the dura - is attached to all the bones of the spine, as well as the cranial bones and nerve roots, a restriction of the sacro-occipital motion can lead to disruption of the other parts of the spine.
SOT. employs the use of wedge shaped blocks to allow the body to seek its correct alignment and balance. There are many combinations of block positions used, and these are determined by tests that precede each adjustment. SOT. recognizes the importance of body language in the form of neurological tests, weak muscles, tender areas and other signs and indicators, to determine the type of adjustment needed.
SOT is a very low force technique that has been designed to restore the normal pumping motion, thereby restoring proper nervous system function, and, in turn, proper function of the related body parts. It is divided into three categories - category I, II, and III - which indicates a progressive breakdown in the spinal balance.
Chiropractic Neurology
Chiropractic Neurology deals with paying attention to the central and peripheral nervous system of the patient during the examination. It is important to determine the patients fatiguability of their nervous system during the initial examination. A person who has other health problems that are affecting their general health or certain medications a patient may be taking can create a fatiguability in the nervous system . A long standing subluxation complex can also fatigue the neural elements at the level of the subluxation. This is important because if we do not determine the level of fatiguability, the over stimulation to those structures through the spinal manipulation may exceed the metabolic rate of the primary neuron and can cause problems rather than helping them.
The subluxation is still the main focus, but the correction of the subluxation depends upon the proper analysis of the patient in what their neurological controls are doing at the time. As an example, a patient may come in with pain in the right hip. In the process of the examination you find that they also have antigravity motor weakness on the entire right side. It is more prudent to make the proper correction from the left side even though the symptomatology appears on the right due to the contralateral central nervous system controls. The knowledge of how the nervous system functions and how to find its dysfunctions is invaluable in the treatment of more complicated chiropractic patients.
