How To Do Chiropractic Adjustments: The Fundamentals

Are you interested in learning chiropractic?   Then this course is for you!  

After completing it, you will understand the theory behind chiropractic; how to assess the spinal column to determine what bones to adjust; how to formulate a typical chiropractic treatment plan; how to adjust the neck, mid back and lower back; and tips for managing a new patient. 

This course is designed for chiropractic students, new and experienced chiropractors and those who are considering a chiropractic career.   Manual therapy and fitness specialists like physical therapists, kinesiologists, physiatrists, massage therapists and athletic trainers who are interested in chiropractic can especially benefit from this course since they already are familiar with treating/ improving the human body with their hands.

This course is laid out in a procedure-progressive sequence:

Introduction

This video summarizes the entire course.  In it, I explain that while the course obviously does not intend to replace formal chiropractic education, it condenses the practice of chiropractic-- its core elements-- to provide a clear picture of the profession to those who are interested in pursuing a career in chiropractic; or incorporating chiropractic treatment into their practice or services.  

The course touches on chiropractic theory, exam techniques, adjusting (spinal manipulation) techniques and the basics of new patient handling-- all the things a chiropractor deals with every day in practice.

Section 1, Principles of Chiropractic 

This video explains chiropractic theory; i.e. its unique approach to healthcare.  After completing it, you will understand the rationale behind chiropractic adjustments: why chiropractors do adjustments to the spine; what happens when you correct an abnormally aligned vertebral segment; and the resulting health benefits.

The video is highly visual and makes the concepts easy to grasp.  When you understand them, it will benefit your clinical skills: you will diagnose conditions better; be better able to "connect the dots" in all your cases; be a better adjuster; and devise and prescribe better treatment plans.

Section 2, Spinal Evaluation

Posture:  In this video I teach you how to develop a "chiropractic eye" for subtle, postural deviations.   A person's posture outwardly reveals his spine's alignment inside, so it is naturally the first thing a chiropractor should check on a patient.  After completing this lecture, you will be able to determine which areas of a person's spine are out of alignment with just a brief check of his posture. 

Static Palpation:  Palpation is the diagnostic skill of assessing the body through touch.  With reference to chiropractic, static palpation means feeling for abnormal joint movement while the patient's spine is in a static, neutral position.  This information is correlated with the patient's symptoms and complaints, and other tests to narrow down the problem area.

Static palpation is used to locate body landmarks to precisely locate individual vertebra for adjusting; feel for areas of edema and heat; feel for tenderness; assess muscle tone, and other abnormalities that can be detected by touch.  It is the second procedure done in a typical chiropractic spinal exam (posture, static palpation, motion palpation).

Motion palpation is an evaluation technique that involves palpating spinal joints while they are in motion (rotation, flexion, extension, or side bending) to assess for any movement restrictions in any plane, which would indicate vertebral misalignment and/or fixation.  It is the third procedure done in a typical chiropractic spinal exam (posture, static palpation, motion palpation).

Orthopedic and Neurological Testing:  In this video I explain how to do several standard orthopedic & neurological tests.  Chiropractors use orthopedic and nerve testing to further narrow down the location, nature and extent of the patient's condition.

Section 3, Treatment Fundamentals  

Once you know how to identify a spinal problem, the next important decision is what to recommend to the patient -- how many treatments to prescribe; what modalities are appropriate; and how long before improvement is expected.  

I explain the logic behind a typical chiropractic treatment plan (prescription) so that you can explain it with confidence to a patient, and increase compliance.

Section 4, Six Important Skills of Adjusting

Before you start adjusting patients, you must understand these six, important fundamentals.  Chiropractic adjusting is a unique combination of fine motor dexterity and biomechanically-advantaged force generation.  When done right, it is actually comfortable; but when done wrong, it can be uncomfortable to the patient, and even painful.   

Doing adjustments wrong may also cause injury to you, the chiropractor, as well and shorten your career.  It is a very physical occupation that is tough on your back and joints.  Learn what to do with your body; and more importantly, what not to do when you are adjusting.

Section 5, Spinal Adjusting

In this section, I go to great lengths to explain the fine details of adjusting the spine so that students "get it." 

One cannot expect to learn how to adjust the spine simply by observing a chiropractic adjustment itself.  While it may look simple in casual observation, what you can't see are the force vectors the chiropractor uses-- the angles and amplitudes needed to move the vertebra, and the subtle things the chiropractor does to stabilize the spine before delivering the thrust.    

Therefore, to truly learn how to do an adjustment properly, the procedure needs to be dissected into its individual parts.  In all the videos, I point out the key steps of the technique at the precise moment they occur, freeze-framing the step and explaining how it is done, with screen annotations to make sure you understand.  Not knowing how to do just one of these things will render the adjustment ineffective!                                             

The three videos are:

How to Adjust the Cervical Spine (Neck):  I demonstrate how to adjust an occiput fixation, a C-1 fixation, and a C4 fixation.  

How to Adjust the Thoracic Spine: I demonstrate how to adjust a thoracic segment using three, different techniques.

How to Adjust the Lumbar Spine:  I demonstrate how to adjust the lower and upper lumbar segments using two, different techniques.

Section 6, Tips for Managing a New Patient  

Most practice consultants will tell you that patient communication--what to say and what not to say; how you say it and when you say it-- are absolutely critical to the success of a chiropractic practice.  

In this video, I will explain the proper mindset needed when communicating with a new patient.  You want your patient to feel confident in you so that she will comply with treatment, get the best results and refer her friends to your office.  The way to accomplish this is through effective communication.  Many chiropractors mess this opportunity up by saying the wrong things and scaring the patient away; never to return, never to refer.  I'll reveal the items you must address and the things you should leave out in order to get the best results-- clinically and for business.

Section 7, Chiropractic Resources:  I have provided key resources to get you started in your practice.  I also reveal two individuals who I believe are the best in the business for helping chiropractors get their practices going.