It never fails. Every time I give a presentation and I state that I am a chiropractor one question always comes up… “So you pop and crack people’s backs?” Yes and no. Yes, I adjust my patients from head to toe. I adjust the joints of their body that need to be adjust, including their backs and don’t adjust the ones that do not need to be adjusted. The last part to that sentence is very important. My goal is to be as specific as possible to adjust the joints that need it, and not the joints that do not. No, I do not “pop and crack peoples backs.” I adjust joints, and while there may be a noise, there is not always a noise, yet the joint is still adjusted. For many people, the noise of the adjustment is enough to keep them from getting adjusted, even though they want the treatment. This newsletter will discuss low force adjusting, where the doctor doesn’t use the typical quick thrust and there is no ‘noise’ made during the adjustment.

Low force adjusting techniques are taught in most chiropractic schools throughout the United States. In fact, Logan College of Chiropractic, my alma mater, is named after a very popular low force technique used often on infants, pregnant women, and patients with scoliosis. The Logan Basic Technique adjustment is a very calming and relaxing adjustment which uses light pressure on a ligament near the tailbone to relax the musculature throughout the spine. While the doctor’s one hand is contacting the ligament, the other hand is slowly working its way up the spine using light pressure to adjust. Many patients leave the office feeling calm and have a great night of sleep the night of the adjustment. That is because this type of adjustment stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, relaxation, and digestion). It is also very helpful for infants who are constipated or colicky.

Applied Kinesiologists are taught how to use respiration (breathing in and out) to facilitate the adjustment of cranial and pelvic bones. This is also a way to adjust all the joints of the body using slight pressure during a specific phase of respiration identified through muscle testing. Once again it is just as effective as the thrust techniques and is useful for patients who do not want the thrust or their bodies cannot handle that type of adjustment. For instance, infants and the elderly respond very well to this type of care along with patients who are very sensitive or in a large amount of pain. Some patients cannot get their neck thrust adjusted without having a nauseous reaction. These are the types of patients that would benefit from a low force adjusting technique to help balance their nervous system.

While low force techniques do not have the limelight in most chiropractic offices, they are a very valuable tool and are just as effective as the thrust adjustment. These techniques can be used on all types of patients, not just the cases mentioned here. If you would like to experience the power of a chiropractic adjustment, but are hesitant because of the thrust technique, find a chiropractor who uses a low force technique, you’ll be glad you did. If you need help finding someone, call the office and we will help you.