What Is Gonstead Chiropractic?
Gonstead Chiropractic go above and beyond what most Chiropractors may consider a spinal assessment by conducting a thorough analysis of your spine using a five step criteria to detect spinal subluxations (joint dysfunction causing dis-ease). This five step process helps the Chiropractor build an accurate picture of what’s going on to enable them to give a very precise and effective adjustment. Gonstead Chiropractors will typically spend more time assessing you than most. In the words of Einstein: “I Would Spend 55 Minutes Defining the Problem and then Five Minutes Solving It”.
Who Was Dr Clarence Gonstead?
Dr Clarence Gonstead, born in 1898 in the US, was a Chiropractor that essentially refined the art and science of Chiropractic. Back in the early 1900’s, the Chiropractic adjustment was only recently pioneered by BJ Palmar, the son of the founder of Chiropractic. Due to it’s infancy, the skill of the typical Chiropractor in those days were very crude and rudimentary. Dr Clarence Gonstead developed a system in which Chiropractic could be practiced more specifically to create better results. As a result, his clinic (seen in following photo) became one of the largest and busiest clinics around. His technique has been taught for well over half a century with incredible results from those who dedicate themselves to it. Find out more about Dr Gonstead here.
The 5 Step Process
Motion Palpation is being used here to assess the spine
The Nervoscope here is being used to assess the spine.
The 5 step process is the systematic spinal analysis performed by Gonstead Chiropractors to accurately identifying the problem. This includes:
Visualization
This is where the Chiropractor will look at the subtle changes in your posture, spinal curvatures, muscle tone as well as movement patterns to build the first part of diagnostic picture.
Static Palpation
This is when the Chiropractor will begin to lay hands on your back to begin palpating for the presence of swelling, tenderness and abnormal textures within the skin and muscles.
Motion Palpation
This is when the Chiropractor will start to analyse the movement of each joint within your spine. This is done by hand and will help dictate the exact direction in which a correction may be needed.
Instrumentation
The instrument of choice for the Gonstead Chiropractor is the Nervoscope. When a subluxation occurs within the spine, this causes subtle changes in the heat distribution within the spine. The Nervoscope can detect this, further building the diagnostic picture.
X-Rays
Chiropractors have the ability to take themselves or refer out for X-Rays. This is done where indicated and helps to give important information about the condition and alignment of your spine
Find out more on this 5 step process here.
The Spine is the primary focus of the Chiropractor due to it’s centrality mechanically and neurologically however Chiropractor’s are not limited to the spine. Chiropractors are experts in treating the extremities too including the hips, knees, ankles, feet, shoulders, elbows and wrists. Essentially they are concerned with the Neuro-Musculo-Skeletal System. Find out what we treat here.