Are you cranking or locking that joint?

I wanted to take this week to talk a little technique with you. I have had some incredible students and seasoned chiropractors at my adjusting courses so far this year, it has been inspiring to see chiropractors really wanting to grow and develop their skills, to better serve their community.

One thing that comes up on each course is the ‘lock’ of the cervical spine when it comes to adjusting. The third step in my five-step approach to adjusting is the ‘line and lock’.

This is where we determine the line of drive and move toward the joint locking in preparation to deliver our adjusting thrust.

This should be a very gentle and subtle movement, but too often chiropractors move the neck too far with lateral flexion and rotation to find the ‘lock’. What ends up happening here is a perceived ‘lock’ due to maximum tension on the tissues, this is ‘cranking’ the joint.

The simple reason this happens is the line of drive is wrong. If your line of drive, the direction in which you will apply your thrust, is not following the facet of the intended joint, you will not find it locking as you move it. If we consider that 70% of the rotation in the cervical spine happens at C1/2 then there really should be very minimal rotation to cause a lock.

So, here is what to do. Before you attempt to lock by laterally flexing and rotating the joint, pause to think about the line of drive. At which angle do the facets joints lie in the cervical spine, what is the normal curvature of the cervical spine. Think about these both, move your body position (step 2 of the 5-step approach) so that you can comfortably generate adjusting thrust in that direction.
Only once you are sure and certain of the line of drive and have you body position right, should you move into the lock motion.

So, if you think you are cranking necks, if you think your specificity could be better, take time to visualise and re study the anatomy of the spine, the normal curvature an facet lines.

Remembering each adjustment is a force into someone’s body, respect it, honour it, and do your best to make it specific.

Here is to changing the world, one spine at a time.

With love

Tom