Thompson Technique
Poor spinal health can be the reason behind joint and muscle pain, posture
problems and even stress and anxiety. If you’re suffering from lower or
upper back pain, you can turn to a chiropractor who will manipulate and
mobilize different muscles and joints and restore the spine to good
health. Chiropractors use dozens of different techniques to adjust the
joints and muscles; the Thompson Technique can be performed to
reduce back pain, and involves manipulating the leg joints to correct misalignments
in the spine and pelvic area.
The adjustment technique has been used for several decades, and offers
several advantages over other types of chiropractic adjustments. If you’re
suffering from back pain and prepared to see a chiropractor about it, learn
more about the Thompson Technique and discuss the options with your doctor.
How the Thompson Technique is Performed
The Thompson Technique is performed on a drop table, and uses your own body
weight to exert force on a drop piece. Varying amounts of pressure of the
joints set a drop piece in motion, which in turn affects the muscles tissues
and joints.
Most chiropractors perform a ‘leg length analysis’ to determine exactly
where the imbalance is occurring. The “Leg Length System” is based on the
work of Dr. Deerfield of Detroit, Michigan and contends that the basis of many
problems in the musculoskeletal system can be traced to the length of the legs
and how the body is positioned and balanced on the feet when standing up
straight. The chiropractor can determine whether the legs are out of
balance by observing the legs in an extended position on the table. They
may flex and straighten the feet to see whether one leg is longer or shorter
than the other, and how this may be affecting the individual’s health.
The Thompson Technique was so effective when it was first used that Dr.
Thompson was granted a patent for the technique in 1955. The technique is
now used worldwide, and is often recommended by family chiropractic clinics
because it produces very precise adjustments for many spine and posture
problems.
Adjustments with the Thompson Technique
All of the adjustments performed with the Thompson Technique are manual
adjustments, and the chiropractor must exert varying amounts of pressure and
force to perform the adjustment process successfully. In some cases, this
process can be painful; the force induced by the chiropractor’s thrust are
further enhanced with the drop mechanism, but the end result can be
significant.