Although traditional chiropractic manipulation or adjustments are normally accomplished using the doctor's hands, a variety of tools have been developed to help accomplish the adjustment in certain situations. Often, a patient is in severe pain when he presents to the office, such as after an auto accident, and may not be able to handle a full manual adjustment. There have also been several attempts to provide a more specific adjustment than many practitioners are able to deliver with their hands. Most of the following tools have been in very common use for many years.
Drop Table
A drop table is a chiropractic adjusting table that allows the doctor to utilize the patient's body weight to affect the adjustment. The patient lies on the table, and one section is raised a few inches and held in place by variable tension. The doctor then applies sufficient pressure to release the table section, allowing it to drop. The doctor's hands are in the appropriate position so that when the table section reaches the end of the drop, the adjustment is easily made.
Activator
The activator is a small, handheld tool that delivers a quick, low-force, measured thrust that helps move the vertebra without activating surrounding muscles. When the muscles surrounding the vertebrae are not activated, there's less resistance and much less force is required to make the adjustment. Patients report treatment to be painless in virtually all situations.
Impulse Adjusting Instrument
The impulse adjusting instrument is an electronically controlled, low-force adjusting instrument that delivers a mechanical impulse similar to that of the activator. The impulse is short, quick and repetitive. It has multiple settings for the doctor to choose from, allowing progressively harder thrusts. Whereas the activator is spring loaded, the impulse instrument is electronic. It requires less force by the doctor and is easier on the hand.
Pro-Adjuster
The Pro-Adjuster instrument is a combination of an adjusting tool and software that allows the practitioner to first test the vertebrae for motion before delivering a mechanical adjustment. The instrument uses a piezoelectric sensor in the head that measures resistance of the vertebrae each time a thrust is made. When appropriate motion is finally measured, the tool shuts off and the adjustment is complete. The purpose is to more effectively quantify the lack of motion in the spine and identify where the adjustment needs to be made and then to deliver a specific, low-force adjustment.
