NUCCA is a technique for the 21st century based on 3-D x-ray studies that determine the line of drive or vector of force to replace the vertebrae to the normal position. This is a distinct service the chiropractic profession offers its patients. NUCCA is committed to continuing the work of Palmer, Grostic and Gregory by fine-tuning the adjustment so that a greater number of patients are able to stabilize and facilitate the restoration principles of chiropractic. FIND THE REDUCTION PATHWAY DIVIDES THE BODY INTO EQUAL HALVESBecause the vertical axis divides the body into equal halves, the vertebra's axis or center of motion must align to the vertical axis. If it does not align, it is subjected to gravitational stresses; one of the internal forces that causes recurrence of the subluxation. Whenever the vertebral axis is displaced from the vertical axis, the vertebra cannot perform a normal range of motion. To execute a normal range of motion, the vertebra's axis of motion must squarely align with the vertical axis of the body. The center of gravity of the shill shifts when the c-spine is misaligned and the axis of rotation of the vertebrae is no longer on the vertical axis. NO ANGULAR ROTATIONThe NUCCA vertical axis is erected from the first or second dorsal vertebra (viewed as the fixed point) straight upward. When the c-spine is restored to normal position following the adjustment, the post x-rays show no angular rotation (kink) and no transverse rotation of c-spine. The head tilt is corrected and correlated with complete orthopedic and neurologic evaluations.1 The post x-ray evaluation will tell you just what you did, what is left to do and how to do it. It takes force but only enough to "adjust" or "replace" the vertebrae. All subluxations have resistances varying from 5 to 25 lbs. which must be overcome by the adjusting force if a correction is to result.2 RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLEX-rays - the Grostic procedure used by NUCCA, Atlas Orthogonal and Orthospinology practitioners since 1945, has proven to be very reliable and dependable in skilled hands.3 Vertical Axis Restoration is required before a vertebra can function normally. This includes the skull from which we determine the direction and amplitude of the atlas subluxation complex. X-ray analysis cannot predetermine the amount of force required in any subluxation to correct it, only the reduction pathway that is appropriate. Too small a force will not reduce the vertebral displacements sufficiently and too great a force will cause increases in the displacements. Uncontrolled force can cause damage to the patient. CONTROLLED AND ADEQUATETo solve this problem and ensure control of the adjusting force, NUCCA developed the adjustment in which the required amount of force for a given subluxation was generated in the adjustor's body by pulling away from C1 with the contact arm and holding down with the roll-in arm until the adjustor's shoulders compressed to the point where the exact amount of adjusting force was generated. At that point, the displaced vertebra moved. Depth and force were therefore controlled and adequate to the subluxation's resistances; protecting the patient as the vertebra moved in the direction prescribed by the vector resultant.
WHEN THE SPINAL CORRECTION IS MADE AND BODY BALANCE IS RESTORED, MUSCLES IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO RELAX, BLOOD AND OXYGEN CIRCULATION IS INCREASED, HEALING MESSAGES FLOW FROM THE BRAIN TO THE EFFECTED AREA - AND - THE SELF-HEALING PROCESS BEGINS!!!
MUST BE PROPERLY ALIGNEDX-rays can be duplicated if care is taken in patient posture and technique. Head clamps and equipment must be properly aligned if proper analysis is to be obtained. This enables an appropriate headpiece placement and maximal reduction of the atlas subluxation complex. With the hand adjustment, feedback to the adjustor is valuable to determine when maximal reduction has been made. The patient's earlobes should be in the same relative position when seated for the A-P x-ray as they were when the patient was standing. Consistently monitoring head tilt in your patient can assist the management of care. The better the x-rays, the better the correction of the subluxation.4 The satisfying part of this technique is the certainty of knowing that you are on the reduction pathway with your adjusting force. You don't have to chase the pain around or adjust on every visit. You can predict the outcome with a great deal of certainty based on the post x-rays and postural measurements. The stability of the spine is enhanced when the head and neck are returned to the vertical axis by the adjustment. Because of the widespread fear of cerebrovascular accidents from cervical manipulation, chiropractors are moving towards techniques which do not rotate the head and extend the neck. REFERENCES
Illustrations provided by Dr. Daniel Clark, DC (702) 896-9228 |
Precise application of force is necessary to reduce the atlas subluxation complex. Legally anyone can mobilize the spine but mobilization does not always mean a correction or an "adjustment". The way we reduce the atlas C1 subluxation complex is to find the reduction pathway from the biomechanics determined from precision x-rays. The vertical axis is the normal position for the axis of motion for each vertebra when that vertebra is aligned including the skull and the pelvis. It is the intersection of the frontal and sagittal planes and runs perpendicularly from above downward. It is referred to as the gravital line of the body or the line of symmetry. (figure 1). It is the "Z" co-ordinate of the orientation planes.
Dr. Patrick Foran graduated from CMCC in 1959, and has been an upper cervical chiropractor for forty years. He been a guest lecturer at CMCC and appeared on the Lifetime Television Network Series "The Alternative Medicine Show".