Part 19

When the neck muscles have been thoroughly relaxed by slight and gentle movement, throw the upper elbow sharply away from your body, which has the effect of transmitting force through the thumb to the jaw and sharply rotating the head still further, loosening its articulation with the now firmly held Atlas. The condyloid joints thus loosened tend to settle into their proper relations, the weight of the head causing it to slip downward--laterally upon the Atlas.

Uses

This is really a movement of the head rather than of the Atlas and is an easy movement when practicable. It requires complete relaxation and will often fail. It is probable that many apparent Atlas subluxations are really subluxations of the head upon that bone which leave Atlas and Axis in normal relation. This move is most used to loosen the Atlas when it resists ordinary adjustments.

“THE BREAK” No. 1

(Lateral Cervical Move)

The principle involved in this and the three succeeding moves is the same. The contact is made with the end of the laterally prominent transverse process of a Cervical vertebra other than the Atlas, and the movement is directed entirely from side to side. It is to be used only for lateral and not for rotary or anterior or posterior subluxations, a point to be remembered as it is just as easy to produce as to correct subluxation with this move.

Position

Have patient lying on back in position C, with head projecting beyond bench and supported by adjuster’s knee. Following a record previously made count downward to a subluxated vertebra and palpate both transverses with the two hands at once to find if one is prominent laterally, remembering that the record indicates merely the position of the spinous process.

Having found the laterally prominent transverse, place the tip of the finger of the corresponding hand on the spinous of the subluxated vertebra; that is, if a right subluxation, use right hand and if a left, use left hand. Then draw the hand around until the middle of the proximal phalanx of the first finger rests against the end of the transverse. The tip of the finger will be freed from the spinous by this movement.

Hold the adjusting hand tense, edgewise to the neck, fingers together and pointing downward. The thumb may rest against the patient’s jaw or may be free; the essential thing is the snug contact of the first finger against the transverse.

Movement

With the hand in position and the head supported by the Hook Support, bend the head laterally, keeping the face upward, until it is felt that further movement would strain the muscles.

Deliver the movement in a straight lateral direction, quickly and entirely with the contact hand.

“THE BREAK” No. 2

For the Atlas only, and for straight lateral displacement of that vertebra.

Position and Contact

Position of patient’s head and of supporting hand exactly as in using Break No. 1. Contact is made with the end of the Atlas transverse on the laterally prominent side. Contact point on hand is second metacarpo-phalangeal joint, or rather, the condyle of the second metacarpal.

Movement

As for Break No. 1.

“THE BREAK” No. 3

Position

Have patient sitting erect on bench or stool and stand before him. For a right subluxation use left hand and for a left, right hand. Contact point is the middle of the proximal phalanx of the first finger and the fingers reach backward and downward, thumb upward so as to be out of the way.

Movement

Force should be applied entirely with the contact hand to avoid the possibility that movement of the head may bring about movement of some other vertebra than the desired one. But in practice the force is usually divided between the head and the vertebra. The Hook Support cannot be used in this position.

Uses

The use of this position for the Break avoids the necessity for the patient to lie down again in a new position after having Dorsals and Lumbars adjusted. It is extremely convenient. But on the other hand it is undeniably harder for the patient to relax his muscles when sitting up with head flexed sidewise and a sense of lost equilibrium than when lying down. The Break No. 1 will be found the better for the average case.

“THE BREAK” No. 4

Position