A quick note about cervical thrust manipulation

A colleague once told me my cervical thrust manipulations "felt like nothing." He meant that they were very comfortable. The more components you use to lock the segment you are manipulating, the less excursion you have to put into them. For C2-7, I typically find it easier to start with a downglide or translatory thrust. The components I find most useful are (slight for everything), P/A, SB toward, rot away, translate away, medial shear from L and R hands, slight axial traction. That should provide a good lock. Your hands should be firm but not squeezing. You're not palming a basketball. Use your thrust hand to deliver the manipulation medially and inferiorly and the coupling hand should move medially and superiorly to help. This way you may always use your dominant hand, which helps when learning the skill. It should be AS FAST AS YOU CAN POSSIBLE MOVE, but not forceful. Speed and force are not the same thing. A colleague of mine who is both a PT and a DC says if you get 10/10 cavitations you are using too much force. Good luck and remember informed consent!

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