The Activator Method, Part I

Sometimes new patients are taken aback (no pun intended) when they walk into the exam room and Dr. Case pulls out a tool that looks kind of like a miniature pogo stick.

She’s obviously not actually using a tiny pogo stick. What she’s using is called an Activator Adjusting Instrument and the treatment she uses for patients is known as the Activator Method.

The Activator Method uses the Activator Adjusting Instrument to deliver a gentle impulse force to the spine with the goal of restoring motion to the targeted spinal vertebra or joint.

It is an alternative to the commonly known form of spinal manipulation, the high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) thrust.

There are two major benefits of an Activator instrument-assisted treatment. First is the speed of the device. The activator is so quick that the body’s muscles are less likely to tense in response and resist the treatment. The lack of muscle resistance may facilitate the treatment effectiveness.

The second is that the applied force is localized and does not add any additional torque or bending movement to the joint. Because of the accuracy and controlled light force, Activator Methods adjustments are suitable and comfortable for all types of patients, ranging from pregnant women, babies and children, to athletes and seniors.

Next week we’ll take a look at the additional training a chiropractor using the Activator Method needs to have, and we’ll explore the history of the treatment.