Occiput Subluxation Seated lift adjustment Photo 1: Seated occiput lift adjustment contacts are displayed on the skeletal model Dr. John Minardi is a 2001 graduate of Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. A Thompson-certified practi-tioner and instructor, he is the cre-ator of the Thompson Technique Seminar Series and author of The Complete Thompson Textbook – Minardi Integrated Systems. In addi-tion to his busy lecture schedule, Dr. Minardi operates a successful pri-vate practice in Oakville, Ontario. E-mail [email protected], or visit www.ThompsonChiropractic Technique.com. John Minardi, BHK, DC SAMPLE CASE A 35-year-old construction worker presents to the clinic with severe headaches. He in -forms the doctor that the headaches began two years ago with the start of his job, and have been consistently present ever since. He explains to the doctor that his occupation requires him to operate a jack-hammer for 10 hours a day, causing him to look down-ward toward the pavement the entire time. His job also requires him to be in a constant state of tension throughout his body, in order to stabilize the jackhammer throughout the intense vibration that the tool generates. Physical examination reveals anterior head carriage and a flexed thoracic posture. Furthermore, range of motion testing reveals that the patient has difficulty extending the head and neck. Motion and static palpation reveals that the occiput is subluxated posterior bilaterally, with subsequent tension in the sub-occipital muscles bilaterally. It is also interesting to note that palpation along the sub-occipital muscles aggravates the patient’s headaches immediately during the examination. Neurological and X-ray analy-sis are unremarkable. Have you ever encountered an occiput subluxation in your office and had a hard time correcting it with traditional adjustments? Have you noticed that patients with occipital subluxations often have signs of poor health, including headaches? Why are these issues such common themes with these types of subluxation patterns? In this edition of Tech-nique Toolbox, I will answer all of these questions and more as we analyze a common occipital subluxation, and the seated occipital lift adjustment. OCCIPUT SUBLUXATIONS AND SIGNS OF POOR HEALTH I must begin by stating that regardless of the area of subluxation, anyone who is sublux-ated will exhibit signs of poor health. Those signs will simply vary from individual to individual. www.canadianchiropractor.ca 12 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | JUNE 2013
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