Activator Technique
The Activator Technique of chiropractic treatment makes use of a device known as a mechanical force, manual assisted instrument (MFMA) as an alternative to manual manipulation of the spine or joints. Considered a gentler form of chiropractic treatment, the activator technique involves using the MFMA, a handheld spring-loaded instrument, to deliver enough kinetic energy to the spine to move the vertebrae slightly, correcting misalignment. This treatment method is commonly employed to relieve back pain, neck pain, and various types of headaches. Some studies indicate that the Activator Technique may be as effective as manual adjustment in relieving back pain.
The Activator Technique, like some other chiropractic treatments, involves analysis of leg length in order to determine misalignment. Presuming that leg length inequality, unless congenital or the result of an injury or disease, indicates a spinal subluxation, the practitioner examines the patient in order to identify such inequality and test certain neurological responses. The chiropractor can then restore spinal balance using the MFMA device. Besides the Diversified Technique, the Activator Technique is the treatment most commonly used by American chiropractors. More than half of the chiropractors practicing in the United States use this method of treatment with at least some of their patients.
The Activator Technique Procedure
With the patient lying prone, the chiropractor evaluates any discrepancy in leg length. Such inequality is usually the result of the patient's posture, which puts more weight on one hip than the other. Once the doctor determines that there is a leg length inequality, the MFMA device is used to move the vertebrae into alignment. The practitioner normally moves the instrument progressively up the spine from the lumbar to the cervical region The goal of the Activator Technique is to relieve pain and restore motion to the subluxated vertebra or joint.
Benefits of the Activator Technique
The chief benefit of the Activator Technique is that the thrust to the patient delivered by the MFMA is of high velocity and low amplitude. Because the thrust of the MFMA is so quickly applied, the patient's muscles don't have time to resist. The MFMA instrument can pinpoint the location of the problem precisely and administer pressure more exactly. This Activator Technique is considered especially helpful in adjusting children, who may have trouble lying still, and older patients, who may be more susceptible to pain or injury because of arthritis or osteoporosis.