Spinal Manipulation:  An Overview.

Troyanovich, SJ.  Perspectives in Neuroscience.  Central Illinois Neuroscience Foundation.  Quarterly publication for Continuing Medical Education.  March 2005.

Introduction:

Spinal manipulation is an ancient healing art practiced by a wide variety of cultures.  The earliest known recorded reference to spinal manipulation is found in a Chinese document dating approximately 2700 BC.

The term “spinal manipulation” has been used to connote anything from the gentle stroking of the paraspinal soft tissues to a “gross assault” upon the articulations of an unconscious patient.  Medical manipulators Bourdillion, Day and Bookhout state, “There is still disagreement as to the breadth of the meaning of the word manipulation.  In Europe the term is used, in this context, almost solely for procedures involving a high velocity, low amplitude, thrusting movement.  In North America it is used in a much wider sense, to include any active or passive movement initiated, assisted or resisted by the operator.  This includes treatments sometimes listed as articulation, mobilization, isometric and isotonic techniques, myofascial, functional or indirect and even craniosacral techniques.”