What is the Atlas Orthogonal (AO) Technique?

The Atlas Orthogonal chiropractic technique, often abbreviated AO, is a specialty within the field of chiropractic that focuses of the upper cervical region. Even more specifically, practitioners of the Atlas Orthogonal technique concentrate on the Atlas vertebrae – the very first bone in the neck. Their goal is to make the Atlas bone orthogonal (or exactly perpendicular) to the skull. This is where the approach gets its name.

The premise behind AO is that the first bone – the atlas – is central to the alignment of the remainder of the column. Imagine a marching band where the first member is out of position. All the other band members position themselves relative to the first member. When the first member is out of place, the entire band is out of formation. This is a crude analogy to explain the critical role played by the atlas in directing the alignment of the other vertebrae.

And, it’s not hard to imagine how the atlas may be out of alignment. The rather light atlas (it weighs about 2 ounces) supports the weight of the human head (which weighs about 9 to 17 pounds).

Imagine the head as a golf ball and the atlas as the top of a golf tee. The small tee is best able to support the weight of the golf ball on top when it is straight up and down.

The atlas can become misaligned as a result of chronic poor standing or sitting posture, an awkward sleeping position or improper lifting. These are all examples of gradual processes. The atlas can also be jarred out of alignment by an auto accident, bad fall, or a blow to the head.

When the atlas is out-of-alignment (non-orthogonal), the body will compensate in other ways to keep the heavy head centered over your feet. The other spinal vertebrae and the muscles in your neck, torso and lower back will alter their normal position and function in response (just like the marching band reacting to the position of the first member). Now you’ve created a situation where there may be excessive pressure on certain nerves, muscle spasms and tissue inflammation which can cause pain and dysfunction in other areas of the body.

Hopefully you are starting to see why the Atlas Orthogonalist focuses so intently on the atlas. A problem with the atlas alignment can manifest in many other distant places and cause a multitude of problems.

So how does the AO chiropractor restore the proper position of the atlas? By carefully evaluating each patient’s precise atlas position and then programming an instrument to deliver a precise percussive wave to reposition the atlas.

First, an AO-trained chiropractor will take very detailed x-rays that can map the exact position of your atlas. The tilt and rotation of your atlas are as unique to you as your own fingerprints.

Second, an instrument programmed with your exact settings will deliver a painless vibration to the affected area. There is no twisting or cracking.

Since the adjustment is custom-programmed for you it can be simultaneously very gentle and very effective. Some patients that have had traditional chiropractic will often walk away from their first AO treatment thinking that nothing has be accomplished because an AO adjustment is barely felt by the patient.

This article is just a brief introduction to the Atlas Orthogonal technique. When you visit our office, you’ll be able to get answers to all your questions. And after an exam, we’ll be able to talk with you in detail about whether you can benefit from atlas adjustment the same way that tens of thousands of your peers have.
 

Bibliography
 
(n.d.). Retrieved 8 29, 2011, from GlobalAO.com - The Official Site of the Atlas Orthogonal Program: http://globalao.com/
 
(n.d.). Retrieved 08 29, 2011, from Sweat Institute for Atlas Orthogonal Chiropractic: http://www.sweatinstitute.com/content/home.php

Common Causes of Back Pain

Understanding the cause of your back pain is the key to proper treatment.

There are many different underlying conditions that cause back pain. The more common causes of back pain are described below. Don’t try to make your own diagnosis. A trained chiropractor that deals with back pain complaints on a daily basis will know what to look for and what questions to ask you to determine the underlying cause.

1.    Muscle strains and muscle spasms are the most common cause of low back pain.  Patients may or may not remember the initial event that triggered their muscle spasm. Back pain from muscle spasms can be incredibly painful and feel like nerve pain when the muscle tighten and twitch around a key nerve such as the sciatic nerve.

2.    A ruptured intervertebral disc, also called a herniated disc, is another common cause of back pain. The terms ruptured, herniated, slipped and bulging disc don’t really have precise definitions to distinguish one from another and are often used somewhat interchangeably to describe protruding disc material. It is important to note that a large percent of the population is walking around with bulging discs that cause no symptoms, so not every herniated disc warrants treatment or intervention.

3.    Discogenic back pain is the result of damage to the intervertabral disc, but without disc herniation. Diagnosis of discogenic back pain may require the use of a discogram.

4.    Spinal stenosis causes a lot of back pain in the elderly. As we age, the spinal canal can become constricted from arthritis and other conditions.  If the spinal canal becomes too tight, back pain can be the result.

5.    Arthritis most commonly affects joints such as the knees and fingers. However, arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the small joints of the spine. Arthritis of the spine can cause back pain with movement.

6.    Spondylolisthesis causes back pain because adjacent vertebra become unstable and begin to "slip."  The most common cause of spondylolisthesis are degenerative changes causing loss of the normal stabilizing structures of the spinal column. 

As stated earlier, backaches are hard to self-diagnose. The causes listed above are just a few of more common possibilities. If you suffer from acute or chronic backaches, consult a qualified chiropractor for a complete exam.