The Activator Method / Edition 2

by Arlan W. Fuhr DC

Overview

From basic scan protocols to advanced assessment procedures, THE ACTIVATOR METHOD, 2nd Edition discusses the Activator Method Chiropractic Technique (AMCT) in an easy-to-understand, how-to approach. This updated 2nd edition covers all aspects of the controlled low-force analytical and adjusting system, from the history of the technique to in-depth examinations of body structures. It also features expanded content on supportive subjects from seven new contributors, discussing topics such as activator and instrument adjusting history, instrument reliability in the literature, the neurology of pain and inflammation, temporal mandibular disorders, and leg length reactivity.

• UNIQUE! As the only Activator Method textbook in the field, it is known as the standard reference in Activator.
• Expert author, Dr. Arlan Fuhr, is a co-founder of the AMCT, bringing his unparalleled expertise to the subject.
• Brand new full-color photos detail assessment procedures, specific anatomical contact points, and lines of drive to clearly show procedures for easier learning.
• Clinical Observations boxes share the author’s knowledge from years of experience and provide tips on analysis of certain conditions and suggestions for atypical cases.
• Summary tables in each clinical chapter allow you to quickly access pertinent information.
• Step-by-step instruction throughout the Instrumentation section helps you understand the principles of the technique.

• Appendix: Activator Quick Notes for Basic and Advanced Protocol provides at-a-glance reviews of important points and things to remember when performing basic and advanced protocols.
• A new chapter on leg length analysis procedures offers comprehensive coverage of this critical step in using the Activator Method.
• Seven new contributors bring fresh insight to AMCT.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780323048521
Publisher:	Elsevier Health Sciences
Publication date:	01/24/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	592
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 10.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Section I: Introduction to the Activator Method

1. History of a Technique System

2. Chiropractic Science: Toward Understanding Spinal Manipulation

3. Variability of Force Magnitude and Force Duration in Manual and Instrument-Based Manipulation Techniques

4. Pain Mechanisms and Control

Section II: Clinical Observations and Advanced Assessment Procedures

5. Leg Length Reactivity

6. The Activator Method Analytical Technique

Section III: Instrumentation

7. The Activator Method Basic Scan Protocol

8. Additional Tests for the Sacrum, Pelvis, and Related Structures

9. Additional Tests for the Hip and Related Structures

10. Additional Lumbar Tests and Adjustments

11. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Thoracic Vertebrae and Ribs

12. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Cervical Spine

13. The Temporomandibular Joint

14. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Knee and Related Structures

15. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Foot and Ankle

16. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Shoulder and Related Structures

17. Additional Tests and Adjustments for the Elbow, Wrist, and Hand

Appendix: Activator Quick Notes for Basic and Advanced Protocols

Glossary

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Improve your skills with this concise how-to guide to the Activator Method Chiropractic Technique.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Dana J Lawrence, DC, MMedEd, MA (Parker University)
Description: This is an update of a well accepted book about a common form of chiropractic technique used across the profession. It is completely reorganized and includes significant new material. The last edition was published 10 years ago, making this a much-needed revision.
Purpose: The purpose is to update the science regarding the use and practice of the activator technique, with the addition of hundreds of references from the modern scientific literature as prepared by leading scientists and practitioners in chiropractic. Given that the in the first edition, there were far fewer references and a far smaller body of science, this is a much needed update.
Audience: This book is written for both practitioners and students. It has application in the field as a useful technique-based text, and it can be used as the basis for teaching in the chiropractic college setting. And now, with some cross-disciplinary research underway, it may also find use in PMR and dental settings. Dr. Fuhr is the originator and developer of the activator technique and must be considered its leading practitioner. There is literally no one more credible.
Features: While some space is devoted to the historical development of the technique, the main focus of this book is on the pragmatics of using the activator method in the practice setting. Therefore, the book first lays out the diagnostic methodologies necessary for using activator techniques, and then provides exquisite detail on the adjustive procedures that are used in the various regions of the body. The activator method is a low-force technique that requires the use of an activator adjusting instrument and a series of analytic/diagnostic procedures. Each one is fully detailed in the book, which is amply illustrated. Toward the end, an appendix describes the activator quick notes system. A glossary of terms is also provided. The artwork is in color, and the paper quality is very high, so the clarity of illustrations is high as well. This is a good-looking book as well as a useful one.
Assessment: This new edition is a substantially better book than the first edition, and that was a very good book. What has helped this edition to be more useful is that several chapters are given over to an understanding of the basic science involved in the use of manipulation, of how forces introduced into the body are processed, and how pain can be controlled. By providing this essential information, the clinical applications can be contextualized better, making the application of the various procedures easier to understand. A great deal of time, money, and energy went into this book; it is very well produced. Dr. Fuhr and colleagues have taken care to ensure that their science is up to date, with references cited in far higher numbers than in the first edition. This will be an essential teaching tool in chiropractic colleges. It is an essential purchase for anyone with an interest in a low-force form of chiropractic manipulation.

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