“The bones of the spine fit together so perfectly, that the openings totally protect the nerve trunks, unless something happens. Something that Chiropractors are concerned with. Something called Vertebral Subluxation. Vertebral Subluxation is what is called when one of the bones in the spine, instead of being in the proper position protecting nerves slips out of place-just a tiniest bit. Just enough to cause a breakdown in the communications between the central nerve system and the glands that are supposed to be controlled by the central nerve system.” -Reggie Gold

The definition of health is important when it comes to understanding that well-being or function is the entity and dis-ease is the non-entity. When the body is compensating at any level or region, it’s due to an absence of well-being or function. Health is the state of complete well-being regardless of the absence of dis-ease. The reason this is important to grasp is in order to locate and analyze for vertebral subluxation, objective neuromusculoskeletal indicators must be utilized. Advanced Muscle Palpation does just that, it includes valid indicators that allow the location, analysis and facilitation of correction of vertebral subluxation to occur.

When the body heals or creates new well-being through the recuperative power of the body, well-being within the body takes over and drives out dis-ease. The manifestation of dis-ease or compensation is only perceivable with the absence of health or normal function. That means when people walk into your Chiropractic practice with vertebral subluxation, they are coming in with an absence of health and well-being and the adjustment restores them to a higher quality of life. You’re adding more to their well-being, not removing something.

The viewpoint of Advanced Muscle Palpation is that health and well-being are the entity and dis-ease is the non-entity. I recommend to my clients that investing into their quality of life regardless of how they “feel” will produce the greatest return on your investment in order to analyze and locate vertebral subluxation regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. Dysfunction can and does occur without pain or symptoms. Vertebral subluxation does and can occur without headaches, neck pain or back pain.

If recommendations are made for consistent visits to evaluate for vertebral subluxation, valid indicators must be used for proper analysis of vertebral subluxation that will consistently be present when vertebral subluxation is there and they must decrease in essence after the chiropractic adjustment has been facilitated.

Chiropractors are the trained professionals at locating, analyzing and detecting vertebral subluxation and the consensus within the profession is to use a multi-factor authentication approach to locate, analyze and detect vertebral subluxation similar to you providing two or more pieces of evidence to verify your identity for an app or website login. One password, multiple factor approach to support the password. Validity can be met with one valid indicator over a multitude of somewhat good indicators, but when using sound reasoning to define and describe the characteristics of vertebral subluxation we find that there are multiple factors that define the presence and absence of vertebral subluxation so taking that into account will deduce that having a valid indicator with multiple supporting factors for authentication will support your analysis with more consistency.

Advanced Muscle Palpation is built upon the quality of being logical through the conclusion that vertebral subluxation creates a neural segmental reflex arc so that the inner recuperative power of the body can bring about control of the neurodynamics that were lost with the presence of vertebral subluxation. 

Here are the neuromusculoskeletal indicators for vertebral subluxation that can be consistently utilized through Advanced Muscle Palpation for locating, analyzing and detecting vertebral subluxation:

1. The first neuromusculoskeletal indicator in Advanced Muscle Palpation is asymmetry. Segmental Asymmetry can be analyzed within the spine through observation or palpation. Analysis of segmental asymmetry includes observation and palpation of occipital condyles, articular pillars, transverse processes, spinous processes, mammillary processes, iliac crests and sacral base and apex. Along with observation and palpation of spinous landmarks, soft tissue or tonal asymmetry must be utilized to create a valid indication of vertebral subluxation. 
2. The second neuromusculoskeletal indicator in Advanced Muscle Palpation is abnormal passive segmental range of motion. Abnormal passive segmental range of motion can be found in restriction with end-play. Passive range of motion is accomplished when the spine is at rest and the Chiropractor facilitates motion within the spinal joint. This allows the segmental stabilizing muscles to be at rest and produces a greater indicator of vertebral subluxation. End play is encountered at the end of the passive range of motion. Resistance in passive segmental range of motion identifies abnormal facet joint function and along with asymmetry and increased or working spinal musculature tone creates a valid indicator of vertebral subluxation.
3. The third neuromusculoskeletal indicator in Advanced Muscle Palpation is increased or working spinal musculature tone. Alteration in the tone of soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments and tendons create a neurological indicator which is the third leg to the stool and necessary indicator to confirm the neural spinal reflex arc is occuring at that segment.  Alteration with tone is a direct correlation with alteration with neurological expression through the tissue. When one vertebra misaligns from juxtaposition lengthening spinal segmental muscles attached to the vertebra and occluding a neural canal, the muscle spindles within these muscle stabilizers are stretched and afferent transmission is stimulated. The joint receptors create an impulse, informing the brain of the independent malposition and compromise of the neural canal. The surrounding joint spinal muscles are then activated via the stretch reflex to “work” which increases the tone.  Segmental activity produces a distinct paravertebral muscular pattern of tension. Subtle resiliency can be palpated in this increased muscle tone. 
4. The fourth and variable neuromusculoskeletal indicator in Advanced Muscle Palpation is somatic sensation or perception of actual or potential tissue damage through tenderness, discomfort or pain. Somatic sensation or perception of injury most often is expressed through subjective communication by the person who is receiving the evaluation for vertebral subluxation. Trauma, either micro or macro in quantitative forces can and does create vertebral subluxation and taking this into account can lend itself to proper analysis of spinal dynamics for vertebral subluxation.

Advanced Muscle Palpation’s neuromusculoskeletal indicators for vertebral subluxation are directly related to the body’s ability to adapt to stress and the law of demand and supply that’s taking place within their physiology. The neural segmental spinal reflex arc is the password to analysis for vertebral subluxation and using neuromusculoskeletal indicators to characterize and support your analysis creates an uniformity for pre and post check inter and intra reliability. 

Chiropractors have an objective to locate, analyze and facilitate the correction of vertebral subluxation so the neurological communication within the body is optimal, thereby allowing the full expression of the body’s Innate Intelligence, allowing the law of demand and supply in the body to be in its ideal state; which promotes a higher quality of life or more well-being.