Techniques

Not all techniques are appropriate for all patients. Dr. Kaster utilizes several techniques depending on the patient’s needs and diagnosis. Most of the time more than one technique is used during a treatment. The following techniques are used: Diversified, Thompson, Activator, Flexion / Distraction, and Axial Distraction. In addition, to Myofascial Release, Ischemic Compression, and Therapeutic Stretching.

Diversified Technique

• The Diversified Technique is considered manual manipulation with gentle to medium impulse. Audibles are usually heard during this treatment and the sound is nitrogen gas releasing from the patient’s joints.




Thompson Technique

• The Thompson Technique uses a mechanical table or toggle board that has what is termed a drop mechanism. A gentle to medium impulse is delivered to a given body part and the drop mechanism releases and stops. This allows the joint to mobilize, rarely an audible is heard with this technique.




Activator Technique

• The Activator Technique uses a device that has the appearance of a “gun” or “clicker” as patients will describe. The device can be adjusted to increase or decrease the impulse delivered. This is used with patients who do not tolerate manual manipulation or in elderly patients where there is a concern for osteoperosis.




Flexion / Distraction Technique

• The Flexion / Distraction Technique uses a table that allows the doctor to stretch the thoracic (middle back) spine, however, its primary use is for the lumbosacral (lower back) region. This enables the doctor to open up the joints in the spine, stretch the muscles of the lower back- especially the quadratus lumborum, and create a negative pressure over the discs of the lumbar spine that in some cases helps retract a herniated, or protruded disc. Axial traction is usually applied at the same time; this helps to increase the stretch over the lower back.

Axial Distraction

• Vertebral axial distraction/decompression is a relatively new technique in the non-surgical treatment of disk and stenosis conditions. It works by decompressing the disks of the neck or the lower back to relieve pressure on the nerve caused by disk herniations, degenerative disk/joint disease (stenosis), sciatica, radiculitis, or facet syndromes.

Myofascial Release

• Myofascial release is a form of soft tissue therapy used to treat somatic dysfunction and resulting pain and restriction of motion. It is a treatment which uses continual palpatory feedback to achieve release of myofascial tissues. This is accomplished by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation and lymphatic drainage, and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles and overlying fascia.

Ischemic Compression

• Ischemic compression is a therapy technique used in physical therapy, where blockage of blood in an area of the body is deliberately made, so that a resurgence of local blood flow will occur upon release. It is commonly applied to trigger points, in what is known as trigger point therapy, where enough sustained pressure is applied to a trigger point with a tolerable amount of pain, and as discomfort is reduced, additional pressure is gradually given.

Therapuetic Stretching

• Therapeutic stretching is an adjuctive therapy within a chiropractic treatment used to help manage pain, rehabilitate damaged soft tissues (such as muscles, ligament and tendons), and restore normal range of motion and function.

Specialized Techniques




Manipulation Under Anesthesia

• MUA is a non-invasive, highly-specialized technique performed by trained chiropractic physicians who work with anesthesiologists. After medical clearance, the patient is sedated to achieve a state of relaxation. This state of relaxation allows the doctor to complete a series of adjustments and stretching movements without patient apprehension or muscle guarding. The results for properly selected patients are phenomenal.




Neurodiagnostics / Electrodiagnosis

• Neurodiagnostics, also known as Electrodiagnosis or Electro-Neurodiagnostics, END, is the study and recording of activity in the brain and nervous system to determine if they are functioning correctly. Dr. Kaster assists physicians in the diagnosis of conditions including epilepsy, vascular disease, multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, head trauma and many more. All of our studies are performed with the latest diagnostic equipment.