Not all chiropractic care looks the same. At Family Health Chiropractic Clinic, we use a range of evidence-informed techniques — each selected based on your specific condition, age, body type, and treatment goals. You will never receive a one-size-fits-all adjustment at our clinic. This page explains the main techniques we use and why we choose them.
Our Chiropractic Techniques
1. Koren Specific Technique (KST)
Koren Specific Technique is a gentle, instrument-assisted chiropractic method that uses a small hand-held tool called the ArthroStim to deliver precise, low-force impulses to specific spinal and cranial structures. Unlike traditional high-velocity manipulation, KST requires no twisting, popping, or forceful movement — making it ideal for patients who are nervous about traditional adjustments, those with osteoporosis, elderly patients, and children.
KST allows the chiropractor to work with great precision, targeting specific segments of the spine and skull that may be contributing to the patient’s problem. Many patients find KST surprisingly gentle yet remarkably effective — particularly for headaches, TMJ issues, and complex spinal conditions where a more sensitive, structural approach is beneficial.
Best for: Patients new to chiropractic, children, seniors, pregnant women, those with osteoporosis, headache and TMJ cases
2. Diversified Technique
Diversified Technique is the most widely practised form of chiropractic adjustment in the world. It involves a specific, controlled manual thrust applied to a spinal or extremity joint to restore proper alignment and movement. The thrust is precisely targeted, typically producing a brief audible “pop” (the sound of gas releasing from the joint) though this is not always present and is not required for the technique to be effective.
Diversified is highly versatile — it can be applied to virtually every joint in the body, from the cervical spine and lumbar vertebrae to the shoulders, wrists, hips, knees, and feet. Your chiropractor uses their hands to identify joint restrictions and delivers a correction directly at that level.
Best for: Back pain, neck pain, joint restrictions throughout the body, adults without contraindications to manual adjustment
3. Activator Method
The Activator Method uses a small spring-loaded instrument — the Activator Adjusting Instrument — to deliver a consistent, controlled low-force impulse to specific joints. The impulse is faster than the body’s defensive muscle contraction reflex, allowing the adjustment to be delivered before the patient can tense up, making it very comfortable and effective.
The Activator Method follows a systematic protocol, assessing leg length inequality and spinal reflexes to identify subluxated levels before adjusting. It is particularly popular with patients who prefer a quieter, gentler adjustment experience — and with those who have had previous bad experiences with forceful manipulation.
Best for: Patients who prefer no “cracking,” elderly patients, acute pain with protective muscle spasm, maintenance care
4. Thompson Drop-Table Technique
Thompson Technique uses a specially designed chiropractic table with sections that can be raised and then “drop” away as the chiropractor applies a thrust. The dropping of the table section actually does most of the work — the chiropractor uses less force, and the joint moves more efficiently through its range of motion.
The drop table technique is particularly effective for pelvic and lumbar spine adjustments, where the drop mechanism can be used to achieve a precise correction with minimal force. It is comfortable, effective, and suitable for a wide range of patients including those who are hesitant about direct manipulation.
Best for: Pelvic misalignment, low back pain, sciatica, patients who prefer reduced manual force
5. Webster Technique (Pregnancy)
The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic protocol developed for use during pregnancy. It focuses on the sacrum and pelvis, using gentle adjustments and soft tissue release to optimise pelvic alignment and reduce tension in the round ligaments and uterine ligaments. By creating a balanced pelvic environment, the Webster Technique supports optimal foetal positioning and reduces the biomechanical stress on the pregnant mother’s spine and pelvis.
Dr Kelvin Ng is certified in the Webster Technique through the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association (ICPA). The technique is safe throughout all trimesters of pregnancy and is particularly popular in the third trimester for managing pelvic girdle pain and supporting foetal positioning.
Best for: Pregnant women at any trimester, pelvic girdle pain, SPD (symphysis pubis dysfunction), supporting optimal foetal positioning
6. Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue therapy — including trigger point release, myofascial release, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilisation (IASTM) — is an essential complement to spinal adjustments in most chiropractic care plans. Tight, shortened, or scarred muscle tissue often develops around a subluxated spinal segment as a protective response. If only the joint is adjusted without addressing the surrounding muscle, the adjustment is less likely to hold.
Our chiropractors use targeted soft tissue techniques to release taut muscles in the neck, shoulders, thoracic spine, hip flexors, and other areas contributing to your spinal problem. This is typically done before or after spinal adjustment as part of an integrated session.
Best for: All patients — particularly those with significant muscle tension, chronic pain, repetitive strain injuries, and sports-related soft tissue injuries
7. Postural Rehabilitation and Corrective Exercise
Chiropractic adjustments correct the structural problem; corrective exercises ensure it stays corrected. Our chiropractors prescribe specific therapeutic exercises tailored to your condition — typically a small number of targeted movements rather than a generic gym programme. The goal is to retrain postural muscles, improve stability of the adjusted segments, and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Common postural exercises we prescribe include: chin tucks and cervical retraction (for tech neck and forward head posture), thoracic extension exercises (for upper back rounding and kyphosis), bird-dog and dead bug exercises (for lumbar stabilisation), and hip flexor stretches (for anterior pelvic tilt and low back pain).
Best for: Postural correction, scoliosis management, long-term rehabilitation, preventing recurrence of back and neck pain
How We Choose the Right Chiropractic Technique for You
Technique selection is not arbitrary. At your first visit, your chiropractor performs a thorough physical examination — including postural assessment, range of motion testing, orthopaedic and neurological testing, and spinal palpation — before deciding which approach will be most effective for your condition. Several factors guide this decision:
- Nature and severity of the problem — an acute disc herniation is managed very differently from chronic postural pain
- Patient age and bone density — techniques are modified for children, elderly patients, and those with osteoporosis
- Pregnancy — specific pregnancy-safe positions and techniques are always used with expectant mothers
- Patient preference — some patients prefer gentle, instrument-assisted techniques; others tolerate and prefer manual adjustment
- Response to previous care — what worked well before guides us to what is likely to work again
You will always be informed about what technique your chiropractor is planning to use and why, and you can ask questions or request an alternative approach at any time.
Conditions We Commonly Treat
Our range of chiropractic techniques allows us to effectively address a wide variety of conditions, including:
- Back pain — acute and chronic, disc-related and muscular
- Neck pain — tech neck, cervicogenic headache, cervical disc problems
- Sciatica — nerve pain radiating down the leg from lumbar compression
- Headaches and migraines — tension-type and cervicogenic headaches
- Shoulder pain — rotator cuff dysfunction, frozen shoulder, cervical referral
- Posture correction — forward head carriage, thoracic kyphosis, scoliosis management
- Pregnancy care — pelvic girdle pain, SPD, third-trimester positioning
- Paediatric care — infant adjustments, colic, growing pains, teen posture
Frequently Asked Questions About Chiropractic Techniques
Do all chiropractic adjustments involve cracking or popping?
No. Many of the techniques we use at Family Health Chiropractic produce no sound at all. The Activator Method, KST, Thompson drop, and most soft tissue techniques are completely silent. Even with Diversified manual adjustment, the audible cavitation is not always present and is not necessary for effective treatment. If you are concerned about sound or sensation, just let us know and we will choose a technique that suits your preference.
What is the difference between a chiropractic adjustment and manipulation?
These terms are often used interchangeably, but technically a “manipulation” refers to a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust applied to a joint, while “adjustment” is a broader chiropractic term that encompasses both high-velocity and low-force correction techniques. At our clinic, both words refer to the same corrective process — restoring optimal alignment and movement to a spinal or peripheral joint.
Are chiropractic techniques safe for children?
Yes — when performed by a chiropractor trained in paediatric technique. Chiropractic for infants and children uses entirely different techniques from adult care: extremely low-force instrument-based methods or fingertip pressure, with no manual thrusting. Our chiropractors are ICPA-certified in paediatric chiropractic and adapt every technique to the patient’s age, size, and developmental stage.
How do I know which technique will work best for me?
Your chiropractor will determine this based on your examination findings and health history. You don’t need to know in advance — just come in for your first assessment and we will explain our recommended approach, with reasons, before we begin.