Abstract
Objective: To determine whether a vectored adjustment of the atlas in patients identified as
demonstrating signs of upper cervical joint dysfunction would cause lowering of blood
pressure in comparison with resting controls. Design: Test 1: controlled clinical trial with a treatment (adjustment) group and a control
(resting) group. Test 2: controlled clinical trial with subjects serving as their
own controls. Setting: Private chiropractic practice. Participants: Test 1: Forty established patients demonstrating signs of upper cervical subluxation/joint
dysfunction and 40 established patients without such signs. Test 2: Thirty established
patients demonstrating signs of upper cervical subluxation/joint dysfunction. Intervention: Specific, vectored upper cervical (atlas) adjustment or similarly positioned resting.
Main Outcome Measures: Prerest, postrest, and postadjustment systolic, diastolic, and pulse rates as recorded
through use of a digital oscillometric sphygmomanometer. Results: In test 1, subjects receiving adjustment had a significant (P <.001) decrease in systolic blood pressure whereas resting subjects did not. Intergroup
comparison of the treatment (adjustment) and control (resting) groups demonstrated
a significant difference (P <.001). A greater pre/post drop in systolic pressure was associated with greater
age and higher initial systolic pressure. In test 2, the pre/postrest change in systolic
blood pressure was not significant. The systolic blood pressure changed significantly
(P <.001) from postrest readings to postadjustment readings. Conclusion: The results indicate that palpation and vectored atlas adjustment causes a significant
decrease in systolic blood pressure in patients with putative upper cervical subluxation/joint
dysfunction in comparison with resting controls. Similar results were also demonstrated
when subjects acted as their own controls. The lack of randomization, blinding, and
a manipulated control group are factors that weaken these findings. The sudden drop
in systolic pressure is proposed to be due to stimulation of the cervicosympathetic
reflex or moderation of muscle tone and elimination of the effects of the pressor
reflex. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2001;24:101-9)
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Received in revised form:
February 7,
2000
Received:
October 25,
1999
Footnotes
*Submit reprint requests to: Gary A. Knutson, DC, 840 W. 17th Street, Suite 5, Bloomington, IN 47404.
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 JMPT. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
