The Gonstead Chiropractic Examination

A thorough examination is an important part of the Gonstead Chiropractic System. Rather than simply looking for the location of pain, a Gonstead examination is designed to identify specific areas of the spine that may be affecting normal movement, posture, and nervous system function.

At NoVA Gonstead Chiropractic, Dr. Kang uses a detailed, systematic examination to understand each patient's condition and determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate.

What Is a Gonstead Examination?

The Gonstead examination is a detailed evaluation of the spine and musculoskeletal system. It combines several examination procedures to identify areas of spinal dysfunction and determine which findings are clinically significant.

The examination may include:

• Detailed health and symptom history
• Postural analysis
• Range-of-motion testing
• Orthopedic and neurological examination
• Instrumentation
• Static and motion palpation
• Visualization of the spine and posture
• X-ray evaluation when clinically appropriate

The purpose is not simply to find where it hurts. Pain can occur away from the underlying source of a mechanical problem. A detailed examination helps the chiropractor understand the relationship between your symptoms, spinal structure, movement, and other physical findings.

1. Detailed Patient History

The examination begins with a conversation about your current condition and health history.

Dr. Kang may ask about:

• Where your symptoms are located
• When the problem began
• How the symptoms started
• Activities or positions that make your symptoms better or worse
• Previous injuries or accidents
• Previous chiropractic or medical treatment
• Previous surgeries
• Changes in your symptoms over time
• Other relevant health information

Understanding how a problem developed can provide important information before the physical examination begins.

2. Postural Analysis

Posture can provide valuable information about how the body is functioning.

During the examination, Dr. Kang may evaluate the patient's standing posture from different views, looking for structural and postural changes such as:

• Head and neck position
• Shoulder and pelvic alignment
• Spinal curves
• Weight distribution
• Rotational patterns
• Changes in normal posture

Postural findings are considered together with the patient's symptoms and other examination findings rather than being used alone to determine a diagnosis.

3. Range-of-Motion Testing

Normal spinal movement is important for everyday activities.

Dr. Kang may evaluate active and passive movement of the spine to determine whether particular movements are restricted, painful, or otherwise abnormal.

Depending on the patient's condition, the examination may include evaluation of:

• Cervical spine movement
• Thoracic spine movement
• Lumbar spine movement
• Pelvic movement
• Extremity movement

Differences between sides and changes in movement can provide additional information about the patient's condition.

4. Neurological and Orthopedic Examination

When appropriate, neurological and orthopedic tests are performed to evaluate the patient's nervous system, strength, sensation, reflexes, and musculoskeletal function.

These examinations may help determine whether symptoms could be associated with conditions requiring medical evaluation or additional diagnostic testing.

If examination findings suggest that chiropractic care may not be appropriate, or that additional medical evaluation is necessary, appropriate referral may be recommended.

5. Gonstead Instrumentation

Instrumentation is one of the examination procedures commonly associated with the Gonstead System.

A Nervoscope or similar instrumentation may be used to evaluate changes in temperature along the spine. These findings are considered together with the patient's history, palpation findings, posture, and other examination information.

Instrumentation is not used by itself to diagnose a condition or determine treatment.

6. Palpation

Palpation allows the chiropractor to evaluate the spine and surrounding tissues directly.

The Gonstead examination may include both static palpation and motion palpation.

Dr. Kang may evaluate:

• Spinal position
• Joint movement
• Tissue texture
• Tenderness
• Muscle tension
• Restricted motion
• Changes associated with specific spinal segments

These findings are compared with information obtained from the patient's history and other examination procedures.

7. X-Ray Examination When Appropriate

In selected cases, spinal X-rays may provide additional information about the patient's structure and condition.

When clinically appropriate, X-rays may help evaluate:

• Spinal alignment
• Vertebral position
• Spinal curvature
• Degenerative changes
• Structural abnormalities
• Previous injuries
• Other findings that may affect the approach to care

X-rays are not necessary for every patient. When imaging is recommended, the decision should be based on the patient's history and clinical examination.

At NoVA Gonstead Chiropractic, X-ray findings are reviewed together with the physical examination rather than being considered separately.

Putting the Findings Together

One of the important principles of the Gonstead approach is that individual examination findings should be considered together.

For example, a patient may have back pain, but the location of pain alone does not necessarily identify which spinal segment is involved. The patient's history, posture, range of motion, neurological and orthopedic findings, palpation, instrumentation, and imaging—when appropriate—can provide a more complete picture.

The goal is to identify the findings that are most relevant to the patient's condition and develop an appropriate care plan.

Your Examination at NoVA Gonstead Chiropractic

At NoVA Gonstead Chiropractic, Dr. Kang takes a detailed approach to each patient's examination.

Your first visit is focused on understanding your condition and performing an appropriate examination. When X-rays are taken, Dr. Kang reviews the images along with the examination findings before discussing the recommended approach to care.

In most cases, the Report of Findings is performed on the following visit, allowing time to carefully review the examination and X-ray findings when applicable. If a patient is experiencing significant acute pain and an adjustment is clinically appropriate, an adjustment may be performed during the first visit, with the Report of Findings provided afterward.

Every patient is different, and the examination and recommendations are based on the individual's history and clinical findings.

What Happens After the Gonstead Examination?

After completing the examination and reviewing the findings, Dr. Kang will explain:

• What was found during the examination
• How the findings may relate to your symptoms
• Whether chiropractic care is appropriate
• What type of care may be recommended
• What you can reasonably expect from care
• Whether additional medical evaluation or referral is appropriate

The goal is for you to understand your condition and your available care options before beginning a treatment plan.

Looking for a Gonstead Chiropractor in Northern Virginia?

If you are experiencing back pain, neck pain, headaches, sciatica, joint problems, or other musculoskeletal symptoms, a detailed examination can help determine what may be contributing to your condition.

NoVA Gonstead Chiropractic provides Gonstead chiropractic care in Fairfax and serves patients from throughout Northern Virginia, including Fairfax, Chantilly, Centreville, Burke, Annandale, and Falls Church.