Atlas Orthogonal (AO) Procedure

An upper cervical specific chiropractic technique that utilises a gentle, calibrated instrument to correct misalignments of the atlas (C1 vertebra), relative to the skull base (occipital bone). Specialized upper cervical x-rays are required in order to determine the angles and set-up for correction.

Due to its nature, the AO procedure is gentle, specific and reproducible.

Misalignment of the Atlas bone has been shown to negatively affect the hydrodynamics of the central nervous system (i.e., the normal blood and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] movements of the brain and spinal cord) by applying direct tension to the brain stem and the delicate neurovascular structures that support it.

Strain at this level of the nervous system can alter our postural reflexes leading to distortions and structural pains elsewhere in the body. Furthermore, failure of the normal cranial hydrodynamics has been implicated as a potentially contributory factor in a variety of neurodegenerative conditions and pain syndromes – the ramifications of which are still under investigation.