
The activator method can be used alone, or it can be combined with other methods of adjustment. Barnes is pleased to be able to offer chiropractic treatment to these patients through the activator method. Because this group of patients commonly experiences pain and stiffness in their joints, many of them are searching for a method of drug-free pain relief. For geriatric patients, who may be frail and may therefore not feel comfortable with spinal manipulation done in the traditional way, the activator method allows them to receive chiropractic adjustments. One advantage of the activator technique is that it can be gentler than other methods of adjustment. The original activator is a mechanical, spring-loaded device, and an electronic version is now also available. Using the activator allows the amount of force used in an adjustment to be precisely controlled, and delivered in a concentrated fashion to a specific area. The force can be customized for each patient, depending on that person’s needs and overall medical situation.

The chiropractor sets the amount of force used by the device. The activator is a small, handheld device, which delivers a concentrated but gentle force to a specific area of the body through a comfortable rubber tip. This instrument is the only device specifically approved by Medicare for use in chiropractic adjustment.

This method uses a tool called the Activator Adjusting Instrument, often referred to simply as an activator. It can be used on its own as an alternative to the traditional diversified method, or the two can be used together.

The activator method is one way for a chiropractor to perform adjustments.
