Plain definitions of 35 terms we use on the job in Decatur.
Term Index
Open any term below for a dedicated definition page.
An Adjustment Table is a padded chiropractic table designed to support your body during a spinal or joint adjustment. Its sections may move, drop, tilt, or stay fixed as the chiropractor works. The table helps place your body in a stable position and gives the chiropractor access to the area being treated.
Also called: Chiropractic table
An Annular Tear is a split or crack in the annulus, the tough outer ring of a spinal disc. The injury may allow the softer inner disc material to press toward the outer edge. An annular tear can occur with disc wear or sudden strain, and it may appear with back or neck symptoms.
Also called: Annular fissure
Anterior Pelvic Tilt is a forward rotation of the pelvis that changes the position of the lower back and hips. This posture pattern may make the abdomen appear forward and increase the lower back’s inward curve. Sitting habits, muscle tension, and limited hip movement can affect how strongly the pattern appears during standing or movement.
Also called: Lower crossed syndrome
Atlas is the first cervical vertebra at the top of the spine. It supports the skull and connects the head to the neck. Unlike most vertebrae, Atlas has a ring-like shape and lacks a typical vertebral body. Its joints help the head nod, turn, and balance over the neck.
Also called: C1 vertebra
Axis is the upper-neck vertebra that supports head movement and connects with the atlas, the vertebra above it. Its peg-shaped dens fits into the atlas and helps the head turn from side to side. In neck pain care, the axis is assessed as part of the upper cervical spine and nearby joints.
Also called: C2 vertebra
Cervical Lordosis is the natural inward curve of the neck’s spinal bones. This curve helps position the head over the shoulders and supports normal neck movement. Its shape can vary between people and may change with posture, injury, muscle tension, or spinal changes. An assessment considers the curve alongside symptoms and function.
Also called: Neck curve
Cervical Radiculopathy is a condition caused by irritation or pressure on a nerve root in the neck. It can send pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness from the neck into the shoulder, arm, or hand. Symptoms usually follow the path of the affected nerve and may change with neck movement.
Also called: Pinched nerve in the neck
A Cobb Angle is a measurement used to describe the sideways curve of the spine. Clinicians draw lines along selected vertebrae on a spinal image, then measure the angle where those lines meet. The result helps describe scoliosis and track changes in spinal alignment over time.
Also called: Cobb measurement
A disc bulge is a change in a spinal disc where the outer layer extends beyond its usual border. The disc may press near nearby nerves, but a bulge does not always cause symptoms. Symptoms can include back pain, neck pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness, depending on its location and effect.
Also called: Bulging disc
Disc Desiccation is a process in which spinal discs lose water and become less flexible. The change often develops with aging or repeated stress. A drier disc may have less height and may show on imaging. Disc desiccation can occur with other disc changes, but it does not by itself prove pain or nerve pressure.
Also called: Degenerative disc dehydration
Diversified Technique is a hands-on chiropractic adjustment method that uses a quick, controlled thrust to improve movement in a targeted joint. The chiropractor positions the body to direct force toward a specific area. The method may be adapted for the spine or other joints after an assessment of movement and comfort.
Also called: Diversified method
Effleurage is a massage method that uses smooth, gliding strokes across the body. A practitioner may use the palms, fingertips, or broad hand contact. The strokes usually follow the shape of the treated area and may help warm the surface tissues, spread massage lotion, and prepare the body for deeper hands-on work.
Also called: Gliding massage
A facet joint is a small synovial joint between the back parts of neighboring spinal bones. Facet joints guide and limit spinal movement while helping the spine stay stable. Each joint has smooth cartilage and a surrounding capsule that allows controlled motion in the neck, mid-back, and lower back.
Also called: Zygapophyseal joint
Forward Head Posture is a postural pattern in which the head rests in front of the shoulders instead of stacking comfortably above them. The position can change the balance of the neck, upper back, and shoulder muscles. People may notice a rounded upper back, neck tension, or difficulty keeping the head aligned during daily activities.
Also called: Text neck
Functional Scoliosis is a temporary spinal curve caused by factors outside the spine, such as uneven leg position, muscle imbalance, or poor posture. The curve may change when the person shifts position or the underlying cause is addressed. Unlike structural scoliosis, the spinal bones usually keep their normal shape.
Also called: Nonstructural scoliosis
Gait Analysis is a structured review of how you walk or run. It examines foot placement, stride, balance, joint motion, and timing during movement. A clinician may watch your steps, use video, or assess motion by hand. The findings can help connect movement changes with sports injuries and guide treatment planning.
Also called: Walking assessment
Gonstead Technique is a chiropractic adjustment approach that examines spinal alignment and joint motion before care. The method uses hands-on checks, posture review, and other clinical findings to guide a focused adjustment. Its goal is to address a specific joint area with a controlled motion that matches the examination.
Also called: Gonstead method
Infant Torticollis is a condition that limits an infant’s neck movement and causes the head to tilt or turn toward one side. The condition often relates to tightness in a neck muscle. Babies may show a preferred head position, uneven movement, or trouble turning toward one direction during daily activities.
Also called: Wry neck in babies
An Instrument-Assisted Adjustment is a chiropractic technique that uses a handheld tool to deliver a controlled force to a joint or nearby tissue. The tool helps the chiropractor target a specific area without using a hands-on thrust. The technique may support joint motion and can be selected when a focused, gentle approach fits the person's needs.
Also called: Activator adjustment
Joint Mobility is the amount and quality of movement available at a joint. It depends on the joint’s structure, nearby muscles, connective tissue, and nervous system control. A joint with healthy mobility moves smoothly within its normal range. Limited mobility may affect how nearby body parts move during daily activities.
Also called: Joint range of motion
Kinesiology Tape is a flexible, adhesive strip placed on the skin to support movement and body awareness during activity. The tape stretches with the body and may provide gentle sensory feedback over a muscle or joint. It does not brace an area firmly or replace an evaluation of the underlying injury.
Also called: KT tape
Lumbar Lordosis is the natural inward curve of the lower spine. This curve helps the spine share weight and support movement between the pelvis and upper body. The curve may look more or less pronounced from person to person. Posture, pelvic position, muscle balance, and spinal structure can affect its appearance.
Also called: Lower back curve
A muscle spasm is a sudden, involuntary tightening of muscle tissue that may feel hard, painful, or difficult to relax. Spasms can affect the back, neck, or other body areas. They may follow strain, irritation, poor posture, or prolonged activity, and they can limit normal movement for a time.
Also called: Muscle cramp
Myofascial Release is a hands-on soft-tissue method that applies steady pressure and slow strokes to areas of tightness. The approach focuses on fascia, the thin connective tissue around muscles. Practitioners use it to help restricted tissues move more freely and to support comfortable motion during services such as deep tissue massage.
Also called: Fascial release
Nerve Compression is pressure on a nerve or the tissues around it that can disrupt normal nerve signals. The pressure may come from a bulging disc, narrowed space, swelling, or tight nearby muscles. In the lower back, compression can affect the sciatic nerve and cause pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness along its path.
Also called: Nerve entrapment
Petrissage is a massage method that kneads, lifts, squeezes, or rolls soft tissue with the hands. The technique aims to move muscle layers and surrounding tissue in a controlled way. Practitioners may vary pressure and pace based on the area being treated, the person’s comfort, and the purpose of the session.
Also called: Kneading massage
Prenatal Chiropractic is a form of chiropractic care adapted for people during pregnancy. It focuses on comfortable movement, spinal alignment, and joint function as the body changes. Care may include a health history, movement checks, and gentle hands-on techniques selected for the person’s stage of pregnancy and physical needs.
Also called: Pregnancy chiropractic
Proprioception is the body’s sense of position and movement. Signals from muscles, joints, tendons, and skin tell the brain where body parts are without looking. This sense helps you control balance, coordination, and force during activities such as running, landing, lifting, or changing direction after a sports injury.
Also called: Body position awareness
Range Of Motion is the amount and direction a joint can move through its available path. A clinician may check movement while you move on your own or while the joint receives gentle guidance. The finding can show changes in joint mobility, muscle control, or comfort during tasks such as turning your head.
Also called: ROM
Sciatic Nerve is the largest nerve in the body and runs from the lower spine through the pelvis and buttocks into each leg. The nerve carries signals between the spinal cord and leg muscles and skin. Pressure or irritation along this path can cause pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in the lower body.
Also called: Ischiadic nerve
Soft Tissue Mobilization is a hands-on method that applies focused pressure and movement to muscles, tendons, fascia, and other soft tissues. The goal is to improve tissue movement, reduce tightness, and support comfortable motion. A trained provider may use the hands, forearms, or simple tools during services such as Sports Massage.
Also called: Soft tissue therapy
Spinal traction is a controlled pulling force applied along the spine to create gentle space between spinal structures. A practitioner or device may provide the force. The method can reduce pressure and improve movement during care, but its use depends on your symptoms, exam findings, and treatment plan.
Also called: Traction therapy
A trigger point is a tight, sensitive spot within a muscle that may cause local pain or refer discomfort to another area. Pressure on the spot can reveal increased muscle tension. Trigger points may develop after overuse, strain, poor posture, or prolonged muscle stress, and massage may address the surrounding tissue.
Also called: Muscle knot
Vertebral Subluxation is a chiropractic term for a change in how a spinal joint moves, aligns, or functions. Chiropractors assess it through a health history, physical examination, posture, movement, and other clinical findings. The term does not always mean that a bone has moved out of place or that a nerve is compressed.
Also called: Chiropractic subluxation
Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic approach used during pregnancy to assess and address sacral and pelvic joint function. A chiropractor applies gentle, targeted care based on the person’s physical findings and comfort. The technique focuses on musculoskeletal balance and does not involve turning or repositioning the fetus.
Also called: Webster protocol
