The Gonstead System

Gonstead Chiropractic

Detailed assessment. Specific adjustments. Individualised care.

Book an Appointment →
Close detail of the chiropractor's hand contact during a Gonstead adjustment

At Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic, we practise the Gonstead System, a detailed and systematic approach to chiropractic developed by Dr Clarence S. Gonstead.

Every patient begins with a thorough consultation and examination to understand their symptoms, medical history and individual needs. Using the findings from the assessment, your Gonstead chiropractor determines whether chiropractic care is appropriate and which areas may require attention.

Where indicated, specific Gonstead adjustments are delivered using carefully selected techniques and positioning appropriate to your individual circumstances.

Our approach is built on a simple principle: understanding your condition before recommending treatment.

Understanding Before Treatment

Gonstead chiropractic places particular emphasis on detailed assessment and the specificity of each adjustment. Rather than following the same routine for every patient, your Gonstead chiropractor uses the examination findings to determine whether an adjustment is appropriate and to select the relevant technique, direction and patient positioning. Every recommendation is based on your individual presentation.

“There is a vast difference between treating effects and adjusting the cause.”

— D.D. Palmer

What Happens During a Gonstead Adjustment?

What Happens During a Gonstead Adjustment?

Specific adjustments tailored to your individual needs.

Following your consultation and examination, your Gonstead chiropractor will determine whether a Gonstead adjustment is appropriate and which technique is suitable for you.

Gonstead chiropractic uses a range of specialised adjusting techniques, with particular attention to patient positioning, the joint being assessed and the direction of the adjustment. Your Gonstead chiropractor will explain the recommended approach and position you appropriately before delivering the adjustment.

Seated Adjustments

Seated adjusting techniques may be used for selected areas of the cervical and upper thoracic spine. The patient is positioned in a specialised chair, allowing the chiropractor to assess the relevant area and deliver a specific adjustment where indicated.

Side-Posture Adjustments

Side-posture techniques may be used when adjusting selected areas of the lower back and pelvis. The patient lies on their side while the chiropractor uses carefully selected positioning and contact points to deliver the adjustment.

Knee-Chest Adjustments

The knee-chest table is a specialised piece of equipment associated with the Gonstead System. It allows the patient to be positioned in a way that facilitates certain spinal adjusting techniques. Your Gonstead chiropractor will determine whether this approach is appropriate for your individual needs.

Hi-Lo Adjusting Table

The Hi-Lo table is a specialised chiropractic adjusting table that allows patients to move from a standing position to lying down in a controlled manner. It provides a stable surface for examination and selected Gonstead adjustments, while allowing your Gonstead chiropractor to position you appropriately for your individual needs. Your treatment is individual to you. Not every patient requires every type of adjustment. The technique and equipment selected depend on your examination findings, clinical needs and the recommendations discussed with you.

“It is amazing what one adjustment can do if applied right.”

— Dr Clarence S. Gonstead

Conditions We Assess

Conditions We Assess

Understanding your symptoms is the first step towards appropriate care.

Patients visit Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic with a wide range of spinal and musculoskeletal concerns. Through a detailed consultation and examination, your Gonstead chiropractor will assess your symptoms, consider your medical history and determine whether Gonstead chiropractic care may be appropriate for your individual circumstances.

Neck Pain

Neck discomfort, stiffness and restricted movement.

Lower Back Pain

Persistent or recurring lower back discomfort.

Sciatica

Pain or altered sensation that may travel from the lower back into the leg.

Disc Problems

Symptoms associated with bulging or herniated spinal discs.

Headaches

Assessment of headaches, including those potentially associated with the neck.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder discomfort and restricted movement.

Beyond the Spine

Gonstead assessment can also include joints beyond the spine. Depending on your symptoms, your Gonstead chiropractor may assess concerns involving the hips, knees, feet and ankles. Our wider Conditions section also provides information about scoliosis and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) concerns. Not every condition is suitable for chiropractic treatment. Your Gonstead chiropractor will explain the examination findings and recommend the most appropriate next steps, including referral or further investigation where necessary.

Is Gonstead Chiropractic Right for You?

Is Gonstead Chiropractic Right for You?

Understanding your condition before recommending care.

Every patient is different. Whether Gonstead chiropractic is appropriate for you depends on your symptoms, medical history, examination findings and individual circumstances.

At Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic, your journey begins with a detailed consultation and examination. Your Gonstead chiropractor will take the time to understand your concerns, assess your condition and explain the findings before recommending any treatment.

If chiropractic care is appropriate, we will discuss the recommended approach, explain what it involves and answer your questions so you can decide whether you wish to proceed.

If your findings suggest that further investigation or another form of healthcare would be more suitable, your Gonstead chiropractor will explain the appropriate next steps.

Your care begins with understanding.

Our priority is to provide clear information, appropriate recommendations and an individual approach to your care.

Whether you are considering chiropractic for the first time or have received treatment previously, your Gonstead chiropractor will carry out an assessment based on your current needs. If you have previous X-rays, MRI scans or relevant medical reports, you are welcome to bring them to your appointment. These may provide useful information alongside your consultation and examination.

Your Gonstead Chiropractic Appointment

Your Gonstead Chiropractic Appointment

Individual attention at every visit.

Your chiropractic appointments are guided by your individual needs, examination findings and response to previous care.

At each visit, your Gonstead chiropractor will discuss how you have been feeling, consider any changes in your symptoms and carry out relevant assessments before deciding on the appropriate treatment.

Where indicated, a specific Gonstead adjustment will be delivered using the technique and positioning suited to your individual circumstances.

Discussing your progress

Your Gonstead chiropractor will ask how you have responded to previous care and whether anything has changed since your last appointment.

Reassessment

Relevant Gonstead examination techniques may be used to assess your current presentation and determine whether an adjustment is appropriate.

Your adjustment

Where indicated, your Gonstead chiropractor will select and deliver a specific Gonstead adjustment based on your assessment findings.

Aftercare and next steps

Following your appointment, your Gonstead chiropractor will provide personalised aftercare advice, including guidance on daily activities, exercise and any recommendations specific to your treatment.

Routine chiropractic appointments are generally scheduled for approximately 15 minutes. If your recommended care includes an additional service, such as mechanical spinal decompression, a longer appointment may be required.

“The preservation of health is easier than the cure of disease.”

— B.J. Palmer

Your Progress and Long-Term Care

Your Progress and Long-Term Care

Individual care that evolves with your needs.

At Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic, your care is guided by your individual needs and your response to treatment.

Throughout your recommended course of care, your Gonstead chiropractor will assess your progress, discuss any changes in your symptoms and review your treatment recommendations. As your circumstances change, your care plan may be adjusted to reflect your progress and personal goals.

Reviewing Your Progress

Progress reviews provide an opportunity to assess how you are responding to care and whether your original recommendations remain appropriate. Depending on your progress, your Gonstead chiropractor may recommend changes to your treatment, adjustments to your appointment frequency or the conclusion of your current course of care.

Looking Beyond Your Initial Care

Some patients choose to return for periodic chiropractic appointments following their initial course of care. Where appropriate, your Gonstead chiropractor can discuss whether further appointments may be suitable for your individual circumstances and preferences. There is no universal schedule for ongoing chiropractic care. Recommendations are based on your clinical needs and reviewed as appropriate.

Frequently asked questions

Your questions, answered.

A Gonstead adjustment is a specific chiropractic technique selected following an individual assessment. Your Gonstead chiropractor considers your examination findings, the area being assessed and the appropriate patient positioning before deciding whether an adjustment is indicated.

The Gonstead System places particular emphasis on detailed examination and specific adjustments. It combines several assessment methods to help your Gonstead chiropractor make individual clinical decisions. You can learn more on our dedicated Gonstead System page.

Not necessarily. Your Gonstead chiropractor will consider your symptoms, examination findings and response to previous care at each visit. The areas assessed and techniques used may change according to your individual needs.

Your first appointment focuses on a detailed consultation and examination. Whether treatment is appropriate during that appointment depends on your findings and your Gonstead chiropractor’s recommendations. If treatment is appropriate and you choose to proceed, it may be provided during your first visit.

Depending on your individual needs, your Gonstead chiropractor may use a cervical chair, a specialised knee-chest table or a Hi-Lo adjusting table. Side-posture adjustments may also be performed on an appropriate treatment table. Not every patient requires every technique or piece of equipment.

Routine chiropractic appointments are generally scheduled for approximately 15 minutes. Your initial consultation is approximately 45 minutes. Appointments involving additional services may take longer.

Where clinically appropriate, your Gonstead chiropractor may recommend additional services, such as mechanical spinal decompression or shockwave therapy. Any recommendations will be based on your individual assessment and discussed with you before proceeding.

There is no fixed number of appointments suitable for everyone. If chiropractic care is recommended, your Gonstead chiropractor will explain the proposed frequency and how your progress will be reviewed. Your recommendations may change according to your response to care.

Common questions

Answers to questions people ask

Gonstead Chiropractic & Clinic Expertise

Gonstead chiropractic is a system of chiropractic assessment and care that places particular emphasis on detailed examination, specificity and deciding whether a specific adjustment or correction is appropriate before treatment is recommended. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Gonstead is a defined chiropractic system with a strong emphasis on detailed assessment, specificity and targeted adjustments. Chiropractic more broadly includes a range of assessment and treatment approaches, so the exact method used varies between practitioners. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Its distinguishing features are the way clinical findings are combined to identify a specific area before an adjustment is considered, and its emphasis on precise set-up and correction rather than routinely adjusting multiple areas. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

The assessment starts with the history and physical examination, including relevant orthopaedic and neurological findings. X-rays may be taken when clinically justified. The findings are then used to establish a diagnosis and decide whether care is appropriate. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

It is a targeted chiropractic adjustment directed at a particular joint or area identified through the assessment, rather than a general adjustment of every area that feels stiff or painful. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Because the site of pain does not always identify the structure contributing to the symptoms. Specific assessment helps the chiropractor decide what, if anything, should be adjusted and whether another investigation or referral is more appropriate. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

The whole presentation may be assessed, but Gonstead care does not mean every spinal level is adjusted. Treatment is directed by the findings and individual clinical need. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Yes. Practitioners with appropriate extremity training may assess and, when suitable, adjust peripheral joints such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle and foot. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

People commonly enquire about musculoskeletal problems such as back pain, neck pain, sciatica, some headache presentations and joint or extremity problems. Suitability depends on the diagnosis and examination findings, not simply the symptom label. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Yes. Gonstead Clinic of Chiropractic is based in Manchester city centre at St Ann’s Square and is centred on the Gonstead System.

The clinic is built around detailed assessment, diagnosis, specificity and an established Gonstead approach, with Dr Massey’s more than two decades of clinical experience and postgraduate Gonstead training.

It means assessment and explanation come before a treatment recommendation. The aim is to understand the presentation, establish a diagnosis and explain the findings before deciding whether care is appropriate.

Gonstead Extremities – General

Gonstead extremity adjusting applies specific assessment and adjustment principles to peripheral joints such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle and foot. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

It refers to a chiropractor who has undertaken additional training in applying Gonstead assessment and adjusting principles to peripheral joints. The exact credential should be stated accurately rather than implying a protected specialist title. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Dr Massey obtained Gonstead Extremity Certification in 2005 after practical examination through the Gonstead Seminar of Chiropractic, with Dr Mark Werking recorded as instructor on his certificate. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

The answer depends on the diagnosis and individual findings. The clinic’s approach is to assess the problem first, explain what has been found and recommend care only when it is clinically appropriate, with further investigation or referral when indicated. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Depending on training and clinical need, assessment may include the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. Not every painful joint requires an adjustment. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

The history, joint movement, function, relevant orthopaedic and neurological findings and surrounding regions are considered before deciding whether an adjustment or another form of care is appropriate. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

No. Pain may arise from several tissues or be referred from another area. Assessment comes first, and an adjustment is considered only when the findings support it. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

There can be several possible causes, and the symptom alone does not identify one structure with certainty. Joint, muscle, nerve, disc, load and movement factors may contribute, so the history and examination are used to establish the most likely diagnosis and whether further investigation is needed. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Further medical assessment is appropriate when symptoms are severe, persistent, unexplained, follow significant trauma, are associated with progressive neurological change or other red flags, or when the examination suggests the problem is outside the scope of chiropractic care. Read more in the Knowledge Centre →

Your journey begins with understanding. Whether you’re considering Gonstead chiropractic for the first time or would like to discuss your individual needs, our team is here to help you take the next step.