The Gonstead System: What a Visit Involves
Updated: 4 days ago
The Gonstead system is a chiropractic technique developed by Dr Clarence Gonstead, who qualified as a chiropractor in 1923. Chadstone Chiropractic uses it. This page explains what a visit involves.
A seven-step assessment first
Before anything is adjusted, the assessment works through seven steps:
History: what happened, when, and what makes it better or worse
Visualisation: what your posture and movement show
Instrumentation: a nervoscope reading taken along the spine
Static palpation: feeling the spine at rest
Motion palpation: feeling how each segment moves
Neurological and orthopaedic tests
Radiographic analysis: weight-bearing X-rays, taken onsite with digital equipment, usually during the initial consultation and where clinically appropriate
The nervoscope is a dual-probe instrument that compares skin temperature on each side of the spine at each level. It reads the skin surface, so it is one piece of information alongside the other steps, not a diagnosis on its own.
How an adjustment is delivered
An adjustment is applied by hand to one specific joint, based on what the assessment found. In Gonstead chiropractic that joint is called a subluxation: a spinal joint that is out of its proper position and not moving the way it should. The aim of the adjustment is to reduce the subluxation, restoring the movement of that one joint. The rest of the spine is left alone.
Find it, fix it, leave it alone
The principle behind the system is "find it, fix it, leave it alone." Once the joint is moving the way it should, the adjustment's job is finished. The aim is to avoid visits that aren't clinically necessary, and we do not adjust what was already moving well.
Who practises it here
All three of our chiropractors are members of the Gonstead Chiropractic Society (Australia). Dr Joshua Free and Dr Pieter Hart are Diplomates, and Dr Nadia Hamdan is certified in Gonstead Extremities. The Society keeps a public register at gonstead.com.au, and you can check any chiropractor's registration with Ahpra at ahpra.gov.au.
What to expect from us
Results vary from person to person and can't be guaranteed. If chiropractic care isn't appropriate, or something is outside our scope, we will say so and refer you on. No referral is needed to book a first appointment. Call (03) 9568 0155 or book an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gonstead system?
The Gonstead system is a chiropractic technique developed by Dr Clarence Gonstead, who qualified in 1923. It starts with a seven-step assessment and adjusts only the specific joint the assessment points to. Its principle is "find it, fix it, leave it alone."
Does the assessment always include X-rays?
Not always. Weight-bearing X-rays are usually taken during the initial consultation, where clinically appropriate. The decision depends on factors such as symptoms, health history, examination findings and professional judgement.
What is the nervoscope?
A dual-probe instrument that compares skin temperature on each side of the spine at each level. It is one step of the seven-step assessment.
What is an adjustment?
A controlled movement applied by hand to one specific joint, based on the findings of the assessment. The aim is to reduce the subluxation, restoring the movement of that one joint.
Do I need a referral to see a chiropractor?
No referral is needed to book a first appointment. If you have a GP chronic condition management plan, you are welcome to bring it.
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