Diversified Technique

Founder: There is some disagreement as to who founded the Diversified technique. For instance, Palmer College of Chiropractic says that D.D. Palmer founded this method of chiropractic, whereas many professionals in the field credit Otto Reinert, DC, former director of Logan University’s Department of Diversified Technique, for further refining it.

However, research published in the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities states that it was an “evolution” of sorts that created Diversified technique. And although this did technically begin with D.D. Palmer, “the classic expression of diversified technique can be either probably or unequivocally attributed to Joe Janse, DC,” author of Chiropractic Principles and Technic.

Year founded: If you subscribe to Palmer College of Chiropractic’s view, the year Diversified technique was founded would be 1895, which is when Palmer—also known as “The Discoverer of Chiropractic” and “Founder of the Chiropractic Profession”—started applying basic diversified chiropractic techniques on patients, and teaching these principles starting in 1897. If you side with the assumption that Janse is the founder, his book that describes Diversified technique in greater detail was published in 1947.

Certification requirements: Diversified technique is taught in unison with other techniques at 4-year chiropractic schools. Yet some institutions also offer a course dedicated to learning more about advanced Diversified technique methods for students intent on increasing their proficiency with this modality.

Technique description: Spine-health states that Diversified technique, also commonly referred to as Diversified Chiropractic Technique, or DCT, involves application of “a short (low-amplitude), quick (high-velocity) thrust over restricted joints (one at a time) with the goal of restoring normal range of motion in the joint.”

The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners reports that, although the typical chiropractor uses as many as five or six different adjusting techniques in their course of practice, 96 percent report that Diversified technique is one of them. They further indicate that this method is used to treat 71.5 percent of their patients.

Basic technique principles: Diversified technique has three main objectives. These are to restore spinal alignment, repair joint dysfunction, and enhance proper movement.