Getting clear on chiropractic tables

By Brandi Schlossberg

Much like chiropractors themselves, chiropractic tables come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, with a variety of abilities that can be used to better serve each client. Understanding the features of the various chiropractic tables on the market today can help the professional chiropractor select the best possible table for his or her practice.

To begin with, it can help to understand a few basics about chiropractic tables and their common features. First of all, there are chiropractic tables that may come with our without drops. Drops are used to literally drop parts of the table, so that the client’s body drops at the same angle and direction, right along with the chiropractic table. So, when you see a table that features drops, you will want to look closely at what exactly that means.

For example, many chiropractic tables are sold as base models, with quite a few features that can be customized and added upon ordering. Of course, adding more and more features will increase the cost of the table, but it should also increase the suitability of the table for you and your practice. Therefore, when you are ordering a chiropractic table, you should have a ready checklist, drawn from experience about what you really want and need in a new or added table.

For instance, if you know that you want the ability to move your table in a way that will drop your client’s body in various directions and angles, then you may want to seek out a table with drops. Your next point of focus will be which parts of the table you want to be able to drop. Often, chiropractors may seek out tables that have cervical, thoracic, lumbar and pelvic drops. You may also find tables that provide a feature that does the opposite of a drop and, instead, raising various regions of the client’s body.

Another big factor to think about in the quest to understand the difference between the wide array of chiropractic tables on the market is the difference between manual and automatic. The professional chiropractor needs to know which features of a table must be controlled manually, or by hand, and which features are automatic.

For example, many modern chiropractic tables can be raised or lowered automatically. However, when it comes to the drops on a table, these may be manual or automatic, so it’s important to find out and see how you like working with each type of table.