Summary

Advanced Pelvis Adjusting
This seminar will be an extension of the Sacrum and Pelvis Basic seminar, to include advanced adjusting protocols and Case Management of the Sacroiliac. Step by step Gonstead approach to adjusting the Pelvis (Sacrum and Ilium) using speed and leverage to be able adjust patients bigger than you! A deep dive into evaluating and identifying SI subluxations, learning to decide if to adjust the Sacrum or the Ilium. Some Sacrum and Ilium listings can be adjusted with a Push or with a Pull. Both ways will be taught for various listings. Discussion to help decide if a Push or a Pull would be best for certain patients and how to decide. Know when to adjust the ilium or sacrum and when to leave it alone.
 
Cervical Chair Basic
Adjusting shouldn’t hurt: You or the Patient! Adjusting the cervical spine in the seated position, as developed by Dr.  Clarence Gonstead, allows the flexibility to correct spinal mechanical dysfunctions in all three planes: extension, lateral  bending and rotation. Dispel the myths of adjusting a patient in “tension” and learn to adjust when both the doctor and  patient are relaxed and balanced so your adjustments feel like a “warm knife in butter”. Introducing an innovative way  to learn adjusting beyond set-ups, thru dynamic “exercises” that make adjusting fun!

13 CE hours - 12 CEs for Adjustive Technique, 1 CE for History/Exam

Price

DC - $425
Student - $195
Gonstead Club - $95

Schedule

July 19, 2025, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
July 20, 2025, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
 
To register, scan the click the link. 

Learning Objectives

Advanced Pelvis Adjusting:
  • Systematically evaluate the SI
  • Understand principles of effortless adjusting, that can be universally applied to their current adjusting technique
  • Use positioning and patient placement for leverage so they can adjust patient’s bigger than themselves
  • Know when to adjust the Ilium or Sacrum and when to Leave it Alone
  • Better understand how to manage a patient with Sacroiliac Joint problems

Cervical Chair Basic:

  • Understand principles of effortless adjusting, that can be universally applied to their current adjusting technique • practice, via take-home drills for speed, balance, and leverage
  • Adjust the cervical spine P-A, in the seated position, with minimal force using speed and leverage

Faculty

J. DAVID CURRIE, DC

A 1981 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Currie has been in active practice in Fremont, California for more than 40 years and has a satellite office in Pleasant Hill. He is a Gonstead Diplomate & Fellow and Past President of Gonstead Clinical Studies Society. Dr. Currie is a Professor at Life Chiropractic College West and has taught the Gonstead work throughout the United States and internationally in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, China, UK, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, Australia, and Brazil.

Founder of the Gonstead Adjusting Academy

Location

Life Chiropractic College West
25001 Industrial Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94545
United States
+1 (510) 780-4508
Park by Student Entrance on Clawiter Road side of building, then look for signage directing you to the check-in area. 
See Campus Map for details. 

Travel

To register, click the link.

Program

Day 1 Advanced Pelvis Adjusting: 7/19/2025 
 
Hour 1: 9:00am-10:00am 
Title: Evaluating the Pelvis 
Topic/Categories: Physical Examination Procedures 
Content: Discussion and demonstration of the most significant signs to indicate a particular Sacrum and/or Ilium subluxation. Emphasis will be placed on patient history, static palpation and motion palpation findings for particular SI listings. Xray findings will be reviewed. Special attention will be given to the Standing Gillet (handout provided) to assist the decision-making regarding Ilium or Sacrum using Gonstead “rules” and the Standing Gillet for motion palpation findings. Discussion about when to stop adjusting the Pelvis. Work will be done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic spine will be used for demonstration, comprehension and understanding. 
 
Hour 2: 10:00am-11:00am 
Title: Introduction to Gonstead Adjusting of the Sacrum and Ilium
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: A brief review of basic concepts and Fundamentals of Adjusting and how  they relate to Side Posture Adjusting. Introduce the concept of learning to adjust by  “exercises” versus “set-ups”. Principles of adjusting are: 1) Relaxation, Balance and  Timing; 2) Adjusting Pre-load and Ramping; 3) Posture/Positioning, Center line and  Balance. The first exercise will be Patient Placement and Doctor Position so that the  doctor will be in position to effortlessly deliver a Pelvic Push adjustment. Sacrum  Push adjustments, Involved Side Up will be covered the first hour. Work will be  done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic spine will be used for demonstration,  comprehension and understanding. 
 
Hour 3: 11:00am-12:00pm  
Title: Adjusting the Sacrum: Involved Side Up (cont.) and Involved Side Down • Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Continuation of the first hour but adding Sacrum Push moves with the  Involved Side Down. Practice and repetition to become comfortable with adjusting  the Sacrum Push Move with Involved Side Up and Involved Side Down. Sacrum Pull  move will be introduced and variations for Involved Side Up and Involved Side  Down. Work will be done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic spine will be used for  demonstration, comprehension and understanding. 
 
Hour 4: 12:00am-1:00pm  
Title: Ilium Push Moves for PI and AS 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Making a contact and Doctor Orientation for the PI and AS listings. Learning how to properly stabilize the lumbar spine so as not to compress the pelvis  into the table. Developing a proper Pre-Stress and load on the patient in the  direction of the thrust. Then how to deliver the thrust with smoothness and creating  a momentum mechanism so the patient will receive the adjustment with less effort  and force from the doctor. Work will be done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic  spine will be used for demonstration, comprehension and understanding. 
 
Lunch: 1:00-2:00pm 
 
Hour 5: 2:00pm-3:00pm 
Title: Adjusting complex Ilium Listings Push Moves 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique
Content: Continuation and repetition of Hour 3 with adaptations for the complex  Pelvis lisings (PIEx, PIIn and ASIn). Learning how to deliver the Pelvic Push thrust  with “torque” as necessary for the various Pelvic listings. Emphasis will be placed on  using Line of Drive, Doctor Orientation and Torque for the pelvic adjustment. Work  will be done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic spine will be used for  demonstration, comprehension and understanding. 
 
Hour 6: 3:00pm-4:00pm 
Title: Ilium and Sacrum Pull Adjustments  
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Making a contact and learning how to use the doctor’s tibia for  stabilization for simple pelvis listings Ex and IN and then Posterior Sacrum (P-R and  P-L). Doctors will learn how orient themselves to the patient and how to Pre-load  the joint to facilitate the adjusting hand action. Work will be done on a pelvic bench  table and a plastic spine will be used for demonstration, comprehension and  understanding. 
 
Hour 7: 4:00pm-5:00pm 
Title: Complex Ilium Pull Adjustments 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Adjustments for complex Ilium listings (PIEx, ASEx and PIIn), using the  doctor’s tibia and doctor’s orientation to stabilize the Lumbar spine. Continuation  and repetition of Gonstead Ilium adjustments with the Push and Pull moves for  simple and complex listings. Work will be done on a pelvic bench table and a plastic  spine will be used for demonstration, comprehension and understanding. 
 
Hour 8: 5:00pm-6:00pm 
Title: Case Management and Difficult Cases 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Discussion about the decision making of the doctor to choose either the  Push or Pull moves for Ilium or Sacrum adjustments. Concepts and thought  processes for managing Sacroiliac Joint problems. Several cases will be available for  review and discussion. Doctors are invited to bring xrays and examination findings  to discuss difficult cases. Cases and discussion will be presented on power point  format.
 
Day 2 Cervical Chair Basic: 7/20/2025
Hour 1: 9:00-10:00am 
Title: Introduction to Gonstead Cervical Chair Adjusting • Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Beginning discussion about “why” to adjust using Gonstead Cervical Chair. Getting ready to adjust.  Learning to make a contact so that “No one gets hurt” (how to protect the doctor’s hand. How to place the  patient on the chair and position the Doctor for leverage. Emphasis will be on relaxing the doctor and learning  the 3 Universal Fundamental Rules of Adjusting. Doctors will be encouraged to change their paradigm of  consideration from taking a patient to “Tension”, and instead Guiding the vertebra to a point of joint isolation,  keeping their contact hand gentle and relaxed. Work will be done on the Cervical Chair. 
 
Hour 2: 10:00am-11:00am 
Title: The Basic Set-up; learning by “Exercises” 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Getting a feel for a series of guiding motions (called “Exercises”) to isolate the vertebra being adjusted  to a position where it is on the “edge” of moving, while keeping the rest of the spine in a relative neutral  position. Emphasis will be placed on learning to “feel” the vertebra getting adjusted to be isolated and the spine  above and below remaining neutral. This hour will be spent on the VP area: C6, C7 and T1. Work will be done on  the Cervical Chair and a plastic spine will be used for demonstration and comprehension/understanding. 
 
Hour 3: 11:00am-12:00pm 
Title: Practice and Repetition 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Practice and repetition of the “Exercises”, with variations for adjusting the middle to upper cervical  segments (C2-C5) and T1/T2. Emphasis will be placed on learning to feel the translation of the segment being  adjusted mostly in a P-A direction, with variations for lateral bending. Extra attention to coordinating the  Stabilization Hand and Thrusting hands to deliver a precise adjustment. Work will be done on the Cervical Chair  and a plastic spine will be used for demonstration and comprehension/understanding. 
 
Hour 4: 12:00pm-1:00pm 
Title: Adjusting Lamina and Transverse Process (T1-2) contacts 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Why and how to make the Lamina and/or Transverse Process contacts. Variations in line-of-drive for  Lamina/TVP contacts compared to Spinous Process contacts. Variations for C2 and T1/T2. Practice and  Repetition with various partners. Work will be done on the Cervical Chair and a plastic spine will be used for  demonstration and comprehension/understanding. 
 
Hour 5: 1:00pm-2:00pm 
Title: Drills to develop Cervical Chair technique 
Topic/Categories: Adjustive Technique 
Content: Demonstration and practice drills: 1) Speed Drill; 2) Spine and Towel Drill; 3) Stabilization Hand Drill;  Cervical Chair Speeder Board. Practice and repetition to develop speed and power so the doctor understands  that speed, leverage and power are the different elements of their Cervical Chair thrust. Work will be done on  the Cervical Chair, a plastic spine and towel will be used to coordinate the thrusting and stabilization hands.  Emphasis will be placed on learning to accomplish complex motor movements with both hands coordinated  together. Specially designed Cervical Chair speeder boards will be used to further develop the coordination of  the doctor’s two hands so they work independently of each other to complement the adjustment.

Credits

Life Chiropractic College West has received programmatic accreditation through the Council on Chiropractic Education and institutional/regional accreditation through WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

See below for a list of credits that may be available for this seminar. 

*The following State and Province boards do not require an application when a program is sponsored by a college accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE): CO, CT, DE, DC, ID, IL, IA, MD, MA, MI, MT, NE, NH, NJ, OR, RI, SC, UT, VT, VA, WA, WY, BC, NB, ON, QC. Life Chiropractic College West cannot guarantee that these licensing board(s) will accept any session of this offering. Life West urges licensees to familiarize themselves with the laws governing continuing education in the jurisdictions where they hold licensure.

To register, click the link.