The low-force method I use, and where it comes from
Open Source Technique, or OST, is a low-force chiropractic method. Corrections are made with a light, specific contact in a single direction, with your body in a neutral position. There is no twisting, no cracking, and no end-range joint manipulation.
The method rests on one idea: if you know exactly which structure is involved and exactly which direction it is loaded in, the correction does not have to be large. Finding that out is most of the work. The adjustment itself takes seconds.
Where it comes from
This is not a new technique. It grew out of low-force work developed inside American chiropractic through the middle of the last century, built around directional testing and light, specific contacts rather than general manipulation. That lineage is well documented and easy to look up.
I trained in it and have been practicing and developing it for twenty years. In 2018 I taught the method to practitioners in Hamburg, Germany.
What I do today is not identical to what I was first taught. Twenty years of full-time practice changes how you work. The assessment has gotten faster, the contacts more specific, and the number of visits most people need has gone down.
How a visit actually goes
1. Find the structure and the direction
Assessment comes first, and it is the longest part. I use a passive leg response test to ask your body one question at a time: is this structure holding stress, and in which direction. You do nothing during it.
2. Make the correction
Once the direction is known, the correction is a brief, light contact along that line. You are lying in a neutral position. There is no sudden movement and nothing is forced.
3. Check that it held
I retest immediately. If the response has changed, the correction took. If it has not, I look again rather than repeat the same thing harder.
What this means for your care
- Fewer visits. The goal is changes that hold, not a long schedule. Most people know within two or three visits whether this is working.
- No contracts. You are not signed up for a package.
- Clear feedback early. If your body is not responding, that shows up quickly and I will say so.
- Comfortable during and after. The contacts are light, so there is little to recover from.
Who it suits
People often come to this approach when they want gentle care, when they are sensitive or currently in a lot of pain, when they have hypermobility or fragile bone and want something specific and light, or when they simply want to understand what is being done and why before anyone touches them.
It is not right for everything. If your situation calls for medical evaluation, imaging, or a different kind of care, I will tell you and refer you.
Next steps
If you want to know whether this method fits what you are dealing with, a consultation or first visit is the way to find out.
Call or text to book your appointment.
OST FAQs
Does OST involve cracking or twisting?
No. Corrections are made in a neutral position with a light, directional contact. There is no end-range joint manipulation.
How is this different from what I have had before?
The assessment drives everything. Rather than adjusting a region because it hurts, I test structure by structure and direction by direction, and correct only what tests positive.
How many visits will I need?
Fewer than most people expect. The aim is corrections that hold. If they are not holding, that is information, and we change course rather than continue.
Is it suitable if I have osteoporosis or hypermobility?
These are common reasons people look for low-force care. Tell me about your history and any imaging or diagnoses at your first visit, and I will adapt or refer as appropriate.
Do you take X-rays?
Not routinely. When imaging is clinically indicated I will recommend it and refer you.
Do you teach this method?
I have. I taught a practitioner seminar in Hamburg, Germany in 2018, and I continue to develop the method in practice.