Using the ATM2 for cervical patients is quite similar to using it for lumbar patients except for a couple of setup issues. Cervical impaired movements such as flexion, extension, side bending and rotation are similar to lumbar flexion, extension, side bending and rotation respectively. With most lumbar movement impairments all that is usually needed to normalize the movement is to reposition and stabilize (compress) the pelvis by wrapping only two straps around the pelvis; the higher of the two at about the ASIS height and the lower of the two at the bottom part of the pelvis (not over the hip but rather above it). When coming to think of this, it is quite interesting to realize that when repositioning and stabilizing the pelvis, you are not touching or doing anything at the lumbar spine level but rather only at the pelvis level and yet the lumbar movement impairment becomes totally pain-free in the full range of motion. This relationship between lumbar movement impairments and repositioning and stabilizing the pelvis is similar to the relationship between cervical movement impairments and repositioning and stabilizing the scapulo -thoracic area. In order to reposition and stabilize the scapulo-thoracic area you will set the height of the ATM2 main pad so that the top of the pad is at or slightly above the patient’s shoulders. The patient will stand facing away from the pad and you will set the height of the top most ratchets as high as possible. Set the middle ratchets a little below the middle of the pad and the lower ratchets at the middle of the patient’s pelvis. You will then criss-cross the two top belts over the chest area and strap the third (lowest) belt over the middle of the pelvis area.

It is important to have the patient facing away from the pad because when tightening the two upper criss-crossed belts, the shoulders are positioned in an improved postural position. Usually, just by improved shoulder positioning a person’s cervical range of motion will increase.

The reason to use the lower belt to stabilize and compress the pelvis is simply because that the scapulo-thoracic area will be more stable if the pelvis is stabilized. Once the patient has been put in the initial setup position you will iteratively adjust the 4 top ratchets until the particular cervical impaired movement becomes totally pain-free in the full range of motion. Once you achieve this, use your hand to provide an isometric resistance in the direction of the impaired movement. Ask the patient to do ten ATM’s in that direction by telling them “push as hard as you can against my hand, hold for 2-4 seconds and then slowly release. Do this 10 times and make sure that at no time do you have any pain. If you do have pain you must immediately stop to allow me to readjust the belts to make it pain-free”. After this, release the patient and reevaluate the same movement you just worked on and expect the same immediate ATM2 results seen when working at the lumbar spine.