Spinal manipulation was used by the Ancient Chinese, probably from about 2,700 BC. Records in English stem from the mid 17th Century. Daniel David Palmer (1845 - 1913) is credited as the founder of modern chiropractic, in the early 20th Century. Two patients convinced him of the benefits of spinal manipulation, a deaf man and one with heart trouble, both of whom experienced great improvements in their conditions, after manipulation. He worked on both animals and humans.

John McTimoney (1914 - 1980), the founder of the McTimoney Chiropractic Association and the Oxfordshire School of Chiropractic, now the McTimoney College of Chiropractic, developed and refined the technique.

Since all the organs and tissues of the body receive much of their automatic (autonomic) innervation on a segmental basis, from between the vertebrae, the value of correct spinal alignment for optimum body function and balance is clear, quite apart from any pain issues stemming from misalignment and consequent nerve impingement or muscle spasm. The function of proprioceptive (position sense), motor and sensory nerves can be similarly affected. Organ and muscle function can therefore be deeply affected by misalignments and released for proper activity by judicious realignment (manipulation).

Indications are pain, failure to 'track', incorrect stride, incorrect posture, difficulty in bending, difficulty in 'engaging' the hind limbs, discomfort with saddling, incorrect head carriage and outline and uneven paces. We have even seen frank lameness of a fore limb or hind limb, from spinal alignment issues.

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