How I Assess the Cranium Before a Cranial Adjustment

This is probably the part of my approach that surprises people the most. I don’t look at someone’s head and decide a bone needs to move. I assess — and the assessment shapes everything that follows.

1. History

I want to know your history before I touch anything: previous head or facial injuries, concussions, falls, sports injuries, dental history, birth history — even things that happened decades ago and seem unrelated. History gives me clues about where to look.

2. Examination

I look at head position, facial symmetry, eye level, movement and range of motion. A finding like uneven eye level doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong — it’s another piece of information I fold into the larger picture.

3. Muscle testing

I’ll test a muscle, apply pressure to a specific area of the cranium, and test the same muscle again. If the response changes, that’s information I use — alongside everything else — to decide where to focus. One change in one test isn’t proof of anything on its own; I’m looking for a consistent pattern.

4. The adjustment

Based on what the assessment shows, I use the technique I believe is appropriate — CFR, percussion, or a combination. The technique follows the finding, not the other way around.

5. Reassessment

I go back to the same tests: muscle response, range of motion, symmetry. I want to know what actually changed, not assume that it did.