• Becker D
• Brewster A
• Hodges E
• Devlin M
• Fehl W

• Gonstead Technique
• Pelvis / diagnostic imaging
• Subluxation

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare radiographic and visual analysis methods for determining pelvic misalignments.

Materials and Methods: Thirty patients receiving x-rays at a chiropractic college clinic were first visualized to assess for pelvic misalignment and misalignment direction. Subjects were then x-rayed, and those x-rays were evaluated using line analysis specific to the Gonstead system. The researchers performing the visual analysis and line evaluations were blinded to the results of the other practitioners.

Results: Results indicated that when foot flare was the visualized variable, there was 41% agreement with measured pelvic rotation. When gluteal width was assessed, there was 41% agreement with measured pelvic rotation. When gluteal fold heights were visualized to assess for anterior and posterior pelvic misalignment, there was 38% agreement with the measured pelvic misalignment.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that there is low agreement between visualized pelvic misalignment and measured pelvic misalignment when using the Gonstead system for radiographic line analysis.

Author keywords: Gonstead, line analysis, visual analysis, subluxation assessment, chiropractic technique

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