Webster Technique

Dr. Rousseau is certified and experienced in Webster technique.

Dr. Larry Webster, founder of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, discovered this technique as a safe means to restore proper pelvic balance and function for pregnant mothers. In expectant mothers presenting malposition, there has been a high reported success rate of the baby turning to the normal vertex position.

What is the Webster Technique?

Chiropractic care benefits all aspects of your body’s ability to be healthy. This is accomplished by working with the nervous system – the conduit of intelligence and communication between your brain and body. Doctors of Chiropractic work to correct subluxations of the spinal bones. When subluxated, these bones put pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves – this can cause malfunction in countless areas of the body and imbalance in the surrounding muscles and ligaments.

Subluxation of the sacrum (a large triangular shaped bone at the base of your spine) causes a tightening and torsion of specific pelvic muscles and ligaments which produce uterine torsion or constraint. It is these tense muscles and ligaments and their constraining effect on the uterus which prevent the baby from comfortably assuming the vertex (or “head-down”) position required for proper growth, development, and birthing.

The Webster Technique is a specific Chiropractic analysis and adjustment which removes interference to the nervous system via removing subluxations of the sacrum, round ligament, and sacrotuberous ligaments.It also balances out pelvic muscles and ligaments, removing constraint to the woman’s uterus and allowing the baby to drop into the best possible position for development and for birth.

Any position of the baby other than that of vertex may indicate the presence of sacral subluxation and therefore can result in intrauterine constraint. It is strongly recommended by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Chiropractic Association that this specific analysis and adjustment of the sacrum and surrounding ligaments be used throughout pregnancy to detect imbalance and prevent intrauterine constraint.

Because of the effect the chiropractic adjustment has on all body functions, pregnant mothers should have their spines checked regularly throughout pregnancy – allowing for safer, easier deliveries and optimized health benefits for both the mother and baby.

Study Shows Webster Effective in Breech Turning

A study published in the July/August 2002 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) shows that a chiropractic technique known as the “Webster Technique” for managing the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint is effective in cases of pregnancy with women experiencing breech presentation – which can lead to a cesarean section birth.

According to the published study, “Intrauterine constraint is defined as any force external to the developing fetus that obstructs the normal movement of the fetus.” Intrauterine constraint can prevent the developing fetus from moving into the normal head-down position needed for a normal vaginal birth. When this happens it is called a “breech presentation”. There are several different breech-type presentations. This situation plays a critical role in how the mother delivers her baby. According to the statistics published in the article, 86% of all infants with breech presentation in the United States are delivered by cesarean section.

According to the JMPT article, the Webster Technique is a chiropractic technique designed to relieve the musculoskeletal causes of intrauterine constraint. This technique is also known by several different names, including “Webster’s In-Utero Constraint Technique”. The study was performed by surveying a large number of chiropractors who use the technique to see the percentage of results they obtain on real patients. The survey required detailed information to verify the accuracy of the responses. The results showed that 82% of the doctors surveyed reported a high rate of success when using the Webster Technique.

The results from the study suggested that it may be beneficial to perform the Webster Technique in the eighth month of pregnancy if it has been determined that the child is in the malposition. This timing is important; after the eighth month, a breech presentation is unlikely to spontaneously convert to the normal “head-down” position. The study concludes by saying, “when successful, the Webster Technique avoids the costs and risks of cesarean section or vaginal trial of breech. In view of these findings, the Webster Technique deserves serious consideration in the management of expectant mothers exhibiting adverse fetal presentation.” At no point does Dr. Rousseau attempt to change the position of the fetus as is done in external cephalic version (ECV) via a GYN.

As you can see, chiropractic care during pregnancy is essential – for both the mother and her developing baby.