The physics of spinal manipulation. Part I. The myth of F = ma.
The product of the adjusting physician's mass and acceleration does not quantify the adjustive force as popularly believed, an error stemming from a misunderstanding of Newton's second law. In this paper, a gedanken experiment illustrates the misapplication of F = ma and suggests that the adjustive force depends on the impact velocity, mass of the doctor, and intrinsic physical properties of the doctor and patient.
Haas
M
M
Research Department, Western States Chiropractic College, Portland, Oregon 97230.
D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013131:Spine / Q000502:physiology; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic