Question
I am used to the old chiropractor at work, but there is a new one today.  The old chiropractor would spend around 30 minutes with a patient, (not including other therapies such as estim, ultrasound, massage, exercise program, etc. that are used as well) 30 minutes just adjusting.  He would adjust everything from the bottom up beginning with bones of the feet, then ankles, knees, etc., until he reached the cranial bones.  He used an activator and a few different tables depending on the person.  
The new chiropractor spends about 10 minutes with the pt. for the adjustment (again just for the adjustment part), and does a lot of muscle testing but I have never seen him really do an "adjustment" or at least not my understanding of one.  Both have adjusted me and the latter chiropractor seems to push a lot on my muscles and then ask me to do various ROM tests after he is done pushing on them.  He touched 2 of my vertebrae but I am not sure he applied any force or if he was just testing something.  He held my head and applied pressure in one direction while he wanted me to resist.  He did a whole lot of that.  Afterward he told me which muscles were too tight.  He does this with everyone, and not just me.
My question is, is this resisted stretching technique some form of manipulation that I have never seen before?  Like I said, I am used to the old chiropractor and so maybe this is a new technique.  All the chiropractors I have ever worked with will apply a pressure similar to breaking a twig and this new chiropractor uses very slow motions that remind me of the manipulations a physical therapist would do, like passive stretching and ROM tests.

I have great respect for all chiropractors and I understand their scope of practice would probably include all of this and much more that I'm not aware of, and that different techniques would benefit different problems/types of patients, but I just wonder why the new chiropractor never ever does the typical "adjustment" like you see most of them doing.  Thanks a lot for your time.

Answer
Hi Janie,

I can understand your bewilderment at DC-2 compared to DC-1.  Most DC's do standard high-velocity manipulation, utilizing a rapid and short thrust through a joint.  Anything short of this is considered to be mobilization, and not manipulation.  The clinical literature screws with these terms, causing confusion, but the bottom line is that DC-1, like most other DC's you've encountered, did the high velocity manipulation.  DC-2 may not be good at it, or confident in it, or he simply wants to try other things.   If the outcome is the same, e.g. you feel and function better, then it's a matter of your personal choice as to what you want to receive for treatment.  There are a variety of methods out there.  

'Hope this helps.

Dr. G

p.s.  30 minute to do an adustment is a very long time.  It should only take about 10-15.  It's often the ancillary items that take time.