• Gonstead Diet Plan: Because a large percentage of Dr. Gonstead’s patients were farmers from the region around Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, he used an analogy that they would understand when they asked him how to lose weight. He said, “If you want a big hog, give it more corn. If you want a small hog, give it less corn.”
  • “You betcha”: It was a common response by Dr. Gonstead when he found a subluxation and indicated to the patient he could fix it, reassured a patient that he could help them, remarked after he gave a good adjustment, stated when he made a statement he was certain of, or was otherwise satisfied or delighted with something.
  • “Get up like a horse, not like a cow”: In order to protect the back when arising from bed, Dr. Gonstead knew that this statement would be immediately understandable to farmers. A cow gets straight up butt and hind legs first. A horse rolls onto its belly and gets up with its front legs.
  • “G” Note: If an audible sound is produced during an adjustment, the proper sound in an effective adjustment has been determined to be the note “g” on the music scale. It is also the name given to the GCSS clinical newsletter by Dr. Linda Mullin and an earlier intern newsletter by Dr. Larry Troxell/V Points.
  • “Gah-nook”: Another way that has been used to describe the sound.
  • “Clunk”: another expression for the sound of an effective adjustment.
  • “Click”: a high pitched “click” sound when adjusting is not considered an effective adjustment and is often heard in general manipulation. Gonstead doctors call it a “facet” adjustment or manipulation.
  • “Yous Boys”: When Dr. Gonstead was lecturing and wanted to emphasize a point or point something out (usually an error) that is frequently done, he said: “Yous boys …”
  • “That was a Hoopensocker”: A great and effective adjustment was just given.
  • Adjunctive or Ancillary Care: This is not a term but is being addressed here. Typically, the Gonstead chiropractor does not use physical therapy and sends patients to physical therapists if a patient requires it. Recommendations for therapeutic and fitness exercises are common in a Gonstead practices, in particular, exercise walking. Dr. Gonstead had a swimming pool built at the Karakahl Inn, the motel ad-joining the clinic. The use of ice in acute joint conditions is common. The use of moist heat is less common as it frequently has a negative outcome, but is used in certain conditions, primarily cervical spine and sacral problems. Recommendations for nutritional supplements are not uncommon in the GT practice — it has been said that a further chapter of The Science and Art of Chiropractic would have been on nutrition. Protocols were developed for the use of heel or sole lifts to support the stabilization of the spine. The GT chiropractor believes that the adjustment is chiropractic’s most powerful contribution to a person’s health and wellbeing and other procedures are to support the correction and stabilization of the subluxation(s) being corrected, and the patient should be aware of this distinction.