Thomas F. Bergmann

My initial educational focus was on the biological sciences with the goal to do graduate work in marine biology, specifically marine invertebrate zoology. Upon graduation however, I took a job teaching at the elementary school level. I went on a field trip with my six graders to National College of Chiropractic which re-ignited my interest in the biological sciences.

Of course it required a shift in thinking from simple invertebrate animals to the most complex vertebrate animal - the human being. I also realized I really liked teaching. After completing my chiropractic education, I taught at the International College of Chiropractic which is now RMIT School of Chiropractic in Melbourne, Australia. In 1981, I came to Northwestern and I have taught in the chiropractic methods department ever since. I have also been a faculty clinician, seeing patients in the faculty clinic.

My professional passion is all things related to the art of chiropractic, i.e., the many forms of manipulative treatment. I believe it is absolutely imperative that the profession continue to study manipulative procedures and the lesions they are intended to treat.

I was the founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Chiropractic Technique and serve on the editorial review board of Clinical Chiropractic. I have co-authored two textbooks, Chiropractic Technique Principles and Procedures and Mechanically Assisted Manipulation: The Distraction Techniques both by Mosby Publishing. I have also served as a consultant to Medicare and as a site team member for the Council on Chiropractic Education.

Publications

Textbooks and book chapters:

Bergmann TF, Peterson DH. Chiropractic Technique Principles and Procedures. 3rd ed. Mosby, Inc; 2010.

Bergmann T. Principles of manipulation in sports medicine. In: Hyde TE, Gengenbach MS.  Conservative Management of Sports Injuries. 2nd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2007:5.

Bergmann T. Chiropractic Technique. In: Gatterman MI. Foundations of Chiropractic Subluxation. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 2005.

Bergmann TF, Davis, PT. Mechanically Assisted Manipulation: The Distraction Techniques. 1st ed. Mosby, Inc; 1997.

Articles:

Larson L, Bergmann TF. Taking the fall: the etiology and prevention of falls in the elderly. Clinical Chiropractic. 2008;11(3):148.

Williams J, Bergmann TF. Probable inflammatory bowel disease in a child: assessment and conservative management. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. 2003;4(2):157-162.

Donahue T, Bergmann TF, Donahue S, Dody M. Manipulative assessment and treatment of shoulder dysfunction, case reports. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. 2003;4(2):145-152.

Bergmann TF, Jongeward B. Manipulative therapy in low back pain with leg pain and neurological deficit: a case report and literature review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 1998;21(4):288-294.

Stude DE, Bergmann TF, Finer BA. A conservative approach for a patient with traumatically induced urinary incontinence: a case report and literature review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 1998;21(5). Poster presentation, World Federation of Chiropractic, Tokyo, Japan; June 1997.

Bergmann TF, Larson L. Manipulative care and older persons. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic. 1996;3(2):56-65.

Bergmann TF. Manual force, mechanically assisted articular chiropractic technique using long and/or short levers: a literature review. Proceedings 6th C.O.R.E. June 1991, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 1993;16:33‑36.