Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® (“Ring Dinger®”) Clarified as In-Scope Care Under Texas Law; Advanced Chiropractic Equipment LLC Addresses Confusion with Y-Strap Traction

Clarification on Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® Under Texas Law

Advanced Chiropractic Equipment LLC (ACE) and Gregory E. Johnson, D.C., have issued a formal statement to resolve public confusion regarding the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® (Ring Dinger®) and the Y-Strap cervical traction maneuver. This statement also aims to clarify the scope-of-practice questions among U.S. state chiropractic boards.

The Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners (TBCE) has dismissed multiple complaints filed over the past decade that alleged Dr. Johnson's Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® was "out of scope." These dismissals indicate that the Board has not found grounds for disciplinary action against Dr. Johnson in Texas regarding his use of this procedure. ACE states these dismissals reflect that the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® is within the scope of practice for Texas-licensed chiropractors under Texas law.

Under Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 201 (Chiropractors), the practice of chiropractic includes using objective and subjective means to evaluate the spine and performing non-surgical, non-incisive procedures. This includes adjustment and manipulation to improve the subluxation complex or musculoskeletal biomechanics. The statute explicitly excludes surgical or incisive procedures and the prescription of controlled substances or radiation therapy.

ACE's position is that the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® is a manual, non-incisive chiropractic adjustment meeting the statutory criteria. TBCE's dismissal of complaints filed against Dr. Johnson regarding the use of this technique supports that it is in scope in Texas.

Ring Dinger® vs. Y-Strap: Key Technical Differences

The Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment®, known as the Ring Dinger®, is a global, full-spine chiropractic adjustment delivered strictly on the Y-axis. It is performed manually, with the chiropractor's hands contacting the occiput and mandible via a towel, bringing the entire spine to tension and delivering a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust on the Y-axis only. The procedure is carried out on a specially designed Ring Dinger® table, which locks the pelvis with steel-pin supports at the iliac crests. The table's leg-elevation system flattens lumbar lordosis and relaxes paraspinal muscles, maintaining a true Y-axis line of drive for precision and control.

The Y-Strap cervical traction method, developed by Dr. Burl Pettibon, is designed as a traction tool rather than a chiropractic adjustment. The strap is applied to the mandible and mid-cervical area and may introduce flexion or extension forces during traction pulls. Because the patient's pelvis is not locked, the body may slide on the table surface, dissipating forces and introducing non-Y-axis vectors. ACE emphasizes that this technique is traction-focused and not pelvis-stabilized; it is therefore not equivalent to the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® and should not be represented as such.

Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® and Ring Dinger® are federally registered trademarks owned by Gregory Eugene Johnson. Their use on digital platforms is prohibited without a license. Licensed providers must complete ACE’s certification seminar in Houston, Texas, and maintain compliance with trademark licensing terms, including a monthly license fee.

ACE urges chiropractors and clinics to avoid conflating the Y-Strap traction maneuver with the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment®. Clinics and marketers who represent the Y-Strap as the Ring Dinger® or use Dr. Johnson’s trademarks without a license may face enforcement actions to protect the integrity and quality standards of the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment®.

About Advanced Chiropractic Equipment LLC

Advanced Chiropractic Equipment LLC (ACE) designs and distributes equipment and training for the Johnson Y-Axis Adjustment® (Ring Dinger®), a proprietary, full-spine Y-axis chiropractic adjustment developed by Gregory E. Johnson, D.C. ACE provides certification and licensing for authorized providers worldwide.

Advanced Chiropractic Equipment LLC (ACE)

Email: forms@advancedchiropracticequipmentllc.com

This release summarizes ACE’s position and Dr. Johnson’s statements and describes TBCE complaint dismissals concerning Dr. Johnson in Texas. Scope-of-practice laws vary by state. Chiropractors outside Texas should consult their own state board and applicable statutes/regulations regarding technique use.

Based on reporting by TechBullion.