How does flexion 'feel' in the physician's hands?

• A. Fingers apart and hands forward
• B. Fingers together and hands backward
• C. Fingers together and hands forward
• D. Fingers apart and hands backward

Answer: (A)

In cranial manipulation, flexion is felt as the cranial bones momentarily move apart and the vault lengthens, with the contact on the skull spreading under your hands. That outward divergence of the contact points is why you sense the fingers as apart, while the hands move slightly forward to encourage the skull to flex. So the description “fingers apart and hands forward” best matches the feel of flexion. In contrast, extension tends to tighten the contacts (fingers closer together) and the hands move backward.