Understanding Cranial Bone Movement
Understanding Cranial Bone Movement
For chiropractors and healthcare professionals seeking clarity in the understanding of cranial bone motion and dynamics.
Unlock the mechanics behind chiropractic cranial adjusting with this online course, “How Cranial Bones Move”. You’ll learn the 4 specific motion patterns of the cranium and how they impact each cranial bone, tools to assess the proper movement of the cranium, and what these subtle shifts can have on the growth and development of the cranium.
We’ll explore how respiratory motion, dural tension, cerebrospinal mechanics and structural relationships (sutures and fontanelles) guide cranial motion, especially in infants where early patterns set the stage for development. This course is ideal for those new to cranial work or preparing for advanced certification, giving you the hands-on insight needed to refine your palpation and deliver precise, effective care.
Dr. Ken Cooper will guide you through the interplay of respiratory motion, dural tension, cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and the role of sutures and fontanelles — especially crucial in pediatric patients, where early distortions can alter the course of development.
Whether you’re new to cranial work or preparing for advanced certification, this course builds the palpation skills and clinical insight needed to deliver precise, effective care.
Course Contents
7 Modules | 7 CTAs
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Module 01 Cranial Anatomy
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Module 02 Cranial Motion Fundamentals
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Module 03 The Occiput and Sphenoid
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Module 04 The Temporals
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Module 05 The Frontal and Parietals
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Module 06 The Palate
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Module 07 Clinical Integration
Meet the Instructors
Dr. Ken Cooper brings over two decades of clinical experience, leadership, and dedication to advancing Pediatric and Perinatal Chiropractic care. A devoted husband, proud father of five, and grandfather of four, Dr. Cooper’s personal and professional life reflects his passion for family-centered wellness.
His journey in healthcare began with honorable service as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman and nationally registered EMT in the early 1990s, laying a strong foundation for his commitment to care. He became a licensed Chiropractor in 2001, and by 2003 had completed a Pediatric Chiropractic Fellowship with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA)—an early indicator of his calling to serve the youngest members of our communities.
Dr. Cooper is Webster Certified and was directly taught the Webster Technique by its founder, the legendary Dr. Larry Webster. He went on to achieve his CACCP certification through the ICPA in 2019 and completed his Perinatal Certification in 2023.
A pioneer in his field, Dr. Cooper was one of the first three chiropractors to earn the Certified SOT Spinal Pediatric Practitioner (CSSPP) designation from Drs. Martin Rosen and Nancy Watson of the Peak Potential Institute in 2022, followed by becoming one of the first two recipients of the Certified Specialist in Pediatric Cranial Adjusting (CSCPP) in 2024.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Cooper is a 7th-degree black belt, accomplished author, active researcher, and sought-after speaker. His role as an international instructor in Pediatric Chiropractic allows him to educate and inspire doctors around the world with his practical knowledge, clinical insights, and heartfelt commitment to excellence in Pediatric Chiropractic care.
Whether in the classroom or the clinic, Dr. Ken Cooper continues to elevate the standards of care and education in Chiropractic, with a heart for children and a legacy of service.
Feedback From Our Students
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Dr. Kristen Kerr
This program should be taken by everyone prior to doing hands-on cranial work so that you fully understand how the bones move. Movement is not the story. It is just a page in the understanding of cranial work. Palpating squirming children is amazing. Do not overthink it.
I have taken numerous classes, but this class brought my knowledge full circle. I have a lot more to learn but at least I can see the circle. It was my ah-ha!! And I loved it!!
Sphenoid and occiput…. I love them!!! I learned that sometimes my sphenoid location was almost- not quite right. This reinforced where I needed to be. My cranial work changed dramatically with this subtle change in contact.
The information here is so valuable. It was for me about having a stable foundation of knowledge that made the other puzzle pieces click into place. Thank you so much for that.
The knowledge that you are sharing with me is beyond amazing. My life can get crazy. BUT this, this brings me home. It is my lighthouse – lighting my way, igniting my passion. Thank you!!
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Spencer Grubb, DC
Three Takeaways:
1. Specific cranial motions and how each bone interacts with each other. 2. The beginning of what indications to look for that correspond to various cranial distortions. 3. Sphenoid is extremely important.This course has given me the tools necessary to critically think about cranial movements when assessing/treating infants. Furthermore, it has given me the confidence to start seeing harder infant cases.
Having only fairly recently started seeing infants, I have yet to see results, but I am still beginning to be able to observe cranial distortions and infer the proper method for treatment. Additionally, I can confidently explain to parents what my observations are and what I intend to do to correct it.
Yes, Dr. Ken Cooper does a great job at explaining cranial motion beyond what is just on the slides. At first, I was fairly disappointed with the cost associated with the length of each video, but he specifically adds overall value.
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Dr. Katie Holton
Clear and structured presentations, I like the bite size of the learning. Dr. Ken is a great communicator. I like the bite sized learning, it gives me time to process and fit in to how the cranium moves layer by layer. And re-watch too.
Massively, improve my palpation skills. The palpation Ken did in lesson one was how I have built more confidence in what and why is moving and when it is moving and also not moving.
The understanding of the temporal motion – definitely took me a beat to figure this out. Lots of repeat listens and watches of Dr. Ken lessons, then the penny dropped. How this has impacted my clinic, treating babies already is having quicker and better feeding outcomes for babies and mummies. I get it, and this has really helped the 3-D motion of the cranium.
YES YES YES.I would recommend this course. It’s the tough stuff, the how our bodies function. Once you understand this, I’m already treating with greater specific adjustments. And what’s super cool and important! I can talk about this mechanism in lay terms (YAY) and how important it is and why. This has been awesome with patients already!!!
More Courses from Peak Potential Institute
This comprehensive online course delves into the anatomy and functionality of the vestibular system, emphasizing its role in balance, posture, coordination, and sensory processing. Participants will learn to evaluate and identify deficits and imbalances affecting overall health and functional capacity as well as adjusting protocols to address these issues.
Taught by Dr. Ken Cooper, Lead Instructor – Peak Potential InstituteFor chiropractors and healthcare professionals seeking clarity in the understanding of cranial bone motion and dynamics.
This foundational course offers a clear, clinical framework for understanding the biomechanics behind cranial adjusting.
You’ll learn:
- The four primary motion patterns of the cranium
- We’ll explore how respiratory motion, dural tension, cerebrospinal mechanics and structural relationships (sutures and fontanelles) guide cranial motion, especially in infants where early patterns set the stage for development.
- How these patterns influence individual cranial bones
- Tools to assess proper cranial movement and function
- The impact of subtle restrictions on growth, development, and neurological integrity
Can a Chiropractic Adjustment Be Both Gentle and Highly Specific? Chiropractic low-intensity spinal adjusting uses precise positioning, specific contacts and neurologically informed reflex responses to support gentle correction without forcing motion. Through precise positioning and the facilitation of the body’s proprioceptive and nociceptive reflexes, it helps restore structural balance by encouraging the body to return to its optimal state of ease.
In this online program, Dr. Martin Rosen teaches chiropractors how to evaluate and address cervical, thoracic, lumbar and pelvic dysfunction/subluxation using low-intensity procedures. Participants learn neurological indicators, contact points, positioning principles, adjusting sequences and re-evaluation procedures they can use with specificity and confidence, especially when high-velocity adjusting may not be appropriate or preferred.
