“It’s always hard to deal with injuries mentally, but I like to think about it as a new beginning. I can’t change what happened, so the focus needs to go toward healing and coming back stronger than before.”
– Carli Lloyd
Carli Anne Lloyd is an American soccer player, two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, 2015 FIFA Player of the Year and 2016 FIFA Player of the Year. So, what Carli has to say about injuries and how to focus on overcoming them, is extremely beneficial. We at Pain and Performance solutions believe that the focus Carli Lloyd is describing is the first step in recovering from an injury. The mental game will always be a huge obstacle but overcoming the injury itself will help aid with the mental recovery. We believe a highly beneficial therapy to help athletes overcome an injury is through Neurokinetic Therapy treatments (NKT).
What is NeuroKinetic Therapy
If you’ve never heard of Neurokinetic therapy here’s what David Weinstock who co-developed Neurokinetic therapy defines it as, “NeuroKinetic Therapy is based on the premise that when an injury has occurred, certain muscles shut down or become inhibited, forcing other muscles to become overworked. This compensation pattern can create pain or tightness. By applying light pressure that the client then resists, the practitioner can evaluate the strength or weakness of each muscle, revealing the sources of injury and retraining the client’s body to remove the compensation pattern and reprogramming the body at the neural level.”
NKT and Sports
Injuries are a part of every athlete’s journey. Whether it’s mental or physical the rigors of performing at the level you desire, day in and day out will take its toll on your mind and body. When you are facing the road to recovery from an injury, Neurokinetic therapy is a practice that’s extremely beneficial to you. Are you asking yourself, what can NKT help treat? Here’s a short list of some injuries athletes may have that NKT can help you overcome:
- Injuries caused by trauma or impact
- Lower back pain
- Neck and Jaw pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Muscle Joint Strains/ Tears and Pulls
- Bursitis and Tendonitis
- Pain from Improper Form or Compensations
At Santa Rosa Pain and Performance we will use NKT to determine and help correct an athlete’s injury by performing localized muscle testing. Neurokinetic Therapy testing is performed in a very specific procedure to identify which part of the body is contributing to your pain or injury. Often, it’s the muscle relationship that is the problem. One specific muscle can become inhibited which will force another muscle to work way harder than it should to compensate.
The testing of your injuries can be difficult since one muscle can be superior in strength and is overcompensating for a weak one. When this is the case, the injured muscle can appear as still healthy when it is not. When Neurokinetic therapy is administered, we look at the weak muscle at the onset and follow it up with the testing of the stronger muscle.
The overall goal of NKT is to determine where the exact compensation is occurring. Then the goal is to find the localized, precise spot where the compensation is happening to loosen the tightness of that muscle, release the tight muscle, then refine that weakness and reprogram the connection between the healthy and weaker muscles. All to get your body working to its most optimal performance.
Benefits for Athlete’s
There are many benefits that any athlete will find when practicing NKT. Some of those benefits are:
- Improved balance, posture and coordination
- Reduced spasms
- Increased range of motion, strength and stamina
- Faster muscle recovery with less fatigue or tenderness
- Injury prevention
- Rotator cuff pain or injuries
Neurokinetic Therapy
All in all, the practice of NKT is beneficial to an athlete looking to overcome an injury. A timetable can be set, but it’s all about how an individual’s body will respond to this treatment. It can be faster for some, but longer for others. NKT is a healthy, natural therapy that we at Santa Rosa Pain and Performance believe in. If you’d like to set up a consultation or if you have any other questions, please click here to contact us. We are here to help get your body back to working at the highest level possible.
Advancing Recovery: Latest Insights in Neurokinetic Therapy for Athletes
Neurokinetic Therapy (NKT) has gained attention for its ability to help athletes overcome injuries by addressing muscle imbalances and reprogramming the body’s neural connections. But recent advancements in NKT are unlocking even greater potential for recovery, injury prevention, and performance optimization. These updates not only refine the therapy’s effectiveness but also expand its applications to tackle a broader range of challenges faced by athletes.
Here’s what’s new in the world of NKT and how it can redefine your recovery journey.
Revolutionizing Muscle Compensation Analysis
A recent breakthrough in NKT research involves advanced methods of identifying muscle compensation patterns. While traditional NKT focuses on testing individual muscles to pinpoint weaknesses, new techniques incorporate dynamic movement analysis. By observing how muscles interact during complex, real-world movements—like running or pivoting—practitioners can now uncover hidden compensation patterns that static tests might miss.
This innovation allows for more precise treatment plans, ensuring that even subtle imbalances are corrected before they lead to further injury or reduced performance.
Expanding the Role of Neural Reprogramming
A significant update to NKT protocols emphasizes the importance of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize neural pathways. New approaches in NKT incorporate exercises and drills that stimulate neural reprogramming beyond the treatment table.
For instance, pairing muscle corrections with visual or auditory cues during therapy has been shown to enhance the brain’s ability to “remember” proper muscle firing patterns. This integrated approach not only speeds up recovery but also helps athletes retain the benefits of NKT for longer periods.
NKT Meets Wearable Technology
The integration of wearable technology is transforming how practitioners monitor and adjust NKT treatments. Devices equipped with electromyography (EMG) sensors can track muscle activation in real-time, providing immediate feedback on the effectiveness of therapy.
This data-driven approach ensures that practitioners can fine-tune treatments to target the precise areas of dysfunction. Athletes, in turn, gain a deeper understanding of how their muscles are responding, empowering them to take an active role in their recovery.
Addressing Chronic Conditions with Greater Precision
While NKT is widely used for acute injuries, new research highlights its potential in managing chronic conditions like tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, and even neuropathic pain. These conditions often involve long-standing compensation patterns that can be challenging to resolve.
Updated NKT techniques now include graded exposure therapy, which gradually reintroduces normal movement patterns to areas affected by chronic pain. This approach not only alleviates pain but also helps athletes rebuild trust in their bodies, a crucial factor in achieving full recovery.
Combining NKT with Strength and Conditioning
One of the most exciting developments in NKT is its integration with strength and conditioning programs. By addressing compensation patterns early, NKT can lay the foundation for more effective strength training. This synergy prevents the reinforcement of faulty movement patterns during exercise, leading to safer and more efficient gains in strength and endurance.
For example, an athlete recovering from a knee injury can use NKT to ensure proper activation of the quadriceps and hamstrings before beginning a targeted strength program.
A Holistic Approach to Athlete Recovery
The latest advancements in NKT emphasize a holistic approach to recovery, combining physical, mental, and emotional aspects of healing. Visualization techniques and mindfulness practices are being integrated into therapy sessions to enhance neural reprogramming and improve overall resilience.
This comprehensive method aligns perfectly with Carli Lloyd’s mindset: embracing injuries as opportunities for growth and focusing on coming back stronger. By addressing the mental game alongside physical recovery, NKT helps athletes rebuild not just their bodies but their confidence as well.
Elevate Your Recovery with Santa Rosa Pain and Performance
At Santa Rosa Pain and Performance, we stay at the forefront of these innovations to provide cutting-edge care. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, dealing with chronic pain, or looking to optimize your performance, our updated NKT protocols are designed to meet your unique needs.
If you’re ready to explore the latest advancements in NKT and discover how they can transform your recovery, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Let’s work together to help your body achieve its peak performance.