“The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” – Arthur C. Clarke
We are a society of active people.
Despite the recurring news stories warning us of the increasing incidence of obesity and the related issues that come with that, people are working out. There has been a vast surge of interest and engagement in various types of fitness programs and amateur sports activities.
Much of this interest is reflected in the tone of advertisements for different kinds of workout equipment and programs. The emphasis is on intensity and pushing oneself beyond their perceived limitations. And, while there is much to be said for achieving personal goals and striving towards greater levels of fitness, the unfortunate reality is that sometimes we hurt ourselves in the process.
And, when we are in pain, we want to get fixed.
A Look at Neurokinetic Therapy®
Neurokinetic Therapy®, often called NKT®, is a type of natural therapeutic system used to correct learned movements and dysfunctional movement patterns and muscle functions within the body that can contribute to poor posture, joint tenderness, and muscular pain.
NKT® is a “bodywork” modality that has similarities to massage therapy and some types of chiropractic adjustments. Primarily, NKT® is used to treat sports injuries and chronic pain resulting from sports activities, however, anyone can benefit from treatment with NKT®.
As we’ve noted on our Neurokinetic Therapy® service page,
“Many professional sports teams are using NeuroKinetic Therapy™ to keep their athletes in top performance, prevent injuries, and heal injuries fast. Many baseball players turn to NeuroKinetic Therapy™ when they sustain a rotator cuff injury. For some of these pitchers, this type of therapy is used before surgery. It can help heal their injury without the need for surgery. If surgery is in order, these players will use NeuroKinetic Therapy™ during their rehabilitation process.”
Bodywork practitioner David Weinstock co-developed the Neurokinetic Therapy® corrective movement system in 1985 along with several peers. The therapy system has been widely used in the last 35 years to treat a variety of acute and chronic injuries and conditions. These are assessed and rehabilitated using NKT® and patients are then provided with individualized exercise programs.
Essentially, Neurokinetic Therapy® is a strategic form of manual therapy utilizing motor control theory and manual muscle testing.
Practitioners work with clients to help with common running injuries and issues often made worse by dysfunctional muscle compensations. This can also include muscle compensations triggered through trauma or injury, exercising with improper form, or various compensations that occur when we walk or put stress on our backs, legs, or arms.
There are a variety of conditions that NKT® can be used to correct and heal such as:
- Low back pain
- Neck and jaw pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bursitis and tendonitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Injuries including strains, tears, and pulled muscles
Finding Relief from the Pain of Too Much Gain
Whether it’s over-exertion of certain muscles and other soft tissues, gradual injury due to overuse or repetitive motion, or something more traumatic and sudden such as a blow to the body or falling, the long-term result can be recurring or chronic pain.
A common occurrence after an injury is that the brains’ “motor control center” in the cerebellum shifts to a muscle compensation pattern.
This simply means that muscles that are supposed to perform a certain movement are inhibited because of compensations, or what we refer to as coordination system dysfunctions. What happens then is that other muscles known as compensators are now used by the brain to perform the task.
Unfortunately, when left untreated this condition can lead to muscle tightness, stiffness, pain, and further dysfunction.
A common example is a whiplash accident or similar neck injury. To compensate, the posterior neck muscles will brace for the injured anterior neck muscles. Unfortunately, this dysfunctional movement pattern will continue unless the proper pattern is restored by retraining.
The good news is that by using Neurokinetic Therapy® we are able to identify and eliminate dysfunctional movement patterns and restore functional movement. This is accomplished by testing various muscles to identify which ones are compensating for other muscles. Once the compensation pattern is defined, we can work to release the “compensator” muscle and then neurologically retrain the inhibited muscle.
The goal is to achieve proper movement throughout the optimal range of motion repeatedly.
Neurokinetic Therapy® and Pain and Performance Solutions
No one likes pain and no one likes having to function while in pain. And that’s where we come in. By understanding how your body moves through your pain and the compensation patterns and subsequent movement dysfunction we can determine the best strategy for your recovery.
Pain and Performance Solutions would love to schedule a consultation with you so we can learn more about your pain and explain how Neurokinetic Therapy® can help us diagnose the real cause of your pain.
As with any diagnosis of an injury or chronic pain, the first step is getting to know you. We can’t determine how to diagnose your chronic pain without understanding your history and what you’ve been through and where you are now.
By scheduling a consultation, you will take the first step in your journey to recovery. So, feel free to contact us at (707) 636-4404 or fill out our online contact form.