Neuromuscular Rehabilitation

Neuromuscular rehabilitation is a physical or occupational therapy technique that trains the muscles to communicate properly. It helps to re-educate and reduce pain signals, accelerate recovery from injuries, restore healthy movement, balance, and coordination by teaching the body healthy movement and habits. It re-educates and re-calibrates the signals going to and from the brain. Sensory neurons (afferent) travel to the brain and feed the brain through kinesthetics and sensory input- auditory, visual, tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, interoceptive information, which then signals back to the body as information for our motor neurons (efferent), or movement. Because the brain is flexible, it can create new pathways and adapt to new movement patterns to control the body-known as neuroplasticity. Neuromuscular re-education focuses on training the nervous system to regain control and coordination over your muscles.

Teaching patient’s postural stability and re-education, sitting and standing ergonomics, diaphragmatic breathing, education on proper movement and vagal tone (vagus nerve-10th cranial nerve), structural/ pelvic floor alignment and lifestyle modifications and tips, all help to “feed” the brain healthy information and re-educate movement.

Proprioceptive training exercises help to improve nerve-muscle coordination and balance that aids in the development of better kinesthesia (movement sensation), thus reducing pain. These exercises improve body awareness, agility, strength and coordination. Some common exercises include standing on one-foot, the bird dog and tree pose. Proprioceptive training is particularly important as we age and can help with falls prevention, improve balance and restore confidence in daily life.

 Neuro re-education also includes manual therapy techniques: deep tissue massage, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), cupping, myofascial release techniques, joint mobilization (ranging the joints), bilateral tapping, feathering, kinesio tapping, compression, traction techniques, moving the body in multiple planes and energy balancing.

Some benefits to neuromuscular therapy include an increase of energy levels, improved blood circulation, a balanced muscular and nervous system, lowered toxin levels, reduced pain and improvements in posture, sleep and overall quality of life.

It is completely natural and normal to feel tired after a neuromuscular (or medical massage) session. Your brain and body are re-establishing new movement patterns-neuroplasticity. You are retraining muscles and learning to engage them in new ways, which requires a lot of physical effort. Your body is also redirecting energy to mend tissues, manage inflammation and integrate new movement strategies. Your fascia and lymph system are activated to move and release toxins. After a session, do some gentle movement, rest and drink fluids to assist with recovery.

Restore-Reintegrate-Renew-Reimagine living life to the fullest, pain-free.