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Neuromuscular Therapy?
What is Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT)?
NMT is a specialized form of manual therapy. A therapist trained in NMT is educated in the physiology of the nervous system and its effect on the muscular and skeletal systems. The Neuromuscular Therapist is further educated in kinesiology and biomechanics as well as how to put it to practical use in a clinical or medical environment.
By definition, Neuromuscular Therapy is the utilization of static pressure on specific myofascial points to relieve pain. This technique manipulates the soft tissue of the body (muscles, tendons and connective tissue) to balance the central nervous system. In a healthy individual, nerves transmit impulses (which are responsible for every movement, function and thought) to the body very slowly. Injury, trauma, postural distortion or stress cause nerves to speed up their transmission, inhibiting equilibrium and making the body vulnerable to pain and dysfunction. It is therefore necessary to stabilize low levels of neurological activity to maintain normal function and overall health.
Neuromuscular Therapy is used to address the following
five elements that typically cause pain:
Ischemia
Lack of blood supply to soft tissues which causes hypersensitivity to touch.
Trigger Points
Highly irritated points in muscles which refer pain to other parts of the body.
Nerve Compression or Entrapment
Pressure on a nerve by soft tissue, cartilage or bone.
Postural Distortion
Imbalance of the muscular system resulting from the movement of the body off the longitudinal
and horizontal planes.
Biomechanical Dysfunction
Imbalance of the musculoskeletal system resulting in faulty movement patterns (i.e., poor lifting
habits, bad mechanics in a golf swing or tennis stroke, computer keyboarding).