Laurie's Blogs.

So, I was going through some blog posting, and I found an interesting one:

https://www.themanualtherapist.com/2017/08/an-easier-way-to-mobilize-cervical.html

The gist of the blog is that sometimes when you feel a spinal joint, it may simply be too painful to mobilize it or it’s so stiff that you feel like you are ‘bashing’ the joint at end range.  In these scenarios, mobilizing or manipulating the joint, just might not do the trick… or the procedure you are using it too uncomfortable that you’re not actually doing any good!  What to do then?

The blog talks about employing neurophysiology to rescue the situation!  Essentially, you just push on the epaxial muscles (or whatever adjacent muscle) in a rhythmical fashion, like you’re pushing on piano keys.  Just do this for a few repetitions.  Then retest.

I tried this on my neck after watching the blog.  (Find somewhere on yourself to test).  The first place I poked didn’t really do much, so I poked on the muscles on the other side.  Low and behold, I could turn my head without the ‘pinchy’ feeling.  Here’s the thing, I wasn’t pushing on a bone, just on overlying muscle.  I wasn’t pushing hard enough to be causing any joint motion.  I wasn’t ‘digging in’ to release a trigger point or create any kind of myofascial stretch.  I was just pushing on a muscle!  

The only way this makes sense is neurophysiology!  Poking on the body.  Creating a stimulus on the body, sets off a neurophysiological response.  Nerve firing, muscles relaxing… and then joints can move!

Oh, my gosh how simple!  

So far in my clinical research (n=1) I am thinking the poking needs to be followed up by some mobilizations.  But the poking alone did settle the adjacent muscles for sure!

Okay… so now your task (and mine) is to test this technique on our canine patients!  It’s simple. You won’t hurt any of them… so give it a try!  I know I will tomorrow at the clinic for sure!

Report back!  Happy gentle poking!

Until next time!

Cheers,   Laurie