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What is NeuroMuscular Therapy?
"Therapeutic Massage, "Trager", and so on... but no where did it offer the option of "NeuroMuscular Therapy.
This isn't a knock on the developer of the site. I appreciate that they put this site up for all bodyworkers to come together. I also realize that it would be hard to list every single modality! It would nearly fill up the whole page!
At the same time, I feel like I was not able to list what I practice. My opinion is that NMT is not deep tissue massage, and while we do work with trigger points, that is not all there is to NeuroMuscular Therapy.
NeuroMuscular Therapy is a modality that aims to BALANCE the Neurological System with muscular & Connective Tissues of the tendons, ligaments & fascial networks of the body using very precise AND not always "DEEP" in pressure! We aim to be more SPECIFIC using many soft tissue manipulation techniques that you might say that we "borrow" from other modalities. but its intentions and protocols are uniquely effective in changing blood flow & changing nerve function in tissues that have found themselves glued & stressed to other structures.
When I tell people what I do for a living... they wonder what it is, because they've never heard of NeuroMuscular Therapy Before. So I try to break it down to them. First I tell them, " its like combining Physical Therapy with Massage Therapy." That I balance the Nerves & muscles to facilitate pain relief by manipulation of soft tissues. the term "deep tissue" is far too vague of a term to describe NMT. While SOMETIMES deeper pressure is necessary to access deeper muscles, many times lighter but MORE SPECIFIC contact with muscles & connective tissues is more effective. I'm learning this more and more as I get more variety of clients and tissue types under my fingertips.
NeuroMuscular Therapy is more than fancy techniques. its a totaly approach & thought process about the body and how to approach it. We look at the body as a whole unit and understand that the cause isn't always where the pain is, which can be due to trigger points, ischemia, nerve entrapment, postural distortion, nutrition or lack there of to the cells, due to all of the above, and most of all STRESS! stress on structure & form, stress on the mental, emotional & immune systems.
Although NMT is typically geared towards musculoskeletal pain & dysfunction, Ifor things like back pain, herniated discs, Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, Migraines and more, I believe NMT could be very effective is the facilitation of the healing process and retraining of the body for many other conditions such as developmental disorders that seem to becoming more and more of a reality these days. The trick would be to eduate the public of the benefits and possible improvement of quality of life for these people young & old.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeff Sims on
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aloha Kevin
terminology makes a difference. or, words are important. trigger point release techniques are a very important part of neuromuscular therapy, but the public should know that NMT involves much more as you've described. so much of what we do as therapists is education. i've compromised and learned to accept the label "trigger point release", but i support your mission.
i love your comment suggesting NMT as effective for "other" conditions such as developmental disorders. i too believe that myofascial pain & dysfunction is at least involved in a variety of dis-eases like vision & speech pathologies.
i am curious, in your practice, have you considered or have you tried using the spray and stretch technique? -
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Howley on
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Hi Jaya Jeff Sims!
Thanks for joining my discussion! And thanks for the support! I have not tried spray & stretch but am aware of the technique. My typical approach uses a lot of muscle stripping along the fibers, circular friction is my friend... I find it very effective where other forms of friction seem to not be very friendly to the muscle & tissue. I of course use ischemic compression to hold & release for trigger points. In Spring 2008, I was very fortunate to have Aaron Mattes come to my area to teach Active Isolated Stretching & Strengthening. This has made my NMT approach VERY EFFECTIVE and more complete. In my Bodywork Bootcamp program, which is a 12 week comprehensive wellness program, I GIVE the client a Theracane, Aaron's Stretching book & a rope as well as a rubberband to use in homecare, so they have absolutely no excuses of not practicing. But what's more effective is that I show clients a St. John Seminars Client Education video before I get them on the table.
Jaya Jeff Sims said:aloha Kevin
terminology makes a difference. or, words are important. trigger point release techniques are a very important part of neuromuscular therapy, but the public should know that NMT involves much more as you've described. so much of what we do as therapists is education. i've compromised and learned to accept the label "trigger point release", but i support your mission.
i love your comment suggesting NMT as effective for "other" conditions such as developmental disorders. i too believe that myofascial pain & dysfunction is at least involved in a variety of dis-eases like vision & speech pathologies.
i am curious, in your practice, have you considered or have you tried using the spray and stretch technique? -
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Batac on
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Just joined this group, as I will become certified in this awesome technique in march! Hopefully there will Be more to come on this...
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Hi, It has been a long time since I've posted! a year to be exact. I see the group has acquired some more members and I invite everyone to weigh in on the discussion, it can be anything related to the practice of Neuromuscular Therapy and methods you include.
One of the things I have been working on lately with clients is movement therapies to retrain the body in proprioception, retraining the body in movements that it "forgot" because of the pain or trauma it experienced during injury.
I think one thing sometimes therapists either forget or don't realize is that a session doesn't HAVE TO BE ALL RUBBING during the whole session! What if rubbing an area is not the most advantageous method of helping the body heal itself? Maybe the body just needs small strategic movements to re-educate it to relieve the trauma or stress?
Anyone else employ proprioceptive movement therapy? I am not necessarily talking about PNF stretching, but if you'd like to talk about that, go right ahead!
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Welcome to the group Michelle! join in on the conversation or start a new one! Get your feet wet!
Michelle Batac said:Just joined this group, as I will become certified in this awesome technique in march! Hopefully there will Be more to come on this... -
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Thanks Kevin! I do not "rub" the whole time either. I do utilize pnf stretches, as well as other forms of therapy, such as ice or heat, depending. I currently work with a lot of chiro patients at the chiro office, so it seems to work well because people are already very educated on movement therapies. I do love to educate and inform the patients/clients if the doc didn't have the time to.
I will be posting a question or rather, many I'm sure about NMT, because I am still learning it! In due time... -
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aloha Kevin ~ i just enjoyed reading your posting. i teach Pilates (and yoga) and work with another Pilates teacher to complement massage/bodywork therapy. movement patterns that result in injury are not functional. Pilates equipment is very effective in targeting specific bio-mechanical movements for retraining the neuromuscular system and establishing stable joint complexes. the bio-mechanics of movement as Janda researched and theorized are the basis for assessment & treatment, including orthopedic massage, structural bodywork and functional movement. i had not thought of Mattes work as functional movement, but it obviously can be. thanks for helping me to see how bodywork techniques that are active can be effective with what Somatics practitioners refer to as sensory/motor amnesia. i have recently been receiving Feldenkrais treatments and am considering taking the certification course (four years).
Kevin Howley said:Hi, It has been a long time since I've posted! a year to be exact. I see the group has acquired some more members and I invite everyone to weigh in on the discussion, it can be anything related to the practice of Neuromuscular Therapy and methods you include.
One of the things I have been working on lately with clients is movement therapies to retrain the body in proprioception, retraining the body in movements that it "forgot" because of the pain or trauma it experienced during injury.
I think one thing sometimes therapists either forget or don't realize is that a session doesn't HAVE TO BE ALL RUBBING during the whole session! What if rubbing an area is not the most advantageous method of helping the body heal itself? Maybe the body just needs small strategic movements to re-educate it to relieve the trauma or stress?
Anyone else employ proprioceptive movement therapy? I am not necessarily talking about PNF stretching, but if you'd like to talk about that, go right ahead!
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Permalink Reply by elizabeth mount on
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Hi, great website BTW. Have you heard of gyrotonics? you should come out an check it out sometime. Unfortunatly i am not an instructor so i can't trade you. I love working as an MT with my fellow AAIMT grad at willow wellness studio in ann arbor. She has full intergration of massage and movement into her sesssions. www.willowwellnessstudio.com
~elizabeth.
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