Prediction, pain, and range of motion
How we differ from physical therapy
Last month I was working with a client who couldn't bend forward without wincing in pain. When he tried, he stopped 5 inches above their ankles. After a 15 minute relaxation practice, he tried again.
Palms to the floor.
Pain-free, and with no stretching needed.
The nervous system can limit range of motion not due to structural damage but as a protective inference. Under the right conditions, it can revise those limits quickly.
Physical therapists will usually default to a structural explanation of pain: “your posterior chain is too tight.” But the usual methods of stretching and strengthening may do nothing to address fear of movement.
We take a different approach. We begin by updating the predictions of pain that generate fear by
calming the nervous system
gently dissolving the pain sensation
teaching the nervous system to move without fear.
If you’d like to work with us directly, you can read more here.