Clearly, it is of utmost importance to identify the causes of dysfunction so that you can be more effective in treating the symptoms. One has to be a good detective in order to unravel the complexities of dysfunctional movement patterns. A good assessment technique is a powerful tool in figuring out the causes. NeuroKinetic Therapy, with its use of manual muscle testing and motor control theory, is an excellent assessment technique. Here is a good example. A client comes to you after a car accident with cervical whiplash. They have terrible pain in the posterior neck muscles as well as the upper trapezius. What do you do first? Do you work on the posterior neck muscles and the upper trapezius? The answer would be no. Why? The pain in those areas is the symptom and not the cause. The cause usually is weakness in the anterior neck muscles and the lats. Start by testing the strength and/or neural connectivity of the anterior neck muscles and lats. You will find them to be weak and inhibited. To get them reconnected you must first release the posterior neck muscles and the upper trapezius and then retest the anterior neck muscles and the lats. Keep doing that until the weak muscles become strong. This is an example of reciprocal inhibition. The motor control center in the cerebellum has created a dysfunctional movement pattern, due to trauma, that keeps the posterior neck muscles and the upper trapezius continually facilitated. By testing, releasing, and retesting[the NeuroKinetic Therapy protocol], one can reprogram the dysfunction in the motor control center.
Here is another good example. How does one treat plantar fasciitis? Do you work on the painful and inflamed tissue on the bottom of the foot? No, that would be very unproductive and invasive. The best way is to identify the cause. We know that tight calf muscles can pull on the plantar fascia causing it to tighten as well. Should you release the tight calf muscles? Yes, but that would only be symptomatic relief. What is causing the calf muscles to be tight? Usually that is from weak gluteal muscles. Test the gluteal muscles and you will find them weak. Release the calf muscles and then retest the gluteal muscles. You will now find them strong. You do not even have to work on the plantar fascia in order to affect their healing.
In order to be a good body detective one must be able to distinguish the symptoms from the causes. The use of an effective assessment technique such as NeuroKinetic Therapy is indispensable in identifying the causes. When the causes of dysfunction are successfully treated, the results obtained are longer-lasting and create extremely grateful clients.