In my intake forms I look for signs of Multi-System Breakdown.

When there is a history of trauma and visceral or cognitive effects ongoing Sympathetic Dominance may be a contributing factor. For some people the hindrance is cognitive and for others it’s structural/functional and for others it has evolved into metabolic disturbances disrupting digestion, absorption, elimination, and healing.

40 plus years ago I studied Educational Kinesiology and have incorporated what I learned into my work with clients’ structural problems…

The inclusion of approaches to shift clients toward the Parasympathetic side of the nervous system is part of Mod 1 Intro to NeuroMuscular Reprogramming.

 

How Do We Shift a Client Toward the Parasympathetic?

Actually, it’s the clients who must do the work. I introduce a few breathing practices, and the incorporation of a couple of simple techniques from Educational Kinesiology which have become very popular with Chiropractors in the last decade as they choose to expand their clientele to work with kids who have cognitive processing problems.

NeuroMuscular Reprogramming NMR® incorporates some of the basics of Brain Function Facilitation and teaches it at a level that can make a big difference to clients progress toward their goals of reduced structural pain and improved ROM.

 

Lesson 1: First Important Consideration in Corrective Bodywork

 

The Art of Assessment:

NMR allows you to do sequential muscle testing. Doing this, you can discover which muscles adversely affect, dominate or interfere with others. If your pelvis is torqued or anteriorly tilted on one side for instance, you can test Iliacus on the anterior tilt side to see if it’s inhibiting the external hip rotators. Often it is. Let’s say Iliacus ‘tests strong in the clear’ which means it looks like it is fully functional, but subsequently the Piriformis tests weak or inhibited (as do TFL and Peroneus).

Don’t Jump to Conclusions


Instead of getting to work to lengthen Iliacus to balance function, hold off on jumping to conclusions, and test the Pectineus to see if it’s ‘strong in the clear’ then subsequently retest the Iliacus. You may discover the Pectineus weakens or inhibits the Iliacus. It frequently does, AND, not only does it inhibit Iliacus, it makes the Piriformis even weaker. So Pectineus is the priority for work.

Pectineus Dominates Iliacus in Flexion/Internal Rot’n 

Pectineus and Iliacus in this scenario are called Reactive Muscles because the function or action of Pectineus interferes with the sequential use of the Iliacus.  Iliacus worked fine until asked to fire in sequence after Pectineus. Since these two are actually Synergists it can be inferred that Pectineus will always dominate the hip flexion/internal rotation stabilization function. The client will typically be experiencing  chronically tight adductors and weak lateral line of the leg.  This will be hidden by the internal rotation of the femur in the acetabulum. Check it out!

After each Correction – Reassess

After correcting the Pectineus begin your assessment all over again. EVERY TIME YOU CHANGE ONE THING IN THE BODY, MANY OTHER RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE AS WELL. 

What you first anticipated may be different than what’s actually going on.  You may be down to the next layer of the problem.  Re-assess constantly as you work to determine what is the next priority; don’t work off assumptions. Ask the body through muscle testing and passive ROM.

Learn more about incorporating this valuable assessment and correction tool into your tool kit to get even better results with your bodywork. Take NMR Mod 1 coming January 13th-15th, 2023! 

For more info and to enroll:  https://neuromuscular-reprogramming.com/event/mod-1-intro-nmr-protocols-hips-low-back-in-person-and-live-streaming-dallas-tx-jan-23/