Tuesday 29 November 2011
Eramosa Physiotherapy - EPA: A day in the life of a physiotherapist - Getting r...
Eramosa Physiotherapy - EPA: A day in the life of a physiotherapist - Getting r...: Last week, I used one patient experience as an example for how physiotherapists might use tape to reduce the threat value of a particular mo...
A day in the life of a physiotherapist - Getting rid of my own stiff neck:
Last week, I used one patient experience as an example for how physiotherapists might use tape to reduce the threat value of a particular movement and therefore reduce the pain associated with that movement.
This week, I would like to use myself as an example. This morning, I woke up with a sore neck. It’s not excruciating, but it is annoying and it prevents me from turning my head all the way to left. For some reason, my brain does not want me to turn my head to the left because it interprets that movement as threatening. Currently, it is protecting against that movement by causing pain and contracting muscles to prevent me from turning my head.
Similar to the way I wanted to change the nervous system input associated with bending forward for Henry last week by putting a stretch through the skin on his lower back, I would like to change the to the nervous system input associated with rotating my neck to the left. Taping is something that is hard to do on your own, so I am going to use a movement strategy.
Essentially, I want to perform a novel movement pattern that gets me into the position of left rotation without the brain stopping me by producing pain or turning on the muscles that stop me from moving into that position.
Usually, during day-to-day activities, the head turns on top of your body (picture checking your blind spot while driving). My nervous system is really good at recognizing that movement and protecting against it, so the strategy I am going to use is to rotate my body underneath my head. This novel movement pattern is one that my brain does not have an opinion of yet and therefore it will not protect against it as quickly. It provides me with a way to get into the position of left rotation until my nervous system learns that it is safe for me to rotate left and calms down its protective mechanisms.
Watch the video below and try it for yourself. The results are most dramatic if you have neck pain stopping you from achieving full motion, but nearly everyone will experience a significant improvement in range of motion with this exercise. Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself!
[Insert video: rotation of the neck from below]
There are lots of ways to perform novel movements to regain a painful or limited movement. Moving from below is just one example. Your physiotherapist can provide you with other strategies to get moving again.
*Note: this movement strategy is an effective option for your typical get up in the morning stiff neck pain. If your neck pain is associated with a traumatic event, prevents you from performing your daily activities, or persists for an extended period, I would recommend seeing a physiotherapy for a thorough assessment.
References:
2) Butler D, Moseley GL (2002). Explain Pain. Noi Group Puclications. Adelaide, Australia.
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