Find the pain, Look elsewhere for the cause

In Consideration of pain

Pain science is a complex field and there are many known and unknown reasons for pain.  One thing that has become clear through experience over the past decade, is that pain is often just a symptom that something is wrong.  An alert system for the brain. One that can go completely haywire, so that the pain itself is responsible for more pain as the body becomes overly sensitized to low level stimulus.  That isn't to say that pain should be ignored or endured.   Conversely, we can use pain to measure progress and to guide treatment strategies.

Through movement assessment, it is possible to classify areas of the body as "tight" or "weak". 

• "Tightness" points to a joint mobility dysfunction and/or tissue extensibility dysfunction.
• "Weakness" points to a stability and/or motor control issue.  

The treatment for each looks very different.  In some cases, you'll be spending more time on the treatment table, and others, you'll be engaged in some sort of movement/exercise program. In cases with more positive outcomes, both movement and manual therapy are key parts to recovery.  Science shows that myofascial release among other therapies are successful at relieving pain & restoring restricted movement, but that improving movement patterns post-treatment yields the best results.  Active engagement in manual therapy and movement practice helps to break pain cycles and maintain results.