Clinical Applications of Neuromuscular Techniques

Section 1. Essential information Making sense of the picture. Connective tissue and the fascial system. Fascia and its nature, Fascial tensegrity, Facial postural patterns , Essential information about muscles, Muscle energy sources, Muscle blood supply, Major types of voluntary contraction, Muscle types, Cooperative muscle activity, Contraction, spasm and contracture, What is muscle weakness?, Reporting stations and proprioception, Reflex mechanisms, Facilitation - segemental and local, Manipulating the reporting stations, Therapeutic rehabilitation using reflex systems, Trigger point formation , Central and attachment trigger points, Trigger point activating factors, Ischemia and trigger point evolution, A trigger point's target zone of referral, Key and satellite trigger points, Trigger point incidence and location, Trigger point activity and lymphatic dysfunction , Local and general adaptation, Somatization - mind and muscles, Respiratory influences, Patterns of dysfunction, The big picture and the local even, Thoughts on pain symptoms in general and trigger points in particular. Section 2. Posture, acture and balance Static and dynamic posture, Key postural influences, Is there an ideal posture?, Gravitational influences and muscles, Therapeutic objectives, Muscle categorizations, Necessary assessments, Static postural assessment, Tools of postural assessment, Plumb line, Postural grid, Portable units, Computerized assessment methods, Basic postural assessment, Standing postural assessment , Supine (non-weight bearing) postural assessment, Assessment for freedom of movement, Other postural models, Posture and the mind, Latey's lower fist, Good posture and asymmetrical normality, Patterns of use and posture, Additional local features influencing posture and use, Exteroceptive and proprioceptive postural controls, Mechanisms which alter proprioception, Common causes of postural imbalance and retraining options , 'Normal' balance is age related, Causes of disequilibrium, Stabilization, Disequilibrium rehabilitation goals and strategies. Section 3. Gait analysis Normal joint and segment motion during the gait cycle, Musculoligmentous slings and influences and the gait cycle, Energy storage during gait, Potential dysfunctions in gaiting, Observation of gait, Multiview analysis, Muscular imbalance and gait patterns, Chains of dysfunction, Liebensons clinical approach, Altered hip extension, Altered hip abduction, Various pathologies and gait, Neurological gait patterns, Pediatric gait, Podiatric considerations and gait Section 4. The close environment The bodyworker's close environment, Acture guidelines for bodywork students and practitioners, Automobile influences, Driving: the vibration factor, Automobile risk factors, Seatbelts and airbags, Gender issues in accident after-effects, Multiple symptoms and fibromyalgia syndrome(FMS) following vehicle injuries, The vehicle injury close environment, Sitting on an airplane, Shoes, Neutral entrapment and shoes, Orthotics, Effects of clothing, jewelry, other accessories and aids, Sitting posture, Chairs as a health hazard, Better chair design as an answer, Chair criteria, An Alexander perspective on correct sitting, The art of sitting down, What are the risks of poor sitting habits?, Computering work and posture, Sleeping positions, Repose, Changing sleeping position due to nasal influences, Problems relating to the posture of musicians, Examples, Assessment, Conclusion. Section 5. Adaptation and sport First principles, An osteopathic perspective, Specific adaptation to imposed demand ('training'), Training variations, Strength training, Edurance training, Sprint training, Overtraining issue, Overuse injuries and the young soccer player, How widespread is the problem of overuse injury in youngsters?, Prevention of overuse injuries, Signs of overuse injury in young soccer players, Handling overuse injuries, Tibial stress fracture, Enhanced human performance or treatment of dysfunction?, Athletics, Hamstring injuries and the athlete, How to choose where and what to treat within the kinetic chain?, A model of care for hamstring injuries, Nutrition, Bodywork and rehabilitation, Groin strains and the athlete, Gymnastics and dance, Weight training and the low back: key points, Water sports, American football, Rotational activities, Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Risk in other sports, Skiing, CyclingRugby, football, Volleyball and basketball. Section 6. Contextual influences: Nutrition and other factors Chronobiology, Sleep and pain, Pain and inflammation: allergic, dietary and nutritional factors, Nutritional approaches for modulating inflammation, Intolerances, allergies and musculoskeletal dysfunction, Mechanisms, Mast cells, immune responses and inflammation, Muscle pain and allergy/intolerance, Allergy-hyperventilation 'masqueraders', Defining food intolerances, Allergy, the hyperreactive immune function and muscle pain, Allergy, the hyper-reactive immune function, and muscle pain, Treatment for 'allergic myalgia'?,Other therapeutic choices - Testing for allergy/intolerance, Some evidence for exclusion diet benefits with allergy, Strategies, The breathing connection, The biochemistry of hyperventilation, The biochemistry of anxiety and activity, Summary, Diet, anxiety and pain, Glucose, Alcohol, Caffeine, Anxiety and deficiency, Detoxification and muscle pain, Water, Liver detox, Thyroid hormone imbalance and chronic musculoskeletal pain, Osteoporosis. Section 7. Self-help strategies Aims and sources, Coherence, compliance, concordance, Biochemical self-help methods, Hydrotherapy self-help methods, Psychosocial self-help methods, Biomechanical self-help methods Section 8. Patient intake Where to begin?, Outline, Expectations, Humor, Thick file patients, Unspoken questions, Starting the process, Leading questions, Some key questions, Body language, The physical examination, The therapeutic plan, A summary of approaches to chronic pain problems, Choices: Soft tissue or joint focus? Section 9. Summary of modalities The global view, The purpose of this chapter, General application of neuromuscular techniques, NMT for chronic pain, Palpation and treatment, Neuromuscular therapy 'American version', Gliding Techniques, Palpation and compression techniques, Muscle energy techniques (MET), Positional Release Techniques, Integrated neuromuscular inhibition technique, Myofascial release techniques, Acupuncture and trigger points, Mobilization and articulation, Rehabilitation. Section 10. The lumbar spine Functions of the lumbar spine, Lumbar vertebral structure, Transitional areas, The spinal column - its structure and function, Flexible stability, Adaptability = tolerance, Identification of imbalances - essential first step, Stress factors and homeostasis, The contextual environment, Soft tissue spinal support, Choices muscles make, Specific muscle involvement in stabilization, Endurance factors, Imposter symptoms, Making sense of low-backache, The 'simple' backache, Nerve root pain, Distortions and anomalies, Serious spinal pathology, The stabilizing role of thoracolumbar fascia, Using assessment protocols, Sequencing, Lumbar spine assessment protocols, Lumbar spine myofascial elements, Lumbar spine NMT treatment protocols,Latissimus dorsi, NMT for latissimus dorsi, MET treatment of latissimus dorsi, PRT for latissimus dorsi 1, PRT for latissimus dorsi 2, Serratus posterior inferior, NMT for serratus posterior inferior, Quadratus lumborum, NMT for quadratus lumborum, MET for quadratus lumborum 1, MET for quadratus lumborum 2, PRT for quadratus lumborum, The thoracolumbar paraspinal muscles (erector spinae), Superficial paraspinal muscles (lateral tract), Additional assessments for erector spinae, NMT for erector spinae, MET for erector spinae, PRT for erector spinae (and extension strains of the lumbar spine), Deep paraspinal muscles (medial tract): lumbar lamina, Multifidi, Rotatores longus and brevis, NMT for muscles of the lumbar lamina groove, Interspinales muscles , NMT for interspinales, Intertransversarii lateralis and mediales , MET for multifidi and other small, deep muscles of the low back, PRT for small deep muscles of the low back (induration technique), Muscles of the abdominal wall, Obliquus externus abdominis, Obliquus internus abdominus, Transverse abdominis, NMT (and MFR) for lateral abdominal muscles,Rectus abdominus, Pyramidalis, NMT for anterior abdominal wall muscles, MET for abdominal muscles, PRT for abdominal muscles, Deep abdominal muscles, Psoas major, Psoas minor, Assessment of shortness in iliopsoas, NMT for psoas major and minor, MET treatment of psoas, PRT for psoas. Section 11. The pelvis Different pelvic types, Pelvic architecture, The pelvic girdle or ring, Pregnancy and the pelvis, The innominates, The symphysis pubis, The sacrum, The coccyx, Ligaments of the pelvis, The sciatic foramina,