Reasons for My Success with Chronic Pain:

1. An Holistic Perspective on Movement

Key to movement efficiency and optimum performance is a body moving in balance and synergy. The brain records movement patterns instead of isolated muscle and joint activity in its perception and execution of harmonious, economic and efficient movement.

 

Therefore, to concentrate on individual muscles when approaching movement, exercise or rehabilitation of injury, is complete ignorance of nature. In the words of Gray Cook: “We need to focus on movement patterns, letting body parts develop naturally, instead of zeroing in on body parts and expecting natural movement patterns to spontaneously emerge.”

 

As certified Functional Movement Specialist, I am trained to evaluate the quality of fundamental movement patterns, and identify dysfunctional or asymmetrical patterns that interrupts the delicate sensory motor balance and synergistic power of a body moving in balance. I also do a postural assessment, and look at breathing patterns and lifestyle habits that might perpetuate movement problems.

2. Addressing the Cause, not only the Source of Pain

Since the body functions as an integrated intelligent whole, when joint alignment and functional synergy is compromised (for a variety of reasons), it will share the unhealthy load onto other joints in an attempt to limited the damage to the affected joint, thus maintaining global functionality. This is called movement pattern compensation, a natural part of the body's survival mechanism. However, compensatory patterns are not our best long-term solutions due to their poor efficiency, and over time these compensatory patterns causes overuse and increased strain on joints and soft tissue, resulting in sub-optimal performance, chronic pain, and eventually injury.

 

The New Perspective on Movement, based on the latest in Functional Science, teaches us to respect the complexities of the movement matrix, and embraces concepts like Regional Interdependence (or Stability-Mobility Model). Unlike the outdated model of rehabilitation that focuses on faulty parts only, I make use of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment, a total body movement diagnostic system for systematically finding the causes of pain and/or injury. I therefore seek to understand the reasons behind the faulty part, which can be multiple joints away, and offer functional solutions to correct the dysfunctional patterns causative of pain or recurring injury.

3. An Integrative System of Restoring Movement Integrity

I make use of an integrative system of manual therapy, mobilization techniques, and corrective exercise, to address individual specific movement needs on an holistic and comprehensive level. My skills as Osteopathic Manual Therapist allows me to treat any restrictions or limitation, whether musculoskeletal, neurological, craniosacral or visceral, that might impede with your functionality. Guided by continues movement based assessments/ screening, I use expertise knowledge of corrective exercise to systematically address whichever are the priority needs from one session to the next, in order to progressively restore your movement integrity.

 

I also make use of my studies in Psychological Counseling, coupled with two decades experience of teaching on healthy living and eating, to help you identify and change habits that might be perpetuating your movement problem, and facilitate an improved sense of wellness.