Structural Dysfunction
Written by Kiyoki Rykman, LMT CCT CMLDT Owner
What is Structural Dysfunction?
Structural dysfunction occurs when muscles of the body are constantly tighter on one side of the body than the other, or tighter than they should be at rest.
Signs of excessive muscle tension:
Always trying to stretch the same muscle and it won’t budge
Difficulty turning your neck one direction over the other (also torso)
Difficulty raising your arms above your head or shoulders up by ears
Structural dysfunction occurs for one of three reasons:
Congenital misalignment - improper structural alignment at birth
Muscle imbalances due to everyday activity- massage is best for and may be in congruent with PT and Chiropractic care depending on severity
Acute injury that causes muscle strain (think whiplash)- massage is highly beneficial along with other modalities
How do we get misaligned in our day-to-day lives?
Repetitive postures
Repetitive movements
Lacking varied movement
Exercising the same muscle group without also exercising the opposite muscle group (biceps/triceps, chest/back)
What conditions benefit from neuromuscular massage therapy?
Whiplash
Carpal tunnel
Sciatica
Frozen shoulder
TMJ Dysfunction
Strains
Sprains
Rotator cuff injury
Upper cross syndrome
So, so many more . . .
Structural dysfunction correction is one of the safest ways to improve the quality of life of a person by restoring the proper function of the body.
Improved Function and Strength – The brain can be retrained to correct itself in cases of chronic joint pain.
Better Nutrient Supply – Some joint structures do not have blood flow. Through specific soft tissue techniques, you can regain full range of motion as well as synovial fluid movement to lubricate your joints.
Reduced Nerve Pressure – Clinical massage decreases the pressure on nerves and nerve bundles.
How does clinical massage and Neuromuscular Therapy address structural dysfunction?
Relieving pain associated with movement
Releasing tension in affected muscles
Balancing tension in affected muscles
Retrain the nervous system to allow movement through a joint or range of motion that was previously painful
Clinical massage and Neuromuscular Therapy can dramatically fast-track your chiropractic treatment healing time (if you’re a chiropractic patient).
Muscle has memory and muscle tension affects bone alignment.
With chiropractic alone, you may address the misalignment in the moment, but the tight muscle will inherently pull the bone back to the dysfunctional positioning.
When you successfully recalibrate the neuromuscular junctions, postural balance is achieved and the dysfunction problem goes away.
BOOK NOW with one of our highly trained massage therapists in Round Rock, TX!