Appointment two

So as with all clients I asked how they were, how things are going and have they any questions. Then as we are dealing with limited and tense movement, guarded movement and muscle spasm, increased tone and tension all of which are basically the same thing and that distress also correlates very highly with pain behaviour like not moving the neck and shoulders.

I decided to observe some basic movements and functional activities. I find the best way tis it to do a movement and ask the person to copy it.

• I flexed my neck bringing my chin to my chest. She managed an inch.
• I looked up. She did the same but showed a facial expression of pain.
• Left and right were same as up and shoulders moved to compensate for lack of cervical movement.
• Shoulder shrugs were also tight and tense.
• Shoulder pulleys over a door were better. 90 degrees of flexion.

I really started to focus on pulleys here. The idea is that she is focusing on the movement, mirroring it and trying to learn. This rather than ‘is that sore’, ‘how does that feel’ etc. Thoughtless, functional movement inhibits pain. Then she said something great, “this is nothing like the chiropractor” and a smile. Love it.

Next I stood opposite her and keeping my head facing forward reached with my left hand to touch her left elbow and visa versa. She mirrored it. Moving the shoulder to the opposite hand is causing about 2/3 of available range of motion at the neck under a still skull, but she doesn’t know it…yet. Wea re also moving and building rapport. Great stuff. The idea of ‘what are we going to do next’ is also very conducive to a change in thinking.

Next up is ‘window shopping’ or ‘hunting and stalking’…stay tuned.