Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization and your feet

Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization

I have been fortunate to have undertaken training and examination from the world renowned Prague rehabilitation School in what is called Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization – a developmental approach to rehabilitation.

As a Podiatrist, initially I thought there would be no relevance to working with feet , initially starting this journey to learn how the rest of the body works as a whole , but as I have been incorporating this form of treatment and therapy with my clients I would have to say they are a marriage made in heaven.

Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization ( DNS ) is a unique rehabilitation strategy based on the principles of developmental kinesiology and the neurophysiological aspects of maturing postural locomotor system – simply put strategies that look at the body as a whole ( posture, breathing patterns and functional joint centration) and using predetermined patterns to learn how to move effectively using the brain by searching for the primary cause of a problem in the locomotion ( movement system).

We know what the ideal patterns are as we see them based on the comparison of a person’s stabilizing pattern to that of a health infant with the treatment being based on these postural locomotor patterns.

What this then allows is to help to train the muscles ( not only strength but when they fire)and to build the interlinking segments of the body during movement to make the muscles move for function.

Incorporating functional podiatry into the treatment protocol along with the DNS, I have found that there is less stress and shearing of the joints in the spine, pelvis, hips, knees ankle and of course the foot.

By functional podiatry I mean – getting the foot to move as ideally as possible within the structural limitations of the client.

The foot has three main functions – it is the bodies main shock absorber, it is what springs us along and its responsible for the timing of everything that happens further up the body, so if the foot is not functioning as ideally as possible than usually nothing else is as well.

This is done through changing of footwear, insole modification– always using EVA ( don’t want to stop that shock absorption) to change the timing of the foot so it moves effectively and ideally as possible through proprioception, specific foot and body global motor control exercises to change inefficient movement further up the chain , looking at the role fascia plays in each individuals inefficient movement and of course the principle therapies of DNS.

By merging these two principles it has allowed specific targeted injury prevention programs around some of the world’s most common non-contact sporting injuries specifically inv sprains, ACL injuries , patella femoral joint issues, hamstring and calf tears, ITB syndrome, groin and glute med firing issues as these issues require foot and hip synergy – they work together, not individually, so if you do not work at improving the function of both , the client will not achieve best joint centration and consequential function.

In summary, improving the function of the foot to be close to ideal for the clients structure in conjunction with DNS therapy has the protentional to improve injury prevention, overall global function, joint centration, decreased wear and tear and stresses on soft tissue, and to enhance performance.