Pain’s imprint on the body

Just before we get injured, our bodies go into action to protect us. These are the instincts that try to get us out of harm’s way. Let’s say you are in a car accident. Your hands grab and jerk the wheel. Or maybe you brace yourself on the door. These movements and some details of the accident can get stuck in your brain. The next time you get in the car, your brain remembers the accident and your hand wants to brace on the door or jerk the wheel. The same thing can happen when you are injured at work. Later, you just think about doing the same job and your body tenses up and your pain and symptoms get worse. You worry. Will you be able to do your job safely?

There’s more to getting better than just trying harder.

The part of your brain that protects you (sometimes called the reptilian or survival brain or the brainstem) now thinks the workplace or the car is a danger to you. When that part of the brain thinks ‘danger,’ it automatically signals your muscles to repeat the protective movements you tried to use when you got hurt. You don’t need protection now, but the brain ignites the same actions that instinctively wanted to help in the accident. Instead of moving normally, your muscles tense up at odd times and that can bring the chronic pain and other symptoms back.

You are not alone

Many people are bothered by muscle patterns that remember the accident long after it’s over. Everyone who has been injured wants to move smoothly, live normally and be their old self again.

This therapy is focused on helping you to turn off those troubling muscle patterns that are running in the background so you can get on with healing.