Neuromuscular Therapy
Innovative Treatment for Lower Back Pain

What is Neuromuscular Therapy?
The term “Neuromuscular Therapy” can be traced back to osteopaths practicing in the early part of the 20th century. However, in modern practice, the St. John Method of Neuromuscular Therapy is the most respected and widely taught version.

St. John Neuromuscular Therapy is an extremely effective method of relieving chronic pain in the body. Utilizing a two-pronged approach, a St. John Therapist first strives to achieve structural balance in the body, and then treats the injured or strained tissues directly. By looking at the body as a four-dimensional object, and utilizing neurological laws to understand how the central nervous system initiates pain responses, a skilled St. John Practitioner is able to locate and treat the source of pain in the body, not just the secondary effects.

How Does Neuromuscular Therapy Differ from Massage?
A Certified Neuromuscular Therapist possesses evaluative and hands-on skill which are distinct from the skills of someone who practices general massage therapy. During the initial visit, a Neuromuscular Therapist will evaluate for postural distortion and biomechanical dysfunction, as well as for the presence of myofascial trigger points. In addition to identifying the secondary effects, a proper analysis of the body illuminates the primary causes of pain. The Neuromuscular Therapist then follows a specific protocol of rehabilitation:

1. Locate and eliminate spasms, hypercontraction and trigger points from the soft tissues
2. Restore postural alignment, proper biomechanics or movement patterns
3. Restore flexibility and increase blood flow to the tissues
4. Rebuild strength of the injured, weak, and/or atrophied tissues
5. Build endurance of the tissues for lasting results

Following this protocol creates the optimal conditions for a speedy recovery. When this order is not followed, there can be negative results. For example, if strength training is pursued prior to releasing hypercontraction in the muscles, the potential for re-injury is greatly increased.

What Occurs During a Neuromuscular Therapy Session?
Once a Neuromuscular Therapist has determined what the functional and soft tissue problems are, a variety of manual methods may be applied. These include trigger point release methods, using static pressure for 8-12 seconds to interrupt referral patterns; extremely specific massage therapy techniques to improve circulation to ischemic tissues; movement education during which the client is instructed to gently mobilize certain parts of their body; and passive mobilization of joints.

What Kinds of Problems Does Neuromuscular Therapy Address?
Since it is a whole-body approach to treatment, Neuromuscular Therapy often creates secondary benefits. Once an individual is treated for back pain, for example, often their knee pain, or headaches, or bladder dysfunction, or other problems are also addressed. A partial list of conditions that Neuromuscular Therapy is successful in treating include:

Headaches, Migraines, Scoliosis, TMJ, Whiplash, Herniated Disc Syndrome, Back Pain, Sciatica, Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain, Hip Pain, Knee Pain, Foot Pain, Osteoarthritis, Plantar Fascitis, Torticollis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Shin Splints, Tendonitis, Muscle Spasms, Cramps and Strains, Postural Distortions, Fibromyalgia, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Post Polio Syndrome, and many more…

How was St. John Therapy Developed?
Paul St. John developed an intense interest in studying and researching soft tissue pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction because of serious injuries he sustained throughout his life. He broke his back in three places in a high school football game, he was shot out of a helicopter as a Green Beret medic in Vietnam, and he was in a head-on automobile collision. For four years he awakened to headaches and unceasing pain. Thousands of dollars in medical expenses left him without relief.

After years of chiropractic, neurology, osteopathy, and even psychiatry, he had found no permanent relief from his pain. This led him to medical libraries where he began to investigate the root causes of pain in the body. He studied pain mechanisms, researched the functioning of the nervous system, and the neurological laws that govern the workings of the body. Through this research he found that most pain conditions stem from the problems in the muscular system.

Armed with this information, he began to study his own body and the pain patterns which had developed from his injuries. During his research, he became familiar with a technique called receptor tonus technique, developed by Dr. Raymond Nimmo, D.C. He found that by pressing on the tissues of his neck, back and shoulders, he was able to get temporary relief. He then began perfecting the receptor tonus technique and, at the same time, began teaching others to treat his tissues. For the first time in four years, he was pain free.

Paul St. John went on to integrate the teachings of many other pioneers in the field of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction including Marianno Racabado, P.T.; Janet Travell, M.D.; John Barnes, P.T.; Dr. John Christopher; Dr. Bernard Jensen, and other orthodox and non-conventional teachers. The result has been the development of the St. John Method of Neuromuscular Therapy.

To find a Neuromuscular Therapy practitioner near you, call the St. John Institute and ask for the directory of practitioners: 1-888-NMT-HEAL.

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