HANDS ON HEALTH by: Ann Wilkinson P.T.M.S,
Q:
I have had four back surgeries, I am in my late 20’s and have a young son. Is there any hope that I can gain my mobility? Surgery and injections have not changed the symptoms or the pain.
A:
Q:
It is sad that the interventions have not helped. But it offers a hopeful clue. When thorough evaluations, work ups and fairly drastic interventions make no change AT ALL, this tells me something. Many times under these circumstances, the symptoms are coming from something very simple yet obscure and we know from all the tests that there is nothing terrible going on. Trigger points and facial restrictions are those simple yet obscure culprits. that could be the underlying results. A latent or dormant trigger point (a reaction of an injured muscle, a knot, a palpable tender and contracted aspect of a muscle that radiates pain in a pattern sometimes far away from the origin) or a facial restriction (an area of injured fascia where stress and force cause the body to attempt to immobilize a body part by fortifying the restriction over time causing it to become far reaching and progressively more debilitating). In complex patients, when time is taken to peel back the layers of time, layers of trauma, attend to the emotional or consequential overlay and identify the core or initial injury, Miracles can happen. Usually as the issues are attended to sequentially and chronologically the symptoms the patient came in with resolve before you get back to that area of the body. Over and over again I have seen that the area the patient is complaining of, the area that is getting the attention, is not the original source of dis- ease. With myofascial release, craniosacral balancing, osteopathy, reconnective therapy, functional stabilization exercises, restorative Yoga and breath work, many people who are on the brink of giving up get revived. Now however, they are very intune with their body, life is a whole knew experience being aware you have toes and finger and spinal joints. The physical body is not taken for granted or misunderstood. It is good for you to know your body better than anyone else in the world. Transformation to a Blessing in Disguise!
I have told my several medical professionals that the pains I have all over my body started with my knees. But they do not seem to be listening; I am not getting better on pills or with exercise. In fact, overall I feel worse, more crooked and the medicine makes me feel “out of it”. Can a knee problem really snowball into fibromyalgia? How do I reverse this process?
A:
It is good you have the awareness of where your symptoms began. It is a shame no one listened, because it is the key to your recovery. Fibromyalgia often begins with a knee, ankle or foot problem. The compensations that occur around the initial injury cause the compensating muscle to rebel and express that they are fed up with doing work they were not designed to do. The only way to relieve symptoms permanently is to restore function of the knee. This may require mobilization to make more space in the joint itself. It may also require mobilization of the patella (kneecap) to create space between it and the knee joint. The Vastus Medialis muscle must alway be considered in knee pain. Weakness of this muscle is the number one culprit of fairly bad knee pain. Once the joint is restored as far as mobility and the Vastus Media, is working properly (so the knee cap tracts correctly around the other bones), only than can overall conditioning of the knee be considered. When this foundation is restored than attention is given to the hips, pelvis, spine and finally shoulders, neck, head and jaw. If a therapist listens, the patient will usually tell you where the problem is and even how to fix it. Letting go of the book knowledge, LISTENING and than translating terms from layman language back into medical terms will allow the therapist to revisit the book smarts for proper application. Teamwork is always the best. The patient, when willing is your best team mate and the therapist when willing to listen, is a great coach. Ann is an award winning writer,teacher and speaker. Ann is the personal body worker of Her Holiness “Sai Maa”. Ann practices osteopathic physical therapy and has helped thousands of patients. Ann is also an expert on the use of healing foods, homeopathic and herbal consultations, and therapeutic horseback riding. Ann treats her patients in a beautiful country setting which enables her to utilize all of her learned skills as well as some of the healing properties that only Mother Earth can bestow .Ann is available by appointment and can be reached 302-656-7882. The farm is also available for birthday parties, women’s circles, and retreats.
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www.livingwellmagazine.net
June 2013