June 10, 2020
By Dr. Wally Schmitt

Injury Related Techniques

In this article, Dr. Schmitt shares 3 quick screening steps which will tell you when you need to employ injury-related techniques: Injury Recall Technique (IRT), Nociceptor-Stimulation Blocking Technique (NSB) and/or Set Point Technique (SP).

Autogenic Facilitation & Stretching The Fingers & Toes

1.) Check inhibited muscle for Autogenic Facilitation (muscle spindle cell to strengthen.) If no facilitation occurs, then the patient needs IRT.
2.) Slowly stretch distal flexors on the same limb. (fingers or wrist, toes or ankles.)
3.) Slowly stretch distal extensors on the same limb. (fingers or wrist, toes or ankles.)

Flexor & Extensor Stretching Rules

1) If the patient has an inhibited FLEXOR muscle:

    a) Stretching a distal flexor should facilitate an inhibited flexor on the same limb.

    b) Stretching a distal extensor should NOT facilitate an inhibited flexor on that limb.

2) If the patient has a weak EXTENSOR muscle:

     a) Stretching a distal extensor should facilitate an inhibited extensor on the same limb.

     b) Stretching a distal flexor should NOT facilitate an inhibited extensor on that limb.

If the Flexor & Extensor Rules are not met, then there is a need for either NSB or SP.

Locating The Area To Treat

You may easily locate the exact area which needs your attention by rubbing or pinching over the suspected areas of involvement.

Rubbing Versus Pinching
If an inhibited flexor is NOT facilitated by stretching a flexor on that limb, OR if the flexor IS facilitated by stretching an extensor on that limb: there will be an area somewhere along that limb that will respond to either NSB or SP.

Likewise, if an inhibited extensor is NOT facilitated by stretching an extensor on that limb, OR if the extensor IS facilitated by stretching a flexor on that limb, then: there will be an area somewhere along that limb which will respond to either NSB or SP.

When IRT is needed, RUBBING over the injured area will strengthen a weak muscle. In contrast, when either NSB or SP is indicated, PINCHING over the injured area will strengthen the weak muscle.