NERVES ALSO SUFFER IN MUSCLE INJURY
A nerve is like a wire that goes from one point to another, follows an undulating path, and has enough length. So, when faced with traction and compression forces, it can be deployed and adapted to be able to fulfill its function: to deliver motor and sensory information to the structure to which it is directed.
This cable must circulate freely, without anyone obstructing it, to perform its work efficiently. If there is an obstacle that compresses it, or stretches it, as it does not have the ability to stretch (as a muscle would), it will send us signals so that we know that something is obstructing its path: we will feel a sharp pain like a discharge or burning sensation, paresthesias, like something throwing up, … And in more serious cases, it can give us more severe symptoms:
- numbness
- Loss of strength
- Loss of response in reflexes
- Alteration of coarse and fine touch, temperature
In addition, we must bear in mind that the nervous system consumes 20% of the oxygen available in the blood and its contribution must be constant. The nervous system and the vascular system (vein-artery-nerve) overlap, if it disturbs the glass, it disturbs the nerve. And the nerve must always receive its oxygen, if it doesn’t, it will also send us signals in the form of tingling (like when we wake up because an arm or a foot has fallen asleep, it’s because we move in case it’s giving a compression of these structures that makes this vascularization difficult).
NEURODYNAMICS AS A PHYSIOTHERAPY TOOL
Now you know a little more about the nerve, so why consider it?
By moving the nervous system we get an effect both centrally and peripherally. For example, if we have an affectation of a nerve in the elbow that is in an acute phase, we can do an early approach at a distance, from the neck, without having to initially involve the area of injury and vice versa. And in musculoskeletal injuries, such as muscle breaks, in which fibrosis (an accumulation of connective tissue) is often generated, it can lead to an adhesion of the nerve that passes through the area. For example, in the hamstrings or the pyramidal, the sciatic nerve can be affected and in the
twins, the tibial nerve. Because of a dislocation or after wearing crutches, the axillary nerve may be suffering; or the radial nerve in throwing sports, …
The mobilization of the nerve so that it circulates freely through the area where it is compromised is vital so that it receives its information and vascularization correctly and does not give us problems at other points along its route.
At Somsalut we know the importance of mobilizing the entire vasculo-nervous package, so that it moves freely along the route and that no sensory or motor disturbances occur.