09/07/2025
I would like to talk briefly Why we are incorporating Functional Neurology Exercises in our Treatment.
Our posture is playing monumental role in our spinal health; hunched forward posture, for example, causes headaches, neck pain, mid and lower back pain as it forcese pathological or abnormal forces to be applied to our muscles, joints, and spinal discs causing trigger porints formation, muscle spasms, and accelerated degenerative disease.
Our Central Nervous System, Brain is controlling all our body functions, posture is one of them, thus;
Ponto Medullary Reticular Formation
The ponto medullary reticular formation (PMRF) is the powerhouse of our posture, the center for postural control. The PMRF inhibits flexion of the Posture System to efficiently resist gravity. Patients who present with dysfunctional output of their PMRF have flexor dominant posture (hunched forward), a common postural presentation of forward head posture, anterior rolling of the shoulders, chest flexion, and hyper-kyphosis.
The PMRF is located in the brainstem among the pons and medulla. It is the home of 8 cranial nerves that perform vital functions and contribute to proper posture. The reticulospinal tract descends from the PMRF to the spine to inhibit flexor tone.
The Visual System; why eye exercises are needed.
Head posture patterns are reliant upon proper function of the visual and the vestibular systems to hold the head upright and keep the eyes parallel to the horizon. 4 of the 12 cranial nerves are dedicated to our eyes! The eyes are important for orientation within our environment and the visual system is extremely important to head posture. With an inability to see and control eye movements in a coordinated fashion patients will develop chronic postural distortion patterns and pain as a result.
The Vestibular System must be traine for proper posture.
The vestibular system controls postural balance and extension. This is of utmost importance to maintaining proper posture. Flexor dominant posture is weak, sick posture that inefficiently resists gravity. The PMRF inhibits flexion, and the vestibular system stimulates extension.
Flexor-extensor synergy is the goal of postural correction and can only be achieved by proper functional output of the PMRF and the vestibular system. The vestibular system also controls balance. To improve balance we are incorporating vestibular training with our brain based posture rehabilitation program for best results.
NW Spinal Rehabilitation Clinic in Kent and Everett - Chiropractor's Offices
