Where muscular imbalance has been present for a matter of years then the joints of the spine become adversely loaded. Muscular imbalance doesn’t have to be caused by injury. It is the abnormal loading of joints that makes them stub together a lot over time to give rise to an inflammatory event eg an acute neck spasm. Joint health is further affected when we are over 40-45 years of age because we no longer produce glucosamine within the body. whether it is the stubbing of joint surfaces or increased loading of the joints during normal movements the end result is the same a Facet Syndrome. The spinal joints are known as facet joints.
Facet syndrome in the neck is sometimes called mechanical neck pain which has been shown to respond very well to spinal manipulation. Of course, manipulation is not happening at the overloaded level it is happening at the underloaded levels of the spine. Freeing off the underloaded joints enables the spine to rebalance itself. Movement that makes us stronger and healthier must hit the sweet spot, not too much load and not too little a load. Correct loading achieves the training effect. A healthy spine spreads the load throughout the spine and returns to it’s Neutral Zone when not in use. Facet syndrome occurs because one particular part of the spine is being overloaded. However, locking up occurs at the under and the over loaded joints. Lee always says the most important aspect of a healthy spine is to balance the load.
When muscles protect, they spasm and contract restricting movement sometimes severely, which reduces the nutrition to the joint and continued ‘protection’ will lead to deconditioning of the joint(s).
Lee’s job is to be able to safely reduce muscular spasm, provide sensory information to your brain about your body where confusion exists and balance the load along the spine. Lee will if required adjust spinal joints that are underloaded first to help relieve the overloaded joints. Through this strategy overloaded joints have been known to release themselves once inflammation reduces. Your overall inflammation level is key to the switching off of inflammation. This can be measured during a CRP blood test. Bit by bit Lee will undo your restriction to a point where your body is as balanced as it can be.