What is PNF Therapy?

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is an advanced manual therapy technique, which combines passive stretching and isometric contraction (gentle resistance) to break neuromuscular holding patterns in order to help reset muscle holding patters and overall length.

Every individual’s body is accustomed to some type of repetitive motion whether it be sitting long at a desk, favoring one side to hold a child or swinging a racket or club on a favored side. These repetitive motions cause muscle imbalances that effect both sides of the body. For example, when sitting at a computer reaching forward to type, your chest muscles contract (tighten) while your back muscles stretch, creating an imbalance that is imprinted in your muscle memory and restricts your range of motion. When natural range of motion is limited, other muscles tend to pick up the slack and we start to see painful conditions due to over compensation.

How can PNF help you as an athlete?

PNF is used to make quick gains in range of motion and help athletes or “tight” individuals relax muscles to improve performance. With proper muscle resting length and greater joint range of motion, biomechanics greatly improve and there is less muscle fatigue. This is where we see a tremendous decrease of injuries.

At Peak Movement, each client’s needs are assessed and more often then not, PNF technique is integrated into any of the treatments or sessions offered. PNF is particularly helpful for rotational sports such as golf or tennis as the player’s performance relies on the range of motion in the trunk and limbs to rotate and drive power and precision into the swing. PNF is often administered during a pre-race and post-race sports massage or during a rehabilitation session.