Neural tissue exercises

• Sliders:

  • Sliders can be performed in patients that present with nerve involvement
  • Neural integrity must be normal (no neural integrity problems)
  • Their presentation severity and irritability must be relatively low (dont do it on people with high SIN)
  • They can have a positive Neural provocation test
• Sliders:

  • Two main hypothesised reasons behind mobilising neural tissue are for
  • Reducing the neural tissue sensitivity by improving its tolerance to load
  • Reduces the fear of movement into aggravating positions
• Sliders:

  • The aim is to increase length at one end of the nervous system and decrease length at the other end
  • Cervical flexion increase tension in the upper NS and Cervical extension decreases tension in lower NS
  • Starting point: 2 – 3 sets of 10 repetitions a day
  • Begin with small ranges of movement first then increase
  • Must always be pain free
• Sciatic sliders:

  • go into full slump position with flexed neck and dorsiflexed foot
  • then keep the neck flexed whilst relaxing the foot to bias the upper aspect of the NS
  • then relax the neck whilst dorsiflexing the foot to bias the lower aspect of the NS

  
• Femoral sliders:

  • Pts in side lying
  • flex the neck whilst relaxing the hip to bias the upper aspect of the NS
  • then relax the neck whilst extending one side of the hips to bias the lower aspect if the NS