Mike Dixon RMT

What conditions can be treated with End Range Loading Techniques?

Are you suffering from any neurological pain? Common causes of neurological pain are Disc injuries either in the low back or in the neck. Other causes are nerve entrapment sites examples are within the deep pelvis (Piriformis syndrome) within the neck or chest (thoracic outlet syndrome and nerve stenosis). Sciatica is another very common condition affecting up to 50 percent of the adult population. When nerves are sensitised or irritated the pain can be intense and unrelenting. End Range Loading techniques and nerve mobilizations may be the therapy you need to relive the pain and discomfort.  The techniques are not limited to treating just nerve tissue, but also bone and other connective tissues like blood vessels and tendons. The possibilities are virtually endless.

What is End Range Loading Therapy or Techniques?

End Range Loading Techniques (ERL) is essentially taking tissue (in this case, nerves) into a position of tension and then applying an overpressure to stretch and or glide the nerves.
This same principle can be applied to reshaping the intervertebral (IV)discs in the back thus relieving pain on nerve roots generated from pressure from the (IV) discs (e.g. slipped disc)


Does this technique hurt or is it painful?

ERL techniques are all performed within patient tolerance and closely monitored as the procedures are performed. A common response is that it feels like a “good hurt” If any techniques become painful they are stopped immediately.

How does the technique work?

Very Simple actually, when a nerve gets compressed either as it exits the spine or along the course of the nerve the nerve function is impaired and becomes sensitized/irritated and painful. When pressure builds up within the nerve due to compression the micro blood vessels which supply nutrients and oxygen to the nerve also get impaired. There is too much pressure within the nerve to allow for proper blood flow, thus the nerve becomes starved for oxygen. This becomes a vicious cycle where an increase in pressure leads to a progressive decrease in blood flow. The less blood flow the more pain and dysfunction.

A  simple model to make a complex series of events become visual and easy to understand. If a nerve is like a long thin sponge or even a towel. If you allow the sponge  to become infiltrated with fluid. At some point the sponge is full or saturated. In order to get fresh fluid into the sponge you have to ring it out first then reapply into the fresh fluid. This is what happens when you tension or end range load a nerve. Tension it and the elastic properties of the nerve eject the congestion within the nerve.  Once the nerve has oxygen and nutrients the tissue once again can start to heal and eventually be restored to a healthy state.