Goals of Treatment
At Dynamic Balance, our ultimate goal is to restructure tissue damage and correct static and dynamic posture. We want to help you overcome the barriers of physical pain and disability and the emotional distress that accompanies limited function.
With our help, you will:
- Discover your body's regenerative abilities
- Initiate a physical healing system to improve function and wellbeing
- Regain mobility
- Manage or eliminate pain
- We seek to discover and eliminate the root cause of dysfunction and prevent future symptoms. With proper guidance, encouragement, and diligent effort, you can help your body move from pain and disability to comfort and balance.
How long will it take to get better?
With your commitment and partnership with Dynamic Balance, minor conditions typically require two to eight weeks to resolve. Long-hardened or more severe cases may take 18 months and require on-going maintenance, but most damage can be corrected, at least to some degree.
You are the most important contributor to your program. Whatever your personal goal – recovery, performance, fitness – your rewards will be proportional to your commitment.
This process is not for everyone. It requires discipline and devotion. And it takes patience to realize the greatest long-term gains. But with your active participation, Dynamic Balance will help you repair, rebuild, and overcome.
Mastery is an essential element of the process. From the simplest stretches to the most complex exercises, the Dynamic Balance process requires you to master each stage of the reconditioning process before progressing to the next. The work is as challenging as it is rewarding.
Life should be simple; so should your exercise routine.
Strengthening at Dynamic Balance begins with five basic core exercises. These "Foundation Five" exercises are a simple approach to core strengthening and postural correction. Each of the five basic movement patterns can be adapted to your individual needs, skills, and fitness level and each will progress as you gain strength and mobility.
At Dynamic Balance, we refer to each exercise pattern as a lineage. Each can be performed on multiple levels of difficulty. As you master each level, you will progress through the lineage to greater complexity and intensity of motion. Additional exercise lineages will be added as required to meet your individual needs and goals.
The Foundation Five are:
- Crunch
- Pelvic tilt
- Knee rockback
- Side double-leg raise
- Plank/cobra
Stretching for some is just a way to manipulate muscles; for some it is a path to spiritual awakening and a gateway to Nirvana; for others it is just a pain-in-the-butt necessity. Mark has valuable insights for all of you.
In his practice, a great deal of attention is paid to restoring the elasticity of muscle and joint tissues, and stretching is an essential part of this process.
Many of you may already practice yoga or stretch as part of your routine. Attention to these 7 points of emphasis will help you take things deeper.
- Breathe regularly. No breath, no release. Use the 3-count rule: inhale for 3 counts, hold for 3 counts, exhale for 3 counts, repeat.
- Begin your stretch mindfully. The initial stretch should not cause pain or lead to a protective muscle contraction – avoid stimulating the “stretch reflex” of the muscles.
- Maintain good body position. Keep your pelvis in a neutral position (“pelvic tilt”) and do not round your back. You should not need to contort yourself to enter or maintain a stretch.
- Hold each stretch for 1 to 5 minutes Two minutes is a goal I use in the therapeutic setting. I like to visualize “feeling the tension dissipate,” which is a feeling of release in the muscle. The longer you hold a stretch, the more release you will experience. A timer is very useful to make sure you stay in the stretch for the full time. Set it and forget it; just concentrate on the neuromuscular sensations you are experiencing.
- Maintain consistent force. Apply a constant force to the limit of your range of motion. Gentle rocking may be helpful to facilitate release, but should be performed carefully. Don’t rush into or abruptly release a stretch movement. Excessive bouncing, also known as ballistic stretching, is ONLY appropriate for highly trained ballistic athletes and should be performed only after appropriate instruction.
- Think through the muscle. Pay attention to the stretch and bring awareness to what is happening with the muscle. Relax into the stretch. Forget the rest of your life for a moment!
- Stay within your comfort zone. If you feel pain or cannot stay in the stretch for the full time, you are overexerting. Stretch at a controlled intensity and maintain regular breathing. If you feel pain or excessive discomfort, ease out of the stretch.
The third element of the manual therapy triad is tissue manipulation. This process requires hands-on, intensive, targeted bodywork and/or stretching. Tissue manipulation helps to break apart the scar tissue and fibrous adhesions that accumulate in the soft tissues of the body following injury or postural maladaptations.
As these adhesions are mechanically broken apart, the soft tissues – such as muscles and tendons – can be restructured and realigned through attention to posture and corrective exercise. It is a process: periodic tissue manipulation, combined with a routine of exercise and stretching.
Although we attempt to help everyone the best we can through media such as the Web, more challenging cases need personal attention through one-on-one or group services.
At Dynamic Balance, we believe that a proper treatment strategy is dictated by characteristics of each individual: one's physical capacity, carriage, history of injuries, and personal story. The secret to your program is a proper "reading" of this information; we can then guide you through the progressive steps to healing. Following an initial consultation and assessment, we will work with you to design a program specific to your needs and goals.
Dynamic Balance does not seek to implement a restrictive program, and we do not believe in imposing one particular practice on anyone. We do not adhere to any single method or system of therapeutic care or physical training, as none are universally effective. Mark draws on his education skill and intuition and genuine concern to help those he serves.
For those of you who desire personal service at our San Francisco location tell us a little about yourself.
If you desire services at your location, home service is available; please contact us and describe your situation. Please refer to our Cost of Service page for pricing information.
Thank you for your consideration.