When patients come to our office, one of the key ways we assess their condition is by feeling the top of their head while they stand. This practice helps us identify where to focus our treatment for the greatest impact. Without this approach, we would be guessing based on symptoms rather than truly understanding what the body needs.
The Power of Listening
As Ron Mariotti, ND, BI-D, puts it, “Listening provides us with a unique ability to localize key sites of restriction, adhesion, and tension that, once released, can have a profound effect on the whole person.” So, what exactly are we feeling when we do this? How can we sense these issues?
Our hands are equipped with receptors that help us gauge what we touch. With specific training, we can enhance our sensitivity and specificity of what we are feeling (organ, nerve, blood vessel, etc), similar to how a sommelier identifies wine regions by taste.
Research by Dr. Gerald Pollack highlights an important concept: healthy cells tend to have a higher concentration of negatively charged particles, while unhealthy cells have more positively charged particles. Pollack defines EZ (exclusion zone) water, a pure form of water with a negative charge, as essential for cell health. Manual therapy, like the techniques we use at Invincible, can help increase EZ water and promote healthier cells.
As Mariotti explains, “The dominant positive charge in unhealthy tissues induces an equal and opposite charge in the practitioner’s hand.” This means our hands can feel drawn to areas of tension and restriction. It’s similar to magnets: like charges repel, while opposite charges attract.
While the charge theory explains much of what we feel, there are other factors to consider, such as inflammation, fascial tension, etc. However, the charge theory currently resonates best with the “magic” we experience through our hands every day. Remember that this process is a blend of science, intuition, and training. It allows us to listen to your body and provide the most effective treatment possible.
At Invincible, in Lakewood Colorado, our trained physical therapists are here to evaluate what YOUR body specifcially needs, and then we see what your amazing body does with more movement!
