THE RATIONALE OF PATTERNS AND TECHNIQUES OF PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION

The term “proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation” is becoming more widely known and used in this country. What exactly does it mean? Simply put, it means facilitation of movement through afferent stimulation of the central nervous system. In this technique of re-education, the stress is on mass movements obtained through central excitation in contrast to the familiar isolated muscle re-education. The muscle is encouraged to play its normal function in the performance of a particular movement, which may be as synergist, prime mover or it may relax to allow its antagonist to contract. All muscles work in combination with other muscles. Efficiency of movement comes from correct co-ordination of a group of muscles acting together. These functional patterns of motion are used in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques