Test
Your physiotherapist tests specific muscles against light resistance to see which ones hold strong and which ones give way.
What is NeuroKinetic Therapy?
NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) is a way of finding out which muscles are overworking and which ones have stopped doing their job.
After an injury or years of the same habits, your body learns shortcuts. One muscle takes over for another that isn’t firing properly. The overworked muscle gets tight and sore, and the pain keeps coming back no matter how often it’s treated.
NKT uses simple muscle tests to find that pattern, then retrains it so the right muscles share the work again.
Especially useful when pain keeps returning to the same spot.
How NKT works
Three steps, usually in the same session.
Release
The muscle that’s been overworking is released, often with hands-on work or dry needling.
Retrain
The muscle that wasn’t firing is woken up with targeted exercises, and you take those exercises home.
Example
A neck that’s always tight. Neck muscles can end up doing the job of deeper muscles that steady your head and shoulders. Massage loosens them for a day or two, but they tighten again because they’re still covering for the weak ones. NKT looks for that link and retrains it.
What NKT is often used for
Usually alongside hands-on therapy and exercises.
- Pain that keeps coming back
- Chronic neck and shoulder tension
- Recurring low back pain
- Tension headaches
- Hip and knee pain when running
- Old injuries that never felt right
- Muscle imbalances in athletes
- Posture-related pain
- Tightness that massage doesn’t fix
- Weakness after an injury
Don’t see your problem? Call 604-428-3266 and ask.
What a session looks like
- 1
Check in
We talk through your pain and watch how you move.
- 2
Muscle testing
We test the muscles involved to find the pattern.
- 3
Release
We release the overworking muscle with hands-on work or other treatment.
- 4
Retrain
We teach you exercises to wake up the weak muscle at home.
Often combined with
NeuroKinetic Therapy questions
Here are some of the most common questions patients ask.
If you don’t find the answer you need, feel free to contact us!
How is NKT different from regular physiotherapy?
It’s a tool within physiotherapy, not a replacement for it. NeuroKinetic Therapy adds a way to test which muscles are covering for others, so treatment can target the cause of recurring pain, not just the sore spot.
How soon will I notice a difference?
Some people notice they move more easily in the same session. Lasting change depends on doing your home exercises, since that’s what retrains the pattern.
Is NeuroKinetic Therapy good for athletes?
Yes. Athletes often have imbalances from repeating the same movements. NKT can find muscles that aren’t pulling their weight, which can help with nagging pain and recurring strains.
Do I have to do exercises at home?
Yes, and they’re short. Usually a few simple exercises that take a few minutes a day. They’re the part that makes the change stick.
Ready to find out what’s going on?
Same week appointments available. Most insurance accepted.