Movement Disorders

What are They?

Movement disorders are a group of nervous system conditions that affect movement. They can cause either increased movements or reduced or slow movements. These movements may be under the person's control or the movements may not be under the person's control.

There are many types of movement disorders that cause different symptoms. For example, dystonia causes muscle contractions that lead to twisting of the body. Another movement disorder called chorea causes brief periods of quick involuntary movements that happen over and over. Parkinsonism causes slowness of movement with stiffness, tremors or loss of balance.

Treatments may be available to help manage the symptoms of movement disorders but symptom management is key to living well.

Movement disorders can result from many types of brain injury, such as head trauma, infection, inflammation, metabolic disturbances, toxins, or unintended side effects of medications and trauma. They can also be a symptom of other, underlying diseases or conditions.

How does it affect a person?

The CNS's responsibilities include receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information (see Image. Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems). The brain is an organ of nervous tissue responsible for responses, sensation, movement, emotions, communication, thought processing, and memory.

Reception of general sensory information (touch, pressure, temperature, pain, vibration)
Receiving and perceiving special sensations (taste, smell, vision, sounds)
Integration of sensory information from different parts of the body and processing them.
Response generation.

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How Massage can help

There are a number of benefits which can be achieved following the application of massage for an individual with a neurological disorder such as;

Massage can increase tissue flexibility. A reduction in tissue flexibility can be experienced by an individual with a neurological disorder due to a number of reasons such as an increase in type 3 collagen or alterations in muscular activity. Massage can increase tissue temperature by prompting an increase in blood circulation through vasodilation. An increase in tissue temperature allows the tissue to relax and become more pliable and flexible.

Massage can decrease muscular tension. Massage treatment has the ability to reduce muscular tension through breaking down scar tissue, increasing tissue temperature and the removal of waste products. Massage can increase the removal of waste products through stimulating capillarisation (cellular exchange).

Massage can increase range of movement. This is achieved through a number of physiological changes stimulated through the application of massage such as an increase in tissue temperature, a decrease in scar tissue and swelling. A reduction in swelling is achieved through assisting with the lymphatic system to drain excessive lymphatic fluid towards the body's lymph nodes.

Massage can decrease pain. Pain can be reduced through the application of massage due to the pain gate theory and an increase in the release of endorphins. The pain gate theory states impulses sent from a harmful stimulus e.g. inflammation can be blocked by the impulse of a non-harmful stimulus e.g. massage. Massage has the ability to reduce the feeling of pain through blocking impulses sent from harmful stimuli traveling up the spinal pathway to the brain. Massage can stimulate the release of endorphins such as serotonin and dopamine through stimulating the autonomic nervous system. An increase in the levels of endorphins can leave the individual feeling a reduction in pain and an increase in relaxation and calmness.

Massage can reduce feelings of stress. During times of high stress or threat the hypothalamus stimulates an increase in the release of cortisol. Low levels of cortisol can be beneficial as it enables the individual to feel alert and observant. If levels of cortisol remain high for prolonged periods of time the individual can be left feeling anxious, depressed and stressed. Massage can reduce the production of cortisol by promoting relaxation.

Summary