Cerebral Palsy & Arapal AMT®

Cerebral palsy is a movement dependent condition that increases the tightness and tension held in some or many of the muscles of the body.   If a person has cerebral palsy a small part of the motor section of their brain was damaged while they were developing and this has interfered with the growth of nerve pathways that service their muscles.  The result of this damage to the muscles of the body is referred to as upper motor neuron generated spasticity.

Upper Motor Neuron Generated Spasticity (cerebral spasticity)

Due to the injury to the brain the affected nerve pathways do not transmit information about how long and/or how tense the muscle is correctly.  A muscle affected by upper motor neuron spasticity actively and powerfully resists changing its length and is constantly tense.   The reaction to movement is an automatic braking response that stops the muscle, or group of muscles, from getting any longer by triggering a powerful and explosive response from the opposing and stabilising muscle groups.  The spastic reaction increases with the speed of the movement and the amount of nerve damage.  The muscle tone of the body, or the tension held within the muscles, is high when any form of spasticity is present, and this tends to increase as the person ages.

In essence spasticity:

1. Stops the person from being able to move joints through their range, which is the main way lymphatic fluid is moved.   
2. Increases tension and tightness held within the affected muscle placing pressure on all of the fluid pathways within it.
3. Creates an unbalanced standing and seated posture.
4. Produces powerful and constant unbalanced strength building movements.
5. Interferes with the ability to deep breathe, as every muscle fibre in the front of the chest must change its length to do so. 
6. Creates unique patterns of movement that shape the body in a way that creates circulation blockages and bone deformation.

Due to these restrictions and changes to the way the body is able to move the lymphatic and arterial systems are challenged.  Ageing accelerates these challenges and areas form over time where there is no movement of fluid at all. 

Lymphatic Circulation

The main benefit of the Pain Management NZ mechanical massage units for the individual with cerebral palsy is the effect it has upon circulation, especially the impact it has upon the lymphatic system. 

1. The Lymphatic system
   1. Major circulation system of the body containing 4 times more fluid than the arterial system
   2. Carries minerals and nutrients to the cells in the form of oxygen, protein, fats and hormones
   3. Removes waste products such as proteins, large protein molecules, fat, toxins, micro-organisms and metabolic waste.
   4. Lymphatic vessels lie beside muscle fibres.  When the fibre contracts the fluid in the vessel is moved forward.
2. Lymphatic drainage
   1. Lymphatic terminals are one-way valves that open and close during movement and deep breathing.
   2. Lymphatic fluid is moved by muscle contraction, movement of the body, breathing and arterial pulsing.
   3. As cellular activity increases lymphatic drainage increases.
3. Removal of Blood protein
   1. Every day over 3 litres of blood fluid escapes from the veins and arteries into the spaces between the cells
   2. The sodium contained within the blood protein upsets the delicate sodium/potassium levels within the cell.
   3. Degeneration of muscle and bone occurs when trapped blood proteins and toxic waste between the cells is not removed.
4. Movement and lymphatic drainage
   1. The lymphatic system has no pump like the heart.  It uses movement and changes in pressure to push the fluid through the one way valve system. 
   2. Gravitational changes such as those created by standing and walking greatly enhance lymphatic drainage.
   3. The lungs act as a suction pump for the lymphatic system so deep breathing is necessary.
   4. Movement changes the position of the muscles in relation to each other physically pushing the fluid forward and onward toward the heart.
   5. When a muscle contracts it shortens and tightens, effectively squeezing out lymphatic fluids contained within it and surrounding it.

Arapal®AMT  Therapy

The joy of the Arapal®AMT wave from a therapeutic perspective is that it cannot be used incorrectly, only more effectively.  The massaging effect of the waves emitted by the motor has been used in the home by people in constant pain for over 4 decades for reason such as enhancing circulation to the bones and muscles, providing drug free pain relief using the bodies own endorphins, and to relax and stretch out tight muscles that are endangering nerves and causing pain.  The machine can be used as a tool to change and alter the shape of the body just as effectively as it can be used to relax and relieve pain created by muscle tension and posture.  Improving circulation is a must for individuals with spasticity. The longer the waves move through the body the longer the recipient gets the benefits, no matter what position they are sitting or lying in.

Independence and owning our own rehabilitation

The massage machine produced by Pain Management NZ can give a person with cerebral palsy the option of being independent and owning their own physical therapy.   It is a powerful tool that optimises and enhances their bodies own natural healing processes without asking or requiring assistance from others.  By doing no more than relax the individual will benefit the health of their own body.  By using it as a therapeutic tool (actively including it in exercise routines and lifestyle demands) the shape of their body can be changed for the best.  Ownership brings with it the motivating knowledge that improvement in body health is not created by someone else’s hands, a drug or surgical intervention. 

Conclusion

Chemicals and processed ‘natural’ products that are manufactured alter the natural internal chemical balance of the body in a hit and miss manner.  Long term chemical or supplement use is never good for the body.  By increasing circulation and lymphatic drainage the individual can reduce or even get rid of many chemicals from their daily lives.

A vibrator, a massage unit that uses pounding and manual deep tissue massage push and compress the muscles to increase the flow of blood.  Individuals with cerebral spasticity have many places within their body where lymphatic vessels are full of stagnating liquid and pushing into these areas ruptures some of the one way valves within the lymphatic vessels making that drainage point unusable.  Lymphatic vessels take 4 times longer to heal than arterial vessels, and if the muscle does not move the vessel does not heal.  Never use pounding massage units, never let a person without comprehensive knowledge of the body massage a person with CP.  AMT products do not move the muscle so they do not put delicate lymphatic structures at risk.

Movement based therapies automatically create disharmony and conflict within the body of a person with cerebral palsy.  When they attempt to move, their body stops it.  The faster they try to move the more severe the muscle braking reaction.  For this reason the best way to increase length in the muscles of a person with cerebral palsy is to teach them how to relax and breathe in positions that enhance length in the muscles most affected by their spasiticity.  Relaxation is always good for the soul, breathing is always good for the body. Relaxing and deep breathing on AMT products increases the effects of the wave on circulation throughout the body making this effective and efficient circulation enhancing tool even more effective.

Long-term training and conditioning of the bodies own natural processes are a necessary for quality of life.  It is for this reason that individuals with cerebral palsy are pushed into movement-based therapies in the first place.  As a movement specialist with over two decades of experience working with adults and children with cerebral palsy I have never found anything as effective or efficient at placing tight, spasticity containing muscles into a state of acceptance of stretch.

It is my personal belief that individuals with cerebral palsy should own and use this tool to replace the movement based functions within their body that they lack, and to assist those functions that are struggling.  It is also my firm belief that before asking a child or adult with cerebral palsy to participate in therapeutic exercise they should have a session on Arapal AMT equipment to increase the amount of circulation within that person’s body.  The more blood contained within the muscles, the more effective the exercise session will be as the muscles are more accepting of stretch and movement when circulation is present and their is less chance that damage will occur.

Cindy Evans MEd BPE