What are nerve glides – what is ‘nerve flossing’?
Nerve glides are movements that slide the nerve through fascia.
Just like you slide dental floss between your teeth-happy nerves glide through your body without tension, and you experience ease of movement, fluidity of motion, and no pain.
If nerves are irritated they send a warning signal to the brain to either limit motion, cause pain, and/or cause numbness. Tissues heal, but our nervous system learns.
What are nerve glides used for?
Nerve glides are used to decrease pain and restore normal motion.
After an injury our nervous system puts on the “brakes” to try and protect a joint.
If this system is overactive or never fully recovers it leads to dysfunctional painful motion.
Nerve glides down regulate the warning signals your nervous system is sending your brain and and essentially takes off the “brakes” by letting your joint and brain know it is ok to go through full range of motion. Nerves can be entrapped by fascial adhesions, disc injury, inflammation, scar tissue, arthritis, and injury.
How do you know if you need nerve glides?
If you have pain or stiffness with simple movements, ut’s a sign you may need nerve glides.Scar tissue, trauma, and post surgical injuries are all reasons patients get introduced to nerve glides. Nerve glides are also used in repetitive stress injuries and postural syndromes. While using nerve glides in the clinic I find myself saying it is like flossing your teeth-you want to maintain the health of your tissues by regularly adding nerve glides to your movement program.
How are nerve glides done?
Nerve glides are gentle controlled movements that calm down nerve irritation.
Nerve glides take the nerve through its normal motion without irritation to let the body know it’s ok to perform that range. Take the upper extremity for example.
There are 3 main nerves that run through your arm each has a different pull:
- Median
- Radial
- Ulnar
Remember: You don’t want to stretch the nerve- you want it to slide… so as you slacken the origin the distal end the other comes under tension. Then as you stretch the origin you slacken the distal end.
What should patients be prepared for before and after nerve glide treatments?
As part of the team at CSCM we identify areas of tension and make sure the nerve can slide unobstructed through those fasciae tunnels: nerve glides are most effective when combined with with adjustments, corrective exercise, massage, acupuncture, soft tissue work, and even cupping.
At-Home Nerve Flossing
If you find relief with this therapy effective, there are also home exercises you can perform.
Everybody understands stretches and exercises, but nerve glides are different.
The goal is to slide or floss the nerve through its “tunnel” by alternating slackening one side and creating tension on the other. This is the windshield wiper analogy.
- Be gentle — nerves don’t like to be stretched
- Don’t go too fast
- Start laying down
- Progress to standing
- Usually 10 reps along with your corrective exercise program.
