Pain and the regeneration of whole movement

Abstract

This paper presents a novel hydrotherapy-based movement reeducation system which brings rapid improvement to back-pain sufferers showing typical musculoskeletal problems exhibited by over-35s (regardless of injury or disability). The Edwards System program for overcoming the chronic intractable benign pain syndrome has five phases: establishment of the stress-free reference frame (SFRF); reintroduction of perfect-quality movement (PQM); aerobic upgrading using the staged MediSwim; generalization of the SFRF to the normal gravity environment; activity reeducation through movement awareness. Pain evaporates under patient control through experience of the program, and much of the freedom, flexibility, and fluidity of the movement associated with youth is regained. The program is in accord with principles derived from the psy-chonomic theory of learning described by Burton (1990a, 1990b), and the success with several thousands of patients supports a particular conception of the origin of musculoskeletal pain, consistent with its evident amenability to direct psychophysical control. © 1990, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.