Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS)

DNS – Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization

Pain Changes Everything. We Can Help.

Forget everything you thought you knew about strengthening or rehabilitation – and insert DNS!

Pediatrics

DNS is a great tool for rehabilitating babies or children with developmental delay, babies who don’t roll or crawl like their peers, and for scoliosis and poor posture. Adults can benefit as well and athletic performance can also be enhanced.

Normal baby milestones and timing of these is important. Babies should be rolling by 5 months, sitting up by 7 months, crawling by 8 months. If your child is slow to meet these milestones it would be beneficial to treat them as young as possible so best patterns can be formed for their lifetime.

Mary Lynne Jones, Physical therapist is one of the few certified practitioners in Canada in DNS for Pediatrics. The same principles can be applied to adults and athletes as well.

To try DNS, or learn more about it, book an appointment with our physical therapist.

How Does DNS work

Baby screens are performed by our pediatric Physical Therapist. Screens can help detect early physical or neurological problems which can then be addressed early. The birth process can be very challenging and early trauma often goes unnoticed. Babies are very resilient and will develop a tremendous amount over the first year. They adapt around early difficulties, which may not fully become noticeable until later in life. Finding and intervening early can help and sometimes prevent many later problems including spinal pain, developmental delay, learning and coordination problems, and scoliosis.

DNS is cutting edge rehabilitation here's why

It uses positions of development from babies to strengthen how our brain coordinates our movements.
It uses instinctive baby “Hardwiring” reflexes that exists in all humans that lead us from rolling, crawling, walking to more advanced sports and activities.
A key treatment for babies who are delayed in meeting developmental milestones or who may have skipped stages (ex. Never crawled), or for those children who are generally uncoordinated.
All children should be screened to ensure proper functioning of this system. Treatment can begin at any age but results are quicker if started prior to the first year of life where these patterns become “hardwired” in our nervous system.
This technique is used for poor posture, spinal pain and rehabilitating neurological problems.
Instead of looking at strength of individual muscles it looks at maximizing the activation of the core. This core strength then transfers power to our arms and legs.
Adults are also treated effectively using DNS as well as athletes to maximize their performance.
A full evaluation of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system is included in the evaluation. A treatment plan based on findings will be recommended.

Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS)

Mary Lynne is one of the very few practitioners in Canada practicing DNS for paediatrics. DNS is cutting edge rehabilitation that uses positions of development from babies to strengthen how the brain coordinates our movements. It accesses instinctive “hardwiring” reflexes that exist in all humans that lead us from rolling to crawling to walking. Delays in this sequence, as well as missing or rushing these critical steps happens for many children.

This can be an indicator of neurological problems that should be treated early for the best opportunity to intervene while the nervous system wiring is developing. Not addressing poor movement patterns early can contribute to postural problems such as scoliosis, pain later in life, and general incoordination. Some even think that this ground work of nervous system development is the basis for higher learning later in life.

DNS uses exercises from the positions of development to properly activate the core muscles and ensure normal movement patterns are used in everyday activities. This technique is very helpful in rehabilitating neurological problems such as developmental delay, cerebral palsy and stroke.

DNS is also used for treating spinal pain, poor posture (including scoliosis), hip dysplasia, torticollis or foot and knee problems. Newborn and child screening evaluations are recommended for all children but especially those that have difficulty with performing normal activities such as rolling, crawling or those that seem uncoordinated or clumsy.

Posture screens should be done regularly and especially prior to the growth spurt at adolescence. Treatment can begin at any age but results are quicker and prevention is key if started within the first year of life.

DNS is also used for treating adults and athletes to maximize performance.