Understanding DNS: Stabilization Made Simple

Most of us take everyday movement for granted, giving little thought to sitting, standing, walking and running. But before you ever move a muscle, your brain and central nervous system (CNS) set you up for success by activating certain muscles to stabilize you. Without stability, your chances of losing balance or becoming injured increase dramatically.

Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) is a strategy for optimizing stability, based on fundamental patterns of early human development.

Human infants are unique in that they are virtually helpless at birth, unable to move about and fend for themselves. All other mammals, including dogs, cats, horses and wild animals, are able to stand and ambulate almost immediately after birth. This innate ability is encoded in mammalian DNA.

Humans also possess an innate ability to become ambulatory, but it takes place in several stages after childbirth, culminating in the ability to walk by about the age of one. Posture, movement and gait rely on neuromuscular stabilization for motor control, which is primarily established during the first year of life. Breathing, movement patterns of the trunk and extremities and the interplay of joints are all regulated by the CNS.

The posture and movement patterns of newborn infants are considered the gold standard for human movement because they innately develop from the CNS. Over time, those patterns can be disrupted by a number of factors, including poor posture, injury, lack of physical activity, repetitive motor patterns and other habitual behaviors that compromise the stabilizing system.

The principles of DNS as a therapeutic method are founded on certain fundamental factors:

• DNS begins with an evaluation of breathing patterns. Your diaphragm performs the dual functions of facilitating breathing while simultaneously creating sufficient intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) to stabilize the core. This approach runs contrary to many core stabilization theories that emphasize contraction of the abdominal muscles. Core stabilization should be mastered before moving on to therapeutic exercises.
• Prior to any movement, your integrated stabilizing system consisting of the diaphragm, short intersegmental spinal muscles, deep neck flexor muscles, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles, are automatically activated as a functional unit to provide stability, balance and efficiency of movement. When those muscles are not appropriately activated, it can lead to dysfunctional movement patterns that result in pain and injury.
• When dysfunction occurs, it most frequently affects the muscles that support and stabilize the joints. The problem is not muscle weakness, but rather the inability to properly activate the muscle. To achieve optimal movement, the joint must be maintained in an ideal position throughout the entire movement.
• DNS therapy strives to instill appropriate motor activation patterns in the brain, so they become automatic. The ability to sense joint positions (proprioception), heighten movement awareness and increase motor control are all goals of DNS.

DNS is becoming increasingly popular among athletes who want to achieve their performance potential and avoid injury. The same principles of stabilization and movement optimization apply to execution of sports skills. Elite athletes rely on DNS to maintain their competitive edge and prolong their careers.