When you cast a fishing line into water and catch a fish, the fish will fight and pull against the line. The pole is flexible and allows the fish to pull, but it offers resistance. The fish continues to pull while the pole offers flexible resistance, back and forth, back and forth, until the fish fatigues.
This is a very simple analogy of how RM’s products work with the body’s natural responses to help to relax increased muscle tone. RM devices allow the muscle to shorten during a contraction due to their flexible nature while providing a measured resistance, then returns the muscle to the preset degree of extension (length). This process will typically allow the joint to reach a “relaxation” in about 15 to 20 minutes.
When a patient who has increased muscle tone is first fit with an RM device, the goal is to work through the tone, work through the tone… These patients may even be discharged from active therapy for 6-8 weeks to allow the prolonged low load passive stretch to realign the proteins in the muscles (Actin and Myosin) to begin to add back Sarcomeres. Only when these Sarcomeres are realigned is it safe and effective to RELENGTHEN shortened tissue.
We do not restretch… we RELENGTHEN. Our philosophy is to never overstretch. Stretching that is too aggressive can illicit an episode of tone that can last 2-6 hours. It can tear soft tissue and cause pain.
RM Flex Technology splints work effectively on any lost range in a joint or body part, including burns. But when we talk about Restorative patients, we stress the difference between their conditions and those of orthopedic patients. Their treatment plans, goals and the technology of their splinting must also be different and designed appropriately. RM’s goal is always to Prevent • Protect • Restore.