Effectiveness of Somatic Balance Restoration Therapy to Alleviate Pain of Musculoskeletal System

Abstract

Chronic pain and general physical discomfort are common symptoms among those seeking medical or physiotherapy treatment, as it relates to disorders found in the Human Musculoskeletal System (HMS). Since this system is highly complex and large in scale, clinical pain research has been confounded by many complex factors. The goal of our research is to overcome these obstacles by applying multidisciplinary approaches including systems engineering, traditional oriental techniques, conventional medicine and related sciences. To pursue such an integrated approach this paper examines the therapist-guided exercise for restoring human musculoskeletal balance called the Somatic Balance Restoration Therapy (SBRT). The SBRT is a simple but effective self-exercise therapy with minimal assistance by a trained therapist. This therapy is analyzed by a mechanical engineering method by modeling the human body as a multi-body subject to a static equilibrium condition. In addition, the wording has been rewritten in functional anatomical terms, enabling smooth communication between specialists of three different disciplines: therapy, conventional medicine and systems engineering. Examples will be given to demonstrate an integrated and systematic approach for identifying and remedying malfunctions within the HMS.