Counterstrain
Counterstrain (CS) was discovered by Lawrence Jones, DO, FAAO in 1955 who defined it as a "passive positional procedure that places the body in a position of greatest comfort, thereby relieving pain by reduction and arrest of inappropriate proprioceptor activity that maintains somatic dysfunction."
Dr Jones identified approximately 250 tender points that repeatedly demonstrate or reflect a dysfunction in the body. The evaluation for these tender points requires palpation of various body landmarks from a head to toe and then ranking the degree of tenderness with jump signs being primary or most important. Systematically, Dr Jones would then "treat the worst first" and then reassess. The success of this innovative technique (along with Randy Kusonose, PT) led to the development of the Jones Institute which is dedicated to the education and training of the CS technique to health care professionals all over the world.
CS has further evolved to include the fascial system, which allows the practitioner to provide a much gentler treatment with sustained improvement. Fascia is defined by Wikipedia as "a structure of connective tissue that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding some structures together, while permitting others to slide smoothly over each other." With this change in approach came more than 1000 new tender points and a new method of evaluation, the cranial scan. The cranial scan sounds unorthodox, but repeated trial and error (by Brian Tuckey, PT) has revealed characteristic stiffness in specific cranial bones related to fascial systems, allowing the practitioner to quickly identify and treat primary areas of body dysfunction.
The inherent gentleness of the technique makes CS appropriate for everyone including the chronically ill, fragile and elderly. Examples of diagnoses that can be treated with CS include: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, spine and joint pain, coccydynia, headaches, TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, elbow tendonitis, digestive dysfunctions and CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome).
The Jones Institute is now on YouTube. Please click here to view amazing footage of how CS works and how it can help YOU!
FAQ's
What to wear
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Avoid wearing dangling earrings and denim as it is difficult to palpate through.
What to expect
Identification of tender points in the body via the cranial scan, as mentioned above. Treatment of identified tender points (through clothing) with informed consent. Maximum benefit of treatment can take 2 days. Within that period of time, mild-moderate soreness may occur as the body goes into healing and release of metabolites. Please drink 8-10 glasses of water and go about usual activity, avoiding exertion. An Epsom salt bath may also be helpful.
How often do I need to come back
Each person is different, but most benefit from once per week. Acute injuries may require increased frequency of 2-3 x per week. Chronic pain (pain that lasts more than 3 months) may demand weekly sessions over a longer period of time as the body tends to heal in layers.
Payment
I charge $150 per hour or $37.50 for 15 minutes. Sessions are scheduled for 1 hour, longer or shorter upon request. Cash or check is preferred. I accept digital payment via Zelle, PayPal, Venmo and ApplePay. Credit card is accepted for an additional 3.5% processing fee.
I do not take insurance, but as a licensed physical therapist, treatment is tax deductible and/or eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). An invoice can be provided upon request.
How to schedule
Please email me at charmaine.singletary@gmail.com or call 414-232-6132.
Dr Jones identified approximately 250 tender points that repeatedly demonstrate or reflect a dysfunction in the body. The evaluation for these tender points requires palpation of various body landmarks from a head to toe and then ranking the degree of tenderness with jump signs being primary or most important. Systematically, Dr Jones would then "treat the worst first" and then reassess. The success of this innovative technique (along with Randy Kusonose, PT) led to the development of the Jones Institute which is dedicated to the education and training of the CS technique to health care professionals all over the world.
CS has further evolved to include the fascial system, which allows the practitioner to provide a much gentler treatment with sustained improvement. Fascia is defined by Wikipedia as "a structure of connective tissue that surrounds muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves, binding some structures together, while permitting others to slide smoothly over each other." With this change in approach came more than 1000 new tender points and a new method of evaluation, the cranial scan. The cranial scan sounds unorthodox, but repeated trial and error (by Brian Tuckey, PT) has revealed characteristic stiffness in specific cranial bones related to fascial systems, allowing the practitioner to quickly identify and treat primary areas of body dysfunction.
The inherent gentleness of the technique makes CS appropriate for everyone including the chronically ill, fragile and elderly. Examples of diagnoses that can be treated with CS include: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, spine and joint pain, coccydynia, headaches, TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, elbow tendonitis, digestive dysfunctions and CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome).
The Jones Institute is now on YouTube. Please click here to view amazing footage of how CS works and how it can help YOU!
FAQ's
What to wear
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing. Avoid wearing dangling earrings and denim as it is difficult to palpate through.
What to expect
Identification of tender points in the body via the cranial scan, as mentioned above. Treatment of identified tender points (through clothing) with informed consent. Maximum benefit of treatment can take 2 days. Within that period of time, mild-moderate soreness may occur as the body goes into healing and release of metabolites. Please drink 8-10 glasses of water and go about usual activity, avoiding exertion. An Epsom salt bath may also be helpful.
How often do I need to come back
Each person is different, but most benefit from once per week. Acute injuries may require increased frequency of 2-3 x per week. Chronic pain (pain that lasts more than 3 months) may demand weekly sessions over a longer period of time as the body tends to heal in layers.
Payment
I charge $150 per hour or $37.50 for 15 minutes. Sessions are scheduled for 1 hour, longer or shorter upon request. Cash or check is preferred. I accept digital payment via Zelle, PayPal, Venmo and ApplePay. Credit card is accepted for an additional 3.5% processing fee.
I do not take insurance, but as a licensed physical therapist, treatment is tax deductible and/or eligible for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). An invoice can be provided upon request.
How to schedule
Please email me at charmaine.singletary@gmail.com or call 414-232-6132.
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