Neuropathy is defined as an abnormal or unusual degenerative state of nerves. One must not misunderstand the importance of healthy and compliant nervous interventions to ones overall state of health. We hear in laymen’s terms things like, “I’m so nervous.” Or “I pinched a nerve.” These are statements that scientifically relate to structure and function of the nerve squalae.

When dealing with neuropathic conditions especially when related to physical activity, one must balance the health of the structure of the nerve complex with the amount of stimulation needed to create regeneration-like recovery for continued healthy and safe human performances. This stimulation can come from Physical Activity which is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 2011 publication as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles that increases energy expenditure above basal level.

Why are the nerves so important to our bodies? It takes stimulation by nerves to get muscle to contract. This could be conscious thought creating the pull on our bones to create movement and/or balance, and unconscious stimulations for breathing, heart beats, blood flow etc.

For us today, we are going to focus on how to stimulate damaged or non-optimally performing nerves so they will adapt and become more efficient at delivering signals for a more coordinated and rapid recruitment of muscle fibers leading to greater power and function in your physical activities be they activities of daily living, enhancing your metabolic health or athletic endeavors like walking a 5k, running half-marathon, or competing in tennis tournament, etc).

Let’s take a snapshot of nerve stimulation. First of all, our sensory nerves receive a message or signal from one of our 5 senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, hear) and send it to our brain which sends a message to our central nervous system down our spinal cord to our peripheral nerves (arms, legs, core mainly) which stimulates the needed muscles to react. These messages are carried via chemicals known as neurotransmitters with Acetylcholine being the most prominent in this process. If at any point in this feedback loop of delivery there is a lack of efficiency, the needed signals to recruit muscle is impaired or even completely blocked. These retardations of signal efficiency are known as nerve impingement.

Research has shown that a damaged nerve can regenerate at approximately one millimeter per day. This is quite slow. So, we need to make sure that as we try to achieve optimal nerve health, we don’t create damage to the nerves required for movement and balance primarily at the sites of the numerous neuromuscular junctions.

How do we enhance our nervous system’s delivery of messages? In the practice of exercise science we have a set of guidelines to enhance neuromotor skills. These include exercises for balance, hand-eye coordination, gait, agility and proprioception. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and fitness industry generally lavels these types of exercises as Functional Fitness Training. For optimal functional fitness, which means, in part, optimal neural message delivery for optimal muscle recruitment for optimal muscle performance, one must include resistance and flexibility training to enhance muscle strength and pliability to reduce the potential nervous impingements discussed above. These combinations are why Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi are popular modes of training for neuropathic clients.