Motion is Lotion for Your Nerves

Why at The Body Lab we start with nerve releases before movement therapy

Ever felt your body is wired tight, even before you move? That’s your nervous system signalling.

Here at The Body Lab, our first move is to release and calm the nerves — before diving into movement therapy. Because when your “wiring” is jammed, your body can’t move freely, safely or effectively.

Let’s dig into why.

When nerves are irritated, compressed, or hypersensitised:

• your muscles tense (because the nervous system is in “protect” mode)

• breathing becomes shallow, joints stiffen, movement becomes cautious

• you might feel tingling, pins-and-needles, burning or tightness that doesn’t respond to traditional stretching

So we flip the script: calm the nervous system first, then load the movement. Because motion really is lotion for your nerves.

What Are Nerve Releases (aka neural mobilisations)

“Nerve releases” (also called neural mobilisation, nerve gliding, flossing, neurafluidity work) involves gentle hands-on and movement-based techniques that:

• free up the pathways over which nerves travel

• encourage the nerve to glide, slide, and relax rather than being “caught” or stuck in fascia, tight muscles, joints or entrapments

• calm hypersensitivity, reduce mechanical tension on nerves, improve neuro-mobility

At The Body Lab we treat the nervous system like the plumbing and wiring of your body: if the cables are kinked or the electrical flow is noisy, you don’t start debugging the appliances yet — you fix the wiring. The same applies to joints, muscles and movement.

The Science Behind It

Here’s where we get a little geeky — because your clients deserve to know it’s not just “massage and stretch”.

Neural mobilisation works

• A systematic review by Neural Mobilization: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials (Ellis et al., 2008) found that neural mobilisation (NM) is effective for altered neuro-dynamics (i.e., when nerves don’t glide properly). 

• A 2017 review (Basson et al.) found NM improved pain and disability in lower-quadrant conditions (low back, leg pain) in both healthy and symptomatic populations. 

• More recently, a 2023 meta-analysis (Lin et al.) focusing on lumbar radiculopathy found large effect sizes for pain reduction (Hedges’ g ≈ −1.10) and disability improvement (g ≈ −0.96) when NM was applied. 

• A 2024 systematic review & meta-analysis (Bittencourt et al.) found NM improved motor conduction velocity and sensory conduction velocity in peripheral neuropathic pain — indicating changes in nerve function and structure (though evidence quality was mixed). 

How it might work (mechanisms)

When a nerve is under mechanical tension, trapped, inflamed or compressed, it can suffer from restricted sliding, local ischemia (reduced blood flow), altered microcirculation and mechanical stress. The 2023 meta-analysis explained:

“Nerves possess the ability to adapt to various mechanical stresses during daily movements, but excessive stress can lead to ischemia and impaired function.” 

With improved gliding, the nerve may experience less mechanical strain, better microvascular perfusion, less intraneural pressure and subsequently less “irritation” or abnormal signalling.

The 2024 review found improvements in nerve conduction velocity after NM, which suggests improved nerve fibre “health” or function (perhaps via remyelination or improved intraneural environment). 

One theoretical paper (Heimburg 2022) even suggests that stretching of nerves can reduce nerve excitability (in a model sense) — demonstrating that mechanical environment matters for nerve signalling. 

In short: by freeing the nerve, you help reduce its “alarm-mode”, improve its capacity to glide, communicate and tolerate movement. Then when you move, it’s moving with you, not holding you back.

Why Calm Comes Before Movement

Think of it like this: your nervous system is the conductor of the orchestra. If the conductor is stressed, the musicians play off-beat.

When your nerves are irritated:

• movement becomes guarded

• compensation patterns kick in

• true mobility, coordination and motor control are limited

By doing nerve releases first we:

1. Reduce neural sensitivity and “noisy wiring”

2. Improve nerve mobility and flow

3. Create a safe environment so that when we ask for movement, the nervous system says “Go” rather than “Stop”

4. Then movement therapy becomes more effective — you’re not fighting your own nervous system, you’re using it

At The Body Lab we observe that when clients experience calmer nerves, subsequent movement rehab is faster, smoother and lasting.

Our Treatment Sequence at The Body Lab

1. Nerve Release / Neural Mobilisation

   • Target major pathways (sciatic, tibial, femoral, brachial plexus etc) and any symptomatic nerve entrapment zones

   • Use hands-on, sliding glides, tensioners, nerve flossing, positional releases to restore gliding & calm irritation

2. Spinal & Joint Mobility Reset

   • With the nerve calmer, we move into spinal segments, hips, feet and ankles and restore safe mobility

3. Movement Therapy / Re-education

   • Retraining how your body moves (foot mechanics, gait, limb sequencing, global coordination)

   • With a nervous system ready, you’ll respond better to movement challenges

   We find this order yields better outcomes than “jumping straight into movement” when the nervous system is still in protect/guard mode.

Why It Works So Well

• Traditional stretching or isolated strengthening often miss the nerve component — you can stretch a muscle all you like, but if the nerve is still irritated, you’ll hit a ceiling.

• This approach addresses neuro-mechanical restrictions: the nerve pathway and not just the muscle-joint system.

• Improves proprioception, motor control, coordination — because your nervous system can now deliver reliable signals.

• Prepares your body for actual movement re-education (rather than just “fixing the parts”).

For Clients: What To Know & What To Expect

• You may feel initial tingling, sensitivity, or guarded movement around the nerve release zone — it’s your nervous system responding.

• After the nerve release you’ll usually feel “freer”, less tingling, maybe some warmth or fluidity.

• Then during movement therapy you’ll notice things feel happier: less compensation, improved rhythm, more confidence.

• Because motion is lotion for your nerves, we also give you simple home-movements (glides, gentle nerve flossing) that keep the circus from starting again between visits.

Your Appointment Pathways at The Body Lab

Every client begins with an Initial Comprehensive Assessment, where we evaluate your posture, gait, and nervous system sensitivity to identify how your body moves — and why it might be compensating.

From there, you can choose your entry point depending on your goals and needs:

Option 1 — Foundational Movement Session

A great starting point for clients who want to experience the Body Lab approach or address a specific issue.

This session includes your initial assessment, targeted nerve releases, spinal and joint mobility work, and personalised home movements to help your nervous system relax and reconnect with efficient motion.

Perfect if you’re new to The Body Lab and want to start resetting your movement safely.

Option 2 — Comprehensive Advanced Biomechanical Session

Our most detailed session — designed for clients who want the full picture.

Includes in-depth postural analysis, 3D foot and limb assessment, pressure plate scan, gait video review, and manual movement testing from feet to spine.

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what’s driving your patterns — and a roadmap for what to do next.

→ Movement & Longevity Roadmap

Both options naturally lead into the Movement & Longevity Roadmap — a structured four-session program designed to rebuild how your body moves — intelligently, efficiently, and for the long term.

Each phase blends hands-on therapy, movement retraining, and progressive strengthening to create lasting change.

Perfect if you’re ready to not just feel better, but move better for life.

The Takeaway

At The Body Lab we don’t just stretch muscles or “fix joints” — we teach your nervous system how to feel safe moving again.

When nerves glide and function properly, movement doesn’t feel forced, guarded or stiff. It feels fluid.

Because in our world: motion isn’t just for your muscles — it’s lotion for your nerves.

References

Basson, A., Olivier, B., Ellis, R., Coppieters, M.W., Stewart, A. and Mudzi, W., 2017. The effectiveness of neural mobilization for neuromusculoskeletal conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 47(9), pp.593–615. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7117

Bittencourt, A.F., Reis, F.J.J., Araújo, C.F., Araújo, D.V. and Fernandes, R.M.S., 2024. Neural mobilization improves nerve conduction velocity and pain in peripheral neuropathic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE, 19(5), e0313025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313025

Ellis, R.F. and Hing, W.A., 2008. Neural mobilization: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials with an analysis of therapeutic efficacy. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 16(1), pp.8–22. https://doi.org/10.1179/jmt.2008.16.1.8

Heimburg, T., 2022. Nerve pulse propagation and the mechanical properties of axons. arXiv preprint, arXiv:2204.14035. Available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.14035

Lin, Y.H., Lin, Y.Y., Wang, C.W., Chou, L.W. and Chen, S.C., 2023. Effect of neural mobilization on pain and disability in patients with lumbar radiculopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Life, 13(12), 2255. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13122255