What is Zero Balancing

What is Zero Balancing?
It is hands on body work that provides a meaningful connection between structure and energy. It produces relaxation and encourages personal growth. It helps you feel lighter, puts you in touch with your heart and helps balance your life. Recurrent patterns of movement, trauma or persistent stress can be reduced.

What is a treatment like?
After a brief evaluation sitting on the side of the table, fully clothed, you lie down on your back. Treatment begins with a heel pull and lift, i.e. your therapist will place a curve of traction into your body through your heels. Starting with the structure of your pelvis and low back, “fulcrums” and traction are combined by placing pressure with the fingers at specific bony prominences, joints and acupuncture points. Usually fulcrums are a few seconds; sometimes the fulcrum needs to be longer. The practitioner will touch your ribs, upper back, neck and the back of the skull repeating the patterns and applying traction as needed until the tension/pain release. Pressure across your upper shoulders and trapezius releases long held stress in the neck and shoulders. A treatment usually takes about 45 minutes, depending on the severity of your pain and may conclude with some simple movements to include walking to integrate the treatment into to your mind and body.

Does it hurt?
The touch associated with ZB is not as deep at that often associated with trigger point or Rolfing treatments. You may hear ZBer’s use the term “donkey touch”. This comes from the awareness that burros as they walk along a trail together often lean into each other – not because they can’t stand on their own but their energy is reinforced by the presence of the other. The intent in ZB is similar – to create an awareness of your practitioner and feel supported by them. With each “pass” the tenderness you experienced in the beginning of the treatment will dissipate as your body releases the tension causing the pain.

When would ZB be used?
Because ZB touches bone as well as specific acupuncture and pressure points, it can be helpful for many maladies. It can help resolve pain in any muscles or joints, headaches, postural misalignment and gait disturbances. The touch of ZB effects the whole body and provides an excellent tool to get in touch with pain and stress in various parts of your body. For more complex, chronic problems you may need other treatments to complete your healing i.e. gentle exercises, heat or ice or acupuncture.

Who is qualified to do a ZB?
The ZB Health Association has an extensive certification program. The ZB protocol was created by Fritz Smith, MD, LAc in 19XX and it has been modified by him and others, with approval of the ZBHA over the years. Each practitioner who displays the above ZB Logo and identifies him or herself as a ZB practitioner has completed this certification program. In order be certified, each practitioner must hold an active license in some health profession – nurse, physical therapist, chiropractor, etc. Got to http://www.zerobalancing.com/about/practitioners/ to identify a Certified ZB Practitioner in your area.

Does insurance pay for it?
Depending on the scope of practice for the practitioner in the state in which they hold a license and your personal insurance coverage, ZB may be charged as a manual therapy treatment or, in some states, as Zero Balancing, specifically. In most cases PTs, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Acupuncturists could meet those criteria. Always ask your practitioner prior to treatment if you are seeking third party coverage.

What are you waiting for? Try it – you’ll love it!!