PNF (Proprioceptive Neurofacilitation Technique)

Premises/Assumptions of PNF
● Brain knows nothing on individual action, rather than knowing total movement patterns
● Extremity patterns are rotational and diagonal in nature
● Early motor behavior is dominated by reflex activity, while mature motor behavior is
supported by postural reflexes

Principles of PNF:
● Improvement in motor ability is dependent upon motor learning and frequency of
stimulation and repetition of activity promotes retention of motor learning and develops
strength and endurance
● Activities are goal-directed with techniques of facilitation mainly using proprioception are
utilize to hasten learning

Diagonal patterns
● Mass movement patterns are observed in most functional activities and occur in spiral or
diagonal patterns
2 diagonal motions of head for each of major parts:
● Head and neck - motions occurred: flexion with rotation to R/L; extension with rotation to
R/L
● Extremities - composed of 3 sets of motions: flexion and extension; abduction and
adduction and internal/external rotation.

Extremities used reference point for UE - shoulder joint, LE - hip joint, which are proximal pivots
for each pattern

UE - Flx and ext. Combined w/ abd and add

ER consistent w/ flx
IR consistent w/ ext

LE - Flx and ext, combined w/ abd and add and int/ext rotation
ADD consistent with ER
ABD consistent with IR

Unilateral PNF Patterns

UE
● D1 UE - Flx and ext. Combined w/ abd and add; ER consistent w/ flx; IR consistent
w/ ext

Joint Flexion Extension

Scapula Elev, abd, rot Dep, add, rot

Shoulder FADDER - Flx, add, ext. rot EABIR - Ext, abd, int. rot.

Elbow Flx/Ext Flx/ext

Forearm Sup Pron

Wrist and Hand Wrist flx, Rad Dev, Finger flx, Wrist ext, Ulnar Dev, Finger
Add, thumb add ext, Abd, thumb abd

● Distal pivots of UE: forearm,wrist and hand: supination and radial deviation
motion is consistent with shoulder flexion and ER
● Pronation and ulnar deviation is consistent with Shoulder Extension and IR
● Wrist flexion is consistent with shoulder adduction; wrist extension consistent
with shoulder abduction

● D2 UE pattern

Joint Flexion Extension

Scapula Elev, abd, rot Depress, add, rot

Shoulder FABER EADDIR

Elbow Flx/Ext Flx/Ext

Forearm Sup Pron

Wrist and Hand Wrist ext, Rad Dev, Finger Wrist flx, Ulnar Dev, Finger
ext, abd, Thumb ext flx, add, Thumb flx

● LE patterns - Flx and ext, combined w/ abd and add and int/ext rotation; ADD
consistent with ER; ABD consistent with IR

● D1 LE pattern

Joint Flexion Extension

Hip FADDER EABIR

Knee Flx/Ext Flx/Ext

Ankle and Foot Dorsi, Inv PF and Ever

Toe Extension Flexion

LE patterns distal pivots:
● Plantar Flexion is consistent with hip extension, Dorsiflexion consistent hip
flexion
● Inversion is consistent with hip adduction and ER; Eversion consistent with hip
abduction and IR

● LE D2 pattern

Joint Flexion Extension

Hip FABIR EADDER

Knee Flx/Ext Flx/Ext

Ankle and Foot Dorsi, Ever PF and Inv

Toe Extension Flexion

Remember the line of movement of these motions are diagonal. Begins from a
lengthened state to its shortened state

Example: To do D2 flexion pattern, you must start from its opposite lengthened state (D2
extension), and then lift your arm up and out towards D2 flexion

D1 UE - “putting on a seatbelt” in standing. Activity : D1 flexion- brushing hair, D1

extension - closing car door behind individual
D2 UE - “ sword” in standing. Activity: D2 extension - getting sword or zipping side of
your dress or grabbing dishes; D2 flexion - lashing sword or putting it on shelf
D1 LE - “ hackisack” in standing
D2 LE - “ peeing dog”in standing

Basic Procedures for PNF

● Verbal commands
Example: Commands for LE flexion, adduction, external rotation with knee flexion might
be:
Preparation: Ready
Action: “ Pull your leg up and in”
Correction: “ Keep pulling your toes up” to correct if there is lack of dorsiflexion

MOTOR CONTROL AND MOTOR LEARNING