In the Groove – 3. The Role of Form

If we step back from just watching the creator and observe the patterns the creator uses we will see distinct repetitions of sequences. One action follows another, resulting in a defined outcome. However unlike a distinct process where the same action always follows the same step, these directed actions are open. This is called a form. Forms are generalized areas that are in relationships to each other. An example is a tax form. The areas are generalized, income, expense, deductions etc, but the amounts, and types of content may be vastly different from person to person, or the same person from year to year. The result is each section provides the relevant result through a series of actions to produce a sub-element of the overall result.

In music there is a form that produces momentum, unlike the tax form which produces for most vertigo and nausea. The Sonata form is a specific form. Each form has component parts that are in relationship to each other and when combined, provide a place holder for a variety of notes to be organized. In this way, the music is always different as it contains different notes, but those notes are held in relationship to each other in a way to sustain the development of momentum.

It is the use of form as an organizational approach that promotes the ongoing production of results, and also allows those results to be different or the same. In producing improved function, the form is to first identify the what level of involvement and what specific activities the client or patient would desire. Then their current abilities are assessed in relation to that master goal. The process of assessment and evaluation involves multiple iterations of the telescoping form. In this way, the parts maintain a consistent relationship with each other and support components can be evaluated in context of the overall master goal. Functional tasks that are present in a desired activities are then assessed as well as the demands each task requires for the center of gravity and base of support relationship that is primary to the human form. For here, further assessment of the desired position, strength, flexibility, coordination to produce the requirements of the functional task are once again related to the current reality.

In this way, multiple iterations of the same form are used and organized into a telescoping structure to produce a powerful underlying structure to support an ongoing change effort. In the case where the initial approach has not made a change in current reality that was desired, the clinician can return to each component part, re-assessing and re-evaluating. In this way the momentum that was produced can still be utilized to turn around the change effort. It is easier to turn a car around that is moving then to try to turn a car that is not moving even when the car is going the wrong way.

During this revisiting of the actions and steps taken, the clinician will be evaluating the required specific critical tasks, weight shifts, muscle contractions that all support the functional outcome desired. The current ability to perform these motions are assessed in relation to the end result and specific. Relevant actions are generated that are understood as necessary to impact the specific part at the local level of joint mobility, arthrokinematics, osteokinematics and how that will impact the overall behavior of the body in terms of control of the center of gravity and base of support relationship.

In change efforts in which a result is created, these many sub results are necessary and must precede the overall result. With the use of the telescoping form, these sub results maintain their relationship to the overall end result. In making a cake, the dry product is mixed with the wet product to form the cake batter. The quality of the cake is dependent upon the many steps that happen during the dry and wet product mixing. Different proportions, ingredients, time, skill of the baker, decisions, etc, mix together to yield the resulting cake. With mastery of treatment plan design and clinical decision making your collaborations with patients and clients will be just as sweet.