 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Joaquin Farias | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973 Murcia, Spain |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Neuroscientist |
| Known for | Farias Technique |
| Notable work |
|
| Website | fariastechnique |
Joaquin Farias (born 1973) is a Spanish-born Canadian neuroscientist, researcher, and writer specializing in movement therapy for dystonia. [1]
Farias was born in 1973 in Murcia, Spain. [2] He holds master's degrees in neuropsychological rehabilitation, psychosociology, and ergonomics and a doctorate in biomechanics. [3] [2] [4]
At the age of 21, while training as a professional musician, Farias developed dystonia, leading to involuntary curling of his fingers and impacting his ability to play the piano. [1] [5] He began his research work on dystonia in 1996 following his own experience with dystonia as a young musician, which led him to create his own exercises to manage his condition. [1] [5] [2]
After his recovery from dystonia, Farias developed a training program based on neuroplasticity principles. [1] In 2018, he started the Dystonia Recovery Online Program, aiming to provide wider access to treatment methods. [2] [6]
Farias has also worked as a coach for musicians, as well as with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and dancers, focusing on the recovery from focal dystonia and other practice-related disorders. [3] [5] [2]
Previously, Farias served as a professor at the Music and Health Research Collaboratory of the University of Toronto. [4] He also serves as the director at the Neuroplastic Training Institute in Toronto. [2] [4]
Farias is also the author of three books on dystonia: Limitless: Your Movements Can Heal Your Brain (2016), Intertwined: A New Approach to Rehabilitating Dystonias (2012), and Rebellion of the Body: Understanding Musicians' Focal Dystonia (2012). [3] [7] [8]
Farias's work hypothesizes a link between dystonia and the insular cortex, which plays a role in controlling motion and emotion. [5] Farias theorizes that repetitive activities might reinforce improper neural pathways, thereby exacerbating the condition. [5]
His method, which he calls the Farias Technique, [9] involves using movement-based exercises to help retrain brain functions related to motor and sensory processing. [5] The core of his treatment approach is centered on relearning and normalizing repressed movements, through specific exercises. [5]
In 2019, he authored a case study describing the use of neuroinhibitory modulation training combined with dance to manage generalized dystonia in a professional dancer, reporting restoration of walking ability after long-term wheelchair use. [10]
He has also contributed to a review of rehabilitative treatments for cervical dystonia, which concluded that combining physiotherapy and self-directed rehabilitation exercises with botulinum toxin can improve patient outcomes. [11]
Earlier research examined pianists’ hand morphology as a predictive factor for repetitive strain injury, finding that smaller hand size and certain morphotypes were associated with a higher risk of injury. [12]
Another study he co-authored investigated the influence of pianists’ wrist mobility on the development of repetitive strain injury, showing that restricted ranges of motion were correlated with a higher incidence of injury. [13]
He also co-authored a randomized controlled trial at the High Conservatory of Music of Salamanca, which showed that a health-promotion program significantly reduced musculoskeletal injuries among music students by improving body awareness and reducing the frequency of injury. [14]
His work has been cited by independent researchers. A letter in Neurological Sciences referenced the “Farias Technique” as part of neuroplastic training approaches for dystonia, [15] and an open-access article on focal hand dystonia likewise discussed his rehabilitation strategies among emerging therapeutic perspectives. [16]
