#79 - Beyond the Massage Table: Integrating Applied Neurology Into Manual Therapy with Adam Goodrich

What happens when a manual therapist with more than 20 years of hands-on experience starts looking at pain and movement through a neurological lens?

In this episode, Taylor talks with KRUSE ELITE student Adam Goodrich, a licensed massage therapist and physical therapist assistant, about the challenges and wins he’s experienced integrating applied neurology into an established manual therapy practice.

In this episode:

• Moving beyond the “table dilemma” — introducing neurological assessments and drills to clients who expect hands-on treatment.

• Why adding applied neurology doesn’t mean abandoning the manual skills you’re already good at.

• How Adam started small with trusted clients and gradually built confidence applying neuro concepts.

• Real client examples where vision, sensory input, opposing-joint work and neuro stacking created surprising changes in pain, mobility and muscle tone.

• Why assessment and reassessment can help determine whether both your neuro drills and your manual techniques are creating the desired response.

• How a client’s history can provide clues about which neurological systems and inputs may be worth exploring.

• Why manual therapists may have a unique advantage—their hands-on skills already provide powerful sensory input that can be viewed through a neurological lens.

• Why applied neurology is less about learning another protocol and more about developing a thinking model that can enhance the skills you already have.

The big takeaway

You don’t have to know everything about the nervous system before you start applying what you’re learning.

Start small. Test an input. Reassess. Learn from the response.

Over time, applied neurology can give you a new way to understand the manual work you’re already doing—and a much larger toolbox when hands-on treatment alone isn’t creating the change you want.

Thank you to neuro ninja student, Adam Goodrich for sharing your personal and professional journey in learning applied neurology. To work with Adam, check out his practice:

• Business: NKS Solutions - Findlay, OH

• Website: nkssolutions.net

• Email: adam@nkssolutions.net

• Facebook: @nkssolutions1 (facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083607690798)

• Insta: @nkssolutions1 (instagram.com/nkssolutions1)

• T: tiktok.com/@nkssolutions1

Free Resources:

• Join our mailing list HERE (kruseelite.com/free-resources) to stay up to date on the latest updates from Kruse Elite

• Join our free Cranial Nerve Masterclass (kruseelite.com/join-our-free-cranial-nerve-mas…) here to get a taste of how neurology impacts your movement and pain issues

• Subscribe to our YouTube HERE (youtube.com/c/KRUSEELITE) for in-depth educational videos and tutorials

Whenever you're ready here's how we can help you:

• Become an expert in problem solving movement and pain issues with our beginner neuro course, Neuro Foundations (kruseelite.com/neuro-foundations)

• Master applied neurology so you can feel confident you can help anyone who walks through your door by joining our advanced neuro course, The Neuro Dojo (kruseelite.com/neuro-dojo-2-0)