Vladimir Janda believed that pain is the only way the musculoskeltal system can protect itself.  Functional pathology of the sensorimotor system points to the importance of examining dysfunction rather than structural lesions.  Chronic musculoskeletal pain often arises from a functional pathology with resultant structural inflammation.  Structural lesions rarely cause pain themselves; rather, the inflammatory processes surrounding structural damage cause pain.  Often the site of pain is not the cause of pain; unfortunately, most clinicians focus on the area of chronic pain (structure) rather than the cause of pain (function).  An understanding of functional pathology forces clinicians to reevaluate their approach to the management of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Excerpted from:  (Page, Frank, Lardner.  Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance, The Janda Approach.  2010, Human Kinetics, Champagne IL.)