Joaquin Farias has spent the past two decades trying to understand dystonia, a confounding and sometimes debilitating syndrome believed to be the third-most-common neurological movement disorder, after essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.
His work has been influenced by his own experience. As a 21-year-old studying to become a professional musician in Spain, he began to develop dystonia in his right hand. His fingers would involuntarily curl into a fist. Gradually, it became almost impossible to play the piano.
Doctors recommended only rest and muscle relaxants, dismissing it as a persistent condition of unknown cause. But determined to regain fluid mobility, he took it upon himself to relearn how to unclench his hand by inventing exercises, such as trying to pick up objects over and over. It took two years of tenacious self-training to, as he puts it, “move right” again. It took three more years to “feel right,” to perform those same movements without inexplicable accompanying feelings of emotional distress.
Dr. Farias, who holds a PhD in medicine and sciences applied to sport and exercise, has used these self-taught techniques to develop a cost-effective and drug-free way to rehabilitate others with the condition. His approach relies on neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself. Training clients to move again, he says, helps their brains learn to process motor and sensory signals normally again.
He has seen astounding results. Now an adjunct professor with the University of Toronto’s Music and Health Research Collaboratory, he shows no sign of impairment and has likewise helped hundreds of clients, including professional musicians and dancers.
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