Often the burning, numbness, and tingling RMI sufferers feel is caused in part by these neural adhesions. In treating RMIs it is therefore very important to look at the whole person, and not just the part that hurts. Therefore, physical therapists treating RMIs usually correct posture, work on neck and neural tissue mobility, and then address the chief RMI complaint. It is also important to understand the role that overall poor health plays in the development of RMIs. A major concern in western societies is obesity.
Obesity leads to many other health problems, including adult-onset diabetes.
Diabetes negatively affects blood vessels, nerves, and energy transportation, depriving muscles and other soft tissues of nutrients and oxygen and making diabetics more susceptible to RMIs. When injuries do occur in the diabetic population, recovery is much more difficult. At the other extreme, many people develop eating disorders in their quest to stay thin, leading to malnutrition. People who are malnourished develop sprains and strains very easily. It is easy to hypothesize from this that anyone with poor nutrition is more susceptible to RMIs.