Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a movement therapy concept developed in the 1940s by Herman Kabat and Margaret Knott. Its aim is to initiate and improve physiological movement sequences through targeted stimuli to muscles, tendons and joints.
Characteristic are three-dimensional, diagonal movement patterns for the trunk and limbs, used in combination with manual contact, verbal commands and visual control. Techniques such as rhythmic initiation, dynamic reversal or contract-relax serve to promote strength, coordination, mobility and stability. PNF is used in neurology as well as in orthopaedics and sports physiotherapy.