Tensional Release Therapy

Tensional Release Therapy is my concept of Tensegrity and Fascial Therapies and Therapy Integration within Gravity and Body Systems.
I think like Bruce Lee, I do not buy the false difference set up by schools of thought.

Here is my attempt to explain why therapy needs to be manuel in nature, not by machine...and how to breakout of the false thinking of treatment care (who do I see?)

All therapist could learn something from this open minded view and scientificly sound principles that rely on Tensegrity and Fascial Release.

TENSIONAL RELEASE THERAPY.
Soft Tissue Therapy is lacking two essential components. Comprehensive tensional assessment and integrative treatment protocols. Tensional Release Therapy, recognizes tension in all subsystems of the body, and provides detailed structural and tensional models for treatment. Evaluation and correction of tension is the primary goal of orthopedic therapy. The ability to identify tension within the different systems and to differentiate between high tension and average tone is critical to treatment success. Chiropractic therapy is based on tension within the joint complex. Cranial sacral therapy is based on tension within the dura and the sutures of the cranial and facial bones. Visceral therapy is based on tension within the organs or the bags that surround them and ligaments that support them. Matrix therapy and Mechanical Link Therapy and Rolfing are based on tension within the fascial web, including the bone matrix. Massage therapy is based on skeletal muscle tension.

All of the above-mentioned therapies have one commonality, which is a tensional based assessment and treatment protocol. Another commonality is the isolation of tension within a subsystem. Each modality provides success, but not 100% of the time. Increased successful patient assessment and treatment would therefore include tensional assessment within all the subsystems of the body. It is impossible to treat patients complex orthopedic conditions fully without recognizing and assessing for tension in any subsystem that presents with tension. When practitioners of a specific modality achieved success with patients it is because the tension treated was the primary fixation and lack of success with others it is due to the inability to isolate the primary fixation and to recognize that tension weaves itself within the Web. Tension within the Web of the subsystems is always integrated. Tensegrity Theory is the engineering principle that is common from the cytoskeleton of the cell to the fascial web of the body. Tension is continuous, while compression is discontinuous. The truth of the matter is that tension and Tensegrity and fascia is the glue that holds us together. Tension is and always will be continuous throughout the body, and therefore isolation and assessment of abnormal tension must include all systems of the body.

One prime example of orthopedic injuries that require full systems, tensional assessment are high impact velocity injuries. High impact velocity injuries cause a shock wave. The shock wave travels through the body, causing tension, as it moves. Where it finally stops will be the area of most tension be it at the bone matrix of a long bone or a fluid filled organ. Whip lash, commonly causes fixations of the pleura the pericardium and the kidneys. One must remember that water is uncompressible and therefore the most dense substance in the body. One must realize the organs are mainly water filled bags. This makes soft organs, very dense due to the high water content and therefore primary places of fixation due to tension. Organ movement is primarily based on diaphragmatic movement, and smooth muscle autonomic nervous system activation. The diaphragm moves, 24,000 times a day. This diaphragmatic motion causes movement of the abdominal organs. The liver and the kidneys, travel 600 Meters a day based on diaphragmatic motion. This motion is often termed mobility. Lack of mobility, even in small amounts will become large fixations over time and need to be treated. Mobility is largely corrected through the stretching of the ligaments that support the organ and release of the bags that surround the organ. The organs also travel with the physiological motion called motility. Motility is a result of embryological axis motion of the organ and the body as it develops in utero. Motility has less amplitude than mobility. Although much work, and success has elvolved from visceral therapy in this correction of organ movement, both in mobility and motility through specific induction or recoil we will use a basic myofascial organization technique and allow the body's self correction mechanisms to do the rest.

Bone matrix is the second most dense substance in the body, and will often hold tension. The long bones of the body most commonly hold tension and are best assessed with torsion forces for flexibility. Commonly the long bones of the legs and of the pelvis, will hold torsion within the bone matrix, which will affect all other tensegrity systems. Complex issues require therapist to recognize tension, although continuous has primary fixations within one or more subdivisions of the biological systems of the body.

Primary fixations are best identified with the Inhibitory Balance Technique. When palpating two independent systems, the dominant or primary tension will always stay firm, while the secondary tensional site will relax. Successful treatment outcome is based on correction of the primary fixation within the tensegrity model. Primary fixations always integrated secondary fixations to compensate. These secondary fixations compensations cause a chicken or egg scenario to develop so that most conditions require multiple systems tensional treatment.

If we go back to our first example, we see that high velocity impact injury causes primary tension in the densest regions of the body. Therefore bone matrix and organs which are often locations of primary fixations, which cause causes secondary joint tension fixations which causes compensatory muscle tension which causes autonomic nervous system smooth muscle fascial tension which causes deep-seated dural tension. The true detective work is to determine either the primary fixation or to treat all tension found in assessment. The true sleuth or Sherlock Holmes is aware of tension, that other practitioners forego due to their education, and pride. Patients are not isolated units and therefore tension is an integrated component within the tensegrity system. As soft tissue therapist we have the scope and education and treatment durations to fully treat many tensional conditions. The scope and practice of successful orthopedic therapy is therefore, the ability to isolate by thorough assessment tension in all subsystems and to treat by a hands-on approach with soft tissue therapy soft tissue tension in all subsystems. The failure of professional health care providers, is to step beyond the boundaries of their education and to recognize the tensional model in all its aspects. The ability to accept each professional modality as a valid concepts that can be incorporated into a soft tissue therapy treatment and the multiple systems format allows for the most productive patient outcome.

The goal and the scope of Tensional Release Therapy is to assess tension and treat tension in all the subsystems of the body within the context of extended treatment protocols that evolve integration of the structure within the gravitational field. As soft tissue orthopedic therapist we recognize all of the subsystems, including the fascial system treated by Rolfers the bone matrix treated by Mechanical Link the viscera system treated by Visceral Therapy, the dural cranial sacral and spinal joint fixations treated by Chiropractors and muscular systems treated by Physiotherapist and Massage Therapist. What we need to do is to organize and to prioritize treatment protocol for the subsystems via tension.



[edit on 13-5-2007 by junglelord]

7 Integrative Sequential Assessment/ Treatment Protocols:

My evolution of assessment from my college days. The initial process was something like this.

1.Posture
2.Gait
3.ROM testing, Active VS Passive
4.Muscle testing and grading
5.Neurological tests.

A nice logical sequence based on good theory and progression with the tools I had at the time for treatment. My general treatment involved NISA, Joint Play, Trager and Lomi Lomi.

As we learn new assessments and therapy approaches our assessments must progress as well and become integrative with the original group.

Here is where I am so far with an integrative therapy approach. I use most of the assessments in this following method and order and relationships.




Mainly I am looking to evaluate and treat tension in all the subsystems of the body.
1. Active Motion Palpation
2. Common Compensatory Pattern
3. Tonic VS Phasic Muscles
4. Myofascial Mapping
5. Visceral Mobility Tests
6. Inhibitory Balance Technique
7. Active Isolated Stretching

Step 1
I do this first and seperate, it takes less then five minutes for assement and treatment.

1. Active Motion Palpation Joint Analysis:
Subsystem, Synovial Joints/Axial Skeleton and Peripheral ROM

Treatment, Joint Mobilization grade 1 to 4, Turner Direct Cranial, Muscle Energy, Fascial Moblization

Step 2
I also do seperate, again it takes less then five minutes for assement and treatment.

2. Common Compensatory Pattern:
Subsystem, Horizontal Myofascial Planes/Transition Area Diaphragms

Treatment: Indirect Myofascial Mobilzation, PNF

Step 3 and 4
I integrate both assessments which are relatively quick but the integrative direct myofascial fascial treatments which follow are the majority of the treatment time for my patients.

3. Tonic VS Phasic Muscles
Subsystem, Janda Muscular Postural Model Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes

Treatment: Eric Daltons Dirty Dozen etc.

4. Myofascial Mapping
Subsystem Anatomy Trains Superficial Middle and Deep Linear and Spiral Fascial Continuities

Treatment: Rolf Structural Receipe of 10 or KMI Structural Receipe of 12

Step 5 and 6
I also integrate the next two together and then I choose the most effecient treatment approach which takes only about ten minutes.

5. Visceral Mobility Tests
Subsystems, viscera, body cavities, visceral bags, ligaments

Treatment: Rolf, Visceral, Mechanical Link, Cranial Sacral.

6. Inhibitory Balance Technique.
Purpose: Global Tensegrity Primary Fascial Fixation & Restriction
Subsystem: Fascial tensegrity

Treatment: Recoil or Induction from Mechanical Link, Matrix Repatterning, Visceral, Cranial Sacral

Step 7
I then finish any lingering effects with this last step which take only five minutes

7. Active Isolated Stretching
Subsystem: Skeletal Muscular System ROM

Treatment: Aaron Mattes protocol of 2 sec stretches with antagonist active movement.


1. Active Motion Palpation. Spinal and Pelvic Analysis.
Active Motion Palpation is a Tool and the Technique I learned from the Chiropractic Profession.


Skeletal Muscular Janda Tonic/Phasic Postural Model:
One of the most important structural models and postural models that has evolved from the study of dynamic posture is the Janda Upper and Lower Crossed Syndromes. Muscular tension must be viewed as strong/tonic or weak/phasic. Typical muscle imbalances in the upper cross syndrome include postural tonic muscles that tend to be short and strong a prime example being the SCM and the pectoral muscles. Dynamic phasic muscles tend to be long and weak like the rhomboids and middle & lower trapezius. Therefore skeletal muscular approaches to patient care would evolve itself within the context of the JANDA Tonic/Phasic Model for the most success within the gravitational and postural structure equals function model.

Upper Cross Syndrome
Tight facilitated tonic postural muscles
pectorals, upper trapezius, levator scapula, SCM, antereior scalenus, suboccipitals, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi.

Upper Cross Syndrome
Weak inhibited phasic dynamic muscles.
Longus capitus, longus colli, hyoids, serratus anterior, rhomboids, middle and lower trapezius, posterior rotator cuff.

The Upper Cross Syndrome.
Notice how the tight line passes through the levator scapula, upper trapezius and the pectoralis, causing shoulder elevation and scapular protraction. Inhibition in the deep neck flexors and lower shoulder stabilizers permits this asymmetry.

Since the foreword head is the most common postural faults seen in our society Janda's upper cross syndrome is extremely helpful in visualizing exactly which muscles pull unevenly to create this distorted posture. Sustained hyper contraction in these typically tonic muscles elevates and protracts the shoulder while pulling the head anterior of the plum line.



Lower Cross Syndrome.
Tight Facilitated Tonic Postural Muscles
Iliopsoas, rectus femoris, hamstrings, T. F. L., piriformis, quadratus lumborum, thigh adductors, lumbar erectors.

Lower Cross Syndrome
Weak Inhibited Phasic Dynamic Muscles
rectus abdominus, gluteals, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, transverse abdominis

The Lower Cross Syndrome
In the lower cross syndrome, the tight line passes through illiopsoas and lumbar erectors, which pull and hold the sway back posture. Reciprocal inhibition weakens the abdominal muscles and gluteals, allowing this dysfunctional pattern to develop. In the lower cross syndrome tight psoas cause anterior tilt of the pelvis, creating excessive lumbar lordosis. While erectors spinae myofascia contractors hold this bowing pattern. The weak abdominals and gluteals unable to stabilize the pelvis allow this sway back pattern to develop.

Proper balance in the skeletal, muscular must address imbalances in short tension muscles, versus weak long stretched muscles within the concept of tight tonic and weak phasic muscle groups. It is pointless to lengthen a long tight muscle. Tight tonic muscles require restoration of extensibility, while weak phasic muscles demand restoration of contractability. Therefore, tight muscles, create asymmetry, while weak muscles permit asymmetry.

a primer on stress, strain and tensegrity
I hope you enjoy it.
God Bless.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Robert Hooke (1635 –1702): Established the science of elasticity or the behavior of materials and structures under load. Newton’s Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Hooke
realized that if a material or a structure is to resist a load, it can only do so by pushing back with equal and opposite force. The science of elasticity is about the interactions between forces and deflections in materials and structures. Hooke’s Law or the springiness of solids governs the science of elasticity.
1. Every kind of solid changes its shape – by stretching or contracting itself – when a mechanical force is applied to it.
2. It is this change of shape which enables the solid to do the pushing back.

STRESS: which is not to be confused with strain
Stress tells us how hard – that is, with how much force the atoms at any point in the solid are being pulled apart.
S = load / area2
Where stress (load) is the amount of force at any given point. It could actually be either a push or a pull. You can and should think of it as tension or a pull. You can also think of it as push or pressure. PSI is a measure of the stress or pressure in your tire. Increase the load and you increase the stress. Where area is the cross sectional area or diameter like the thickness of a tree. A tree twice as thick is twice as strong and able to withstand twice the stress or load as one half as thick. That being said all materials have a given point where their ability to handle stress overcomes it’s internal structure and breakdown will occur. The strength of a material is the stress required to break a piece of the material itself or it’s tensile strength. The contrast between the weakness of muscle and the strength of tendon accounts for the difference in cross sectional area between say a gastroc’s muscle and the Achilles tendon. Table 2 gives some relative tensile strengths for biological and industrial materials.

STRAIN: which is not the same thing as stress
Strain tells us how far the atoms are being pulled apart under the applied stress.
e = change in length / length
Where strain is amount of deformation either an increase or decrease in length due to a load. Hanging a brick by a string will either stretch the string or break it. Also the weight of a brick on a wooden floor will actually compress the floor or fall through it. So strain is felt right down to the atomic level at the level of valence band electrons and chemical bonds. When something breaks it tears at the atomic level.
Strain is stretch or compression measured as deviation from the original length.

Young’s Modulus: Thomas Young (1773 – 1829) a measure of the stiffness of a material
E = stress / strain
Young’s Modulus of elasticity or E is a formula to determine how flexible or stiff a material is. Stiffness is not always a measure of strength, for example steel is stiff and so is a stale biscuit but steel is much stronger. The ability of a material to resist deformation within the frame work of stress is important in the construction of any structure. Therefore concrete is solid and stiff, but with steel rods within additional support is gained with the addition of flex or ability to deform and not fracture. The choice of materials and the organization of the materials is critical to the success of the structure under different types of stress. Stress / Strain graphs help to plot the relative strengths of different materials under identical stress loads.
A number of common biological and engineering materials are given in Table 1. It may be noticed that many common soft biological materials do not occur in this table. This is because their elastic behavior does not obey Hooke’s Law, even approximately, so that it is really impossible to define a Young’s modulus.
What we have learned so far
Stress = load/area, expressed how hard the atoms are pulled apart or pushed together.
Strain e = extension under load/original length, expressed how far the atoms are pulled or pushed.
Stress is not the same thing as Strain.
Young’s modulus E = stress/strain, expressed how stiff or flexible a material is.
Strength. By strength we mean the stress needed to break a given material or tensile strength.
Strength is not the same thing as stiffness.

I saw the different things you did,
But as always you yourself you hid,
I felt you push, I heard you call,
I could not see yourself at all. R.L. Stevenson

THE APPROACH TO STRUCTURES THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF ENERGY
Until fairly recently elasticity was studied and taught in terms of stresses and strains and strengths and stiffness. However, the more one sees of Nature and technology, the more one comes to look at things in terms of energy. Such a way of thinking can be very revealing, and is the basis of the modern approach to engineering and the behavior of structures. It will soon become apparent that Nature at all times uses the most energy efficient and mass effective structures that spontaneously self assemble into specific forms.

Energy, like stress and strain, needs to be properly explained. Energy is defined as the capacity to do work, and it has the dimensions of “force – multiplied – by – distance”. Energy can exist in a great variety of different forms – as potential energy, kinetic energy, heat energy, chemical energy, electrical energy and so on. In our material world every single event involves a conversion of energy from one form to another. Such transformations of energy take place only according to certain closely defined rules, the chief of which is that you can’t get something for nothing. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, and so the total amount of energy which is present cannot be changed. This principle is known as the law of conversion of energy.

STRUCTURES: COMPRESSION, PLATONIC SOLIDS, TENSEGRITY:
COMPRESSION:
Most structures that we build are compression structures. We are all familiar with the common wall, one brick upon another in a series of compressive arrangements. The study of building compressive structures is part of the science of architecture and dominates the landscape, there are many examples for us to see that compressive structures of the correct organization and selection of materials are quite reliable. Compressive structures while quite impressive would never serve as a functional form of engineering for a biological system or structure and therefore are not as critical to our understanding of structure

PLATONIC SOLIDS: convex polyhedra with faces that are regular convex polygons
First discovered by the Greeks, it is the realization that only five complete geodesic shapes will arrange themselves to fully enclose or create one of the five Platonic Solids. In order of complexity they are the tetrahedron, the Egyptian pyramid is a perfect example, it has 4 sides all triangle shaped. The second is the hexahedron or 6 sided cube like dice. The third is the octahedron or two tetrahedrons base to base with 8 sides. The fourth is the dodecahedron or 12 sided geodesic shape like an emerald made up of honey comb shapes with a horizontal base. The most complicated is the Icosahedron, a 20 sided structure that is created with triangles. The icosahedron is natures common expression of structure from the molecular level to the tissue level for most practical purposes. It best expresses stress and strain as reveled by a spine or the cardiovascular system, unlike the archaic lever system taught in kinesiology classes. The ichosahedron also explains chronic tension patterns in soft tissue as assessed by inhibition testing.

TENSEGRITY:
“The word ‘tensegrity’ is an invention: a contraction of ‘tensional integrity’. Tensegrity describes a structural – relationship principle in which structural shape is guaranteed by the finitely closed, comprehensively continuous, tensional behaviors of the system and not by the discontinuous and exclusively local compression members behaviors. Tensegrity provides the ability to yield increasingly without ultimately breaking or coming asunder” Buckminster Fuller.
Another form of structural integrity is the science of tensegrity or continual tension structures. Unlike the multitude of compressive structures modern architecture has created few tensegrity structures. Tensegrity is the principle of structure in all biological systems and therefore we will look more closely at this form of engineering. Fuller and Nelson use two different approaches to tensegrity structures and we will look at both as both are represented in biological structures.

1: GEODESIC DOME:
Buckminster Fuller is the creator of the geodesic dome. The best example is the dome at Expo 1967 in Montreal. It is constructed with rigid struts that can bear either tension or compression. The struts are in the shape of a triangle, pentagon, or hexagon with one central fixed point. The struts are arranged to create each joint in a fixed position so that maximim stabitily is achieved. The beauty of this type of engineering principle is that the size of the structure is not limited, in other words we are not limited by most problems created by compression structures. Ever wonder how a dinosaur could get so big, this is one principle used by a biological system to achieve stability under size. Bucky balls were named in honour of Mr. Fuller, a 60 carbon atom structure that are arranged like the surface of a soccer ball. First created in the lab, they were then found in the contents of meteorites. From the atomic level to the macro level this principle of polyhedral struts that bear either stress or strain is evident in nature.

2: PRESTRESS:
Kenneth Nelson is an artist who uses this principle to create his structures. Two separate components exist in a prestress structure. Each member is either compression or tension before the structure is assembled. One of his structures resembles a spine with individual compressive elements (vertebra) and continuous tension elements (myofascia). It is actually modeled after how sunflower stems rotate to follow the movement of the sun. It has a central column with individual elements that are surronded by cables that attach at individual segmental levels. By creating tension in any one of the cables the column will deform to the stress, much like a spine does in response to scoliosis. The body uses this principle to achieve flexability within the confines of adapation to a primary restriction.

CONNECTIVE TISSUE ELEMENTS AND PROPERTIES
GROUND SUBSTANCE:
Found in all connective tissue, it is comprised of mucoploysaccarides now known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that are produced and excreted by fibroblast cells. GAGs are divided into two groups, non sulfated and sulfated. Hyaluronic acid is the predominant non sulfated GAG, and binds to water. Connective tissue is 70% water. A change in water content effects critical interfiber distance between collegen molecules.
The chemical variations are complex and are in a constant state of flux. These fluid ground substances are the immediate environment of every cell in the body and have a wide range of effects upon every cellular membrane that they contact, their chemical activities are legion. It’s colloid properties range from a gel to a fluid state that are also in constant flux. It can act as both a facilitator and a barrier to transfer between cells and the vascular system. Depletion of fluid volume in the ground substance is a critical factor in local health factors and movement restriction.

ELASTIN FIBERS:
Consisting of a protein called elastin, it is smaller then collagen and able to stretch 150 times it’s own length without rupture and regain it’s original shape and length.

COLLAGEN FIBERS:
Accounting for more than a third of all animal protein this tough stand gives tissue it’s shape, tensile strength, resiliency and structural integrity. These fibers can be arranged in a variety of ways to produce a wide number of properties. These fibers are not living tissue but are made up of protein chains produced by fibroblasts. Stronger in tensile strength then steel it requires a load ten thousand times it’s own weight to stretch it. Collagen fibers are hollow tubes that have been found to contain cerebrospinal fluid! There are 13 types of collagen fibers that have been isolated, with specific production occurring due to environmental stress factors and age and body tissue location. These fibers glue themselves into nets and cables and sheets by hydrogen bonding. Each individual bond is weak but stacked together it creates an extremely stable building material.

CYTOSKELETON OF THE CELL:
CELLULAR COMPONENTS FOR TENSEGRITY:
COMPRESSION / MICROTUBULES – 22nm:
Microtubules act as struts in the structure of the cell, or compression members. They extend outward from the nucleus. They are made from the protein tubulin with MAP’s. Organelles are attached to the microtubules and are shuttled along by motor proteins found on the tubules. Specialized organelles made of microtubels are the spindle apparatus that aligns and guides DNA during cell division. They also form cilia and flagella. Microtubules have the ability to assemble and disassemble spontaneously based on stress or strain. this has a direct influence on the instructions to DNA and cell replication and also mRNA and protein synthesis.
TENSION / MICROFILAMENTS – 6nm:
Microfilaments act as cables that pull the cell membrane inwards. They line the inner surface of the cell membrane. They are made from actin filaments. They control cell movement such as that seen in lukocytes, fibroblast, and skin cells (amoeboid movement) by controlling the gel – sol formation of the cytoplasm. They are the structural rods of microvilli in the intestine. Their contractile properties are well known in skeletal muscle cells. They contract to separate the center of dividing cells. They have the ability to assemble and disassemble spontaneously based on the stress/strain patterns on the cell. This has a direct influence on the instructions to DNA and cell replication and also mRNA and protein synthesis.
INTEGRATORS / INTERMEDIATE FILAMENTS - 7 –11 nm:
Intermediate filaments resemble woven rope and connect microtubules to microfilaments, which makes them known as the great integrators. They are different types of intermediate filaments made of various proteins that appear as irregular threadlike molecules. They are tailored to suit their structural or tension bearing role in specific cell types. They play a central role in structural integrity and resist mechanical stresses applied externally from the cell. They also act to stiffen the nucleus and hold it in place. They resist pulling forces and are the most permanent of the components mentioned so far. They will not assemble or disassemble in a spontaneous pool like microtubules or microfilaments.


THE MICROTRABECULAR LATTICE - < 2nm:
Exceedingly fine interlinked filaments that appears to suspend the microtubules and microfilaments as well as organelles. Some biologist therefore believe it to be not a separate structure but the intricate interconnections between the other three structural components. It is attached to the inner surface of the plasma membrane and acts as the cell’s skeleton. It also plays a role in the organization of cytosol reactions such as glycolysis. Infact enzymes are imbedded in the lattice in some sort of sequential alignment. Ribosomes collect at intersections allowing controlled delivery of cytosol proteins. It is not a static structure and reorganizes according to expansion, contraction and deformation. This structure seems to hardwire the cytoplasm to the nucleus with the specific organelles and the cell membrane. It also has a direct role in the genetic decisions of the nucleus.

GEODESIC FRAMEWORK OF THE CYTOSKELETON:
Triangular, octahedral and tetrahedral forms are self organizing patterns in all biological structures for they represent the best organization of least energy (energy efficient) and mass (size) through structures of continuous tension and local compression, that is through tensegrity. The geodesic dome structure found within the cytoskeleton is a classic example of a recurrent pattern that is found everywhere in nature. Tensegrity structures that are coupled together act as a single structure and will transmitt tension as a coupled tuned response. This means that our bodies vibrate at a molecular level and areas of increased tension or compression resonate as discord in what is intended to be a symphony of tuned responses. In terms of electronic circuits this ability for two separate circuits to resonate at one harmonic frequency is called a “tuned - coupled harmonic oscillator”. Many biolgical structures are tuned this way such as DNA, RNA, proteins, organs, fascia, in fact all levels of connective tissue. The fact that bone acts like so many tiny diodes (semi-conductors) is an example of electro-magnetic fields related solely to tension and compression that organize structure and remodeling of bone and cellular activity (Wolf’s Law). The tension provided by micofilaments pulling inward to wards the cell nucleus causes microfilaments, microtubuels and intermediate filaments combined with the microtrabecular lattice to self organize as a geodesic dome structure.

RECEPTORS:
Your intrafusal muscle fibers also called your muscle spindles are responsible for monitoring muscle resting length and active length has two separate subdivisions, the annulosprial type Ia which monitors change in length and rate of change and a type II also called the flowerspray ending which is probably responsible for the flexor reflex/extensor withdrawal. Your golgi tendon organs or type Ib are responsible for monitoring tension and will inhibit a muscle if the tension is a danger to the tendon. This receptor population of muscle spindle 1a + II and gto Ib only accounts for ¼ of the receptor population that conveys information to the brain and spinal cord. PNF techniques, Muscle Energy, Strain/Counterstrain are all therapies that engage and retrain these receptors to respond in a more functional manner and are extremely effective. An advanced approach to these therapies is to assess postural verses mobilizers of the musculoskeletal system and treat postural muscle with spindle/gto reflex arcs first if they present as short and weak.

Dr. Essfeld of the university of Cologne Munich has documented the presence of INTERSTITAL MUSCLE RECEPTORS which he classified as type III and type IV receptors. Based on a population density model these receptors total ¾ of the poulation verses spindles and gto. These receptors act as gravity receptors and are responsible for the information about the body within a gravitational field. The presence of these fascial based gravity receptors and the model and goal of Ida Rolf was the alignment of the fascial system within a gravitational field is a ovbious example of science proving what certain people knew all along. The research into these receptors began as part of NASA and the European Space Agency to study the effects of a zero G enviroment on the body and the receptors that gathered that information, these receptors had been overlooked in dissection all these years, but histological study has reveled the fascial sensory system or gravity receptors and are classified as type III and type IV. These receptors relate information to the cardiovascular reflex control via the medulla that stimulates blood supply to muscles via vasomotor response at the precapillary sphincter of the capillary bed. Pacinian and Ruffini receptors integrate their pressure and vibratory information with the gravity receptors to assist via neurological and endocrine response to stimulus and gravitational influences.


GLUING:
Dehydration of the ground substance cause critical interfiber distance between collagen fibers to decrease and the same hydrogen bonds responsible for connective tissue strength leads to chronic gluing of fiber bundles. This situation is facilitated by chronic pressure and chronic immobility so that an area under constant tension or that has fallen into disuse, tends to fall pray to this situation. These adhesion begin to impair the integration of movement patterns and again facilitate the gluing process. This unwanted bonding is one of the major factors in stiffness associated with old age, repeated strain, or poorly healed injuries. For this reason exercise and competent body work are effective at helping to restore optimum function after injury. These excessive deposits of connective tissue can be palpated as thick lumpy bandaging around the joints, as fibrous masses throughout an entire area, or as tough fibrotic ropes and cysts in muscle bellies. Low loads of sustained duration will melt or break hydrogen bonds.

THIXOTROPHY & COLLOID PROPERTIES:
This is the scientific principle of the gel – sol transformation ability of connective tissue and other colloids like common gelatin. It becomes more fluid when stirred up and gels or solidifies when it sits. In the human body the heat and energy of movement is appropriate for the solvent state of connective tissue. With disuse connective tissue becomes stiffer, colder, less energized and thixotrophic effects become evident. There is no way to prevent the eventual effects of aging and the drying and gluing and thixotrophic effects that follow it, but in the case of orthopedic injury these premature situations can be effectively treated. Application of manual therapy generates heat and energy that transforms connective tissue from a gel state (low energy) to a liquid state (high energy).

FLUID CRYSTAL & PIZO - ELECTRICITY:
Connective tissue in it’s many and varied forms is a colloid that at the atomic level is crystalline in form. Collagen was proven to be crystalline in structure due to it’s defraction of x-rays and experimental mathematical data suggest that the CSF in their lumen acts like a coordinated quantum computer transmitting emotion across the body in a new physical understanding of conscience. Bone acts like millions of tiny semi-conductors or diodes that generate weak electrical fields based on the stresses and strains imposed on them that direct osteoclastic and osteoblastic activity or bone modeling. All crystals weather solid or fluid in structure exhibit a natural phenomenon called the pizo – electric effect, that is when compressed they generate a weak electrical and magnetic field with well defined positive and negative domains. A common example of this is a quartz crystal in your watch that keeps the frequency of timing for your integrated circuits. By applying pressure in the form of electricity the crystal vibrates at a specific frequency due to it’s shape and size. Application of manual therapy causes pressure which generates electric and magnetic fields that increase the energy level of connective tissue.

BIOLOGICAL TISSUE AND TENSEGRITY:
For years the medical community has refused to accept the fact that structure is as important as a consideration in medical evaluation as chemical evaluation is. Now it is a powerful fact that physiological events can be understood and corrected, for example the life of a diabetic and the action of insulin. But for some reason the medical community has not given structure or it relationship to function their appropriate place in the treatment of chronic pain. It is also a powerful statement that most medical doctors have no training in treating chronic pain and are wary of alternative therapies. Yet when tensegrity, the triangulated icosahedron and structural tension as transmitted through the body by the myofascial web are considered as powerful scientific and engineering models we find a plausable explanation for the excellent results of many hands on alternative therapies. The web is a continual colloid and a fluid crystal at the cellular level. Pizo-electric effects are a large part of many myofascial therapies as well as the gel – sol transition of connective tissue. Abnormal tension is always transmitted through out the structure and therefore it’s effects can be far reaching. At the cellular level electrical gradients are low and resistance is high in dysfunctional tissue. Current always takes the line of least resistance and therefore bypasses dysfunctional tissue. Low electrical currents form poor physiological processes and life functions from the cell outward are effected. High current devices, ultrasound, and even laser light are often a poor substitute for the electrical and magnetic fields created by the pressure and vector of a trained therapist hands. Math, engineering, electro-magnetic fields, quantum physics, holograph theory, relativity all relate to health.

THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE CONNECTION:
It should be noted that the connective tissue system is organized into three layers. The superficial fascia is associated with subdermal tissue, muscles and joints. The deep fascia surronds the muscles joints and viscera. The meninges form the membrane system around the brain and spinal cord. The principles of tensegrity apply at essentially every detectable size scale in the human body. At the macroscopic level, the 206 bones of the body are pulled up against the force of gravity and stabilized in the vertical line by the pull of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. In other words there is a complex tensegrity structure insides everyone of us, bones are the compression struts, and muscles, tendons, ligaments, and all interconnected fascia structures are tension bearing members. Since the fascial system is one continuous structure, fixation will cause compensatory changes throughout the body. The results of these changes will be expressed as postural and motion aberrations. Therapy directed at the compensations rather than at the primary lesion will be less effective and less efficient. It should be noted that the viscera are high water content organs and therefore are the most dense areas of the body. Bone is the second most dense substance in the body. In the event of a traumatic blow to the body, the force of impact will travel as a high energy wave and be absorbed in the areas of highest density. Tensegrity assessment focuses on the primary source of the dysfunction pattern. We can utilize the assessment of tension within the fascial system that incorporates the interconnecting links within the tissues to systematically eliminate the restrictions which are secondary in nature. This process is known as tension inhibition, or the inhibitory balance technique, allows for the detection of the primary levels of involvement in a manner which is dependent solely on the objective condition of the tissues, and is totally independent of the subjective symptomatology presented by the client. This is accomplished by compressing or decompressing various areas of the body. One practical screening method involves the use of the sternum as the indicator. The change in compressibility when another area is compressed indicates a possible lesion site. When a tensegrity structure is compressed at the point of highest tension a dampening effect is created across the entire structure that is observable in a softening of structures distinct from the primary lesion. A gentle graduated pressure called induction, or a gentle directional recoil technique is the general technique protocol for the primary lesion site.
In tensegrity tension assessment in the majority of cases the primary lesion are intraosseous restrictions, especially the long bones of the lower limb and the pelvis, the meninges of the spine and cranium, the fascia surrounding the solid, fluid filled organs of the viscera and scar tissue.

TREATMENT STRAGIES: For a therapist this allows us to organize our treatment stratagies around a new receptor population and to explain effects of therapy in a reasonable and scientific way. Just as PNF, Muscle Engery and Strain/Counterstrain are much more powerful tools when organized around a unifiying principle such as Postural muscles verses Mobilizers, fascial based techniques become more powerful when organized around a greater principle, the interdependence of the tension tensegrity model. The application of recognized theory and techniques of Mechanical Link, Tensegrity, Myofascial Release, Rolfing, Visceral, Cranial, Joint Manipulation, approached via the systems treatment model into a Systems Therapy application. This approach unifies treatment around mediation of gravity receptors and muscle receptors via a multiple systems approach to tension assessment and treatment via a postural tensional integration of the fascial crystal structure. Scientific approachs to therapy via a system integration that correlates tensional/postural systems assessment and systems treatment is a extremely powerful tool for multiple chronic conditions as well as relating signs and symptoms to independent tissue reaction via the tensegrity model. The ability to trace and balance tension independently in each system allows self organizing principles to establish higher levels of relationship of systems in a global way.

Very long read. Almost like a thesis.

My question :

I have AVN, left and right THR. Both knees are in slow collapse. The AVN
is present in every bone in my body.

How can your theories help me ?

Lex

Take two asprin and call me in the morning.

So, you post all of that "information", and when asked a question,
you make a sick attempt at a joke ?

You Sir, need help.

Lex

well if you mean avascular necrosis and total hip replacement....
there is nothing I can do to help.
I wondered if you were serious.
you need a doctor not a therapist
sorry
I treat orthopedic injuries and chronic and acute pain based on injury.
You have a disease process...that needs a doctor.
PS what I said is true...anti inflammatory is good for you.
you need to tell me what disease process there is that cause avascular necrosis of all the bones in the body, I have never heard of it.

if your just talking hip replacement then no problem.
your back to my original premis. Structure and function cannot be seperated.
you would need a postural evaluation, tensegrity evaluation, movement evlauation...nothing I can do on a computer.
who does what I do? Where can you find a therapist like me?
good question.

better yet tell me where you live and I will direct you to a therapist for your orthopedic concerns if your not contraindicated with your bone disease.

this thread is about the reasons why orthopedic medicine works or does not and what common about success.

Its not meant to diagnose over the computer.
thats not professional.
and impossible.
Cheers
I will pray for you.

[edit on 13-5-2007 by junglelord]

Since I wasa dx'ed in '99, it remains ideopathic.

I have a doctor. An amazing (if at times sarcastic) Ortho that has given
me incredible results.

My right was done in '00, left in '02. I'm still doing what I love,
repairing heavy equipment.

Does my Dr. approve ? Not 100%, but says I should get 30 years out
of my "after-market" parts.

Our concerns lie in my other joints. As said, all show signs of the AVN
(striations on x-rays) and are susceptible to collapse.

My knees have started to collapse, but are doing so, slowly.

I understand now, what your post was intended for, and apologize for
expecting anything for my condition.

Regards,
Lex

you have a sever joint wasting disease, what is it called?
I have never heard of a systemic AVN!
arthritide of some type or bone disease or both...double crush.
I am curious.
tell me more.
Lets not forget that wear and tear or OA is directly related to alignment.
any misalignment from the feet up will cause early damage to the joints
I would suggest you see a Rolfer my good man.
But tell me more about you condition please.
you can U2U if you want
I will pray for you and glad your team is good.


[edit on 13-5-2007 by junglelord]

You've already named it : Avascular Necrosis.

When I was dx'ed, I thought "fun, something else to live with".

Now, it's kind of ok. I know the life I have is going to be altered, so I
live it like I want to. When my knees give out, they give out. Why
worry about it, now ?

The disease was dx'ed via a bone scan. Dreadful thing, that. Laying still
for 45 minutes. Anyway, the girl doing the scan started asking if I'd broken
my ankles, knees, hips, fingers, back..etc.

I knew something was up, then.

Once my Dr. confirmed that I had a problem, I simply said, "fix me".

If you want more info, U2U me.

Lex

Dude, why don't you just right a book? I started to read your thread, but it wouldn't end. (I'm not trying to be a jerk. I hope you don't take it that way.) I'm actually being serious. You've obviously got some thoughts on the subject. Methinks a book is definitely in order.

that is an excerpt from my book...actually its a manuel for post graduate teaching for medical professionals, ie chiropractors, physiotherapist, massage therapist, etc.
That is valid information and the theory that is missing in modern orthopedic care.
I know so many therapist that use one tensional device (most chiros say) and those who alway use machines (physiotherapist)
I say both roads are dead ends

unless your primary fixation is your subluxed spine, you may go back many times till your better....what if I fixed you in one hour?
then what would you think>

remember that many chiro courses are about making more money!!!!
remember that education and pride will make you very ineffective.
remember that years of knowledge are with us....so we need to open up our minds and get away from the dogma of professions.
Be Water My Friend
Bruce Lee

[edit on 14-5-2007 by junglelord]

I want it to be known that Tensional Release Therapy is not for sale.
Its free to anyone who wants to learn it.
The information is not for sale, it too is free.
The course content is available and the work is referenced at every point.

Tensional Release Therapy is not Rolfing, Osteopath, Chiropractic, Thompson Terminal Point, Logan Basic, Physiotherapy, Direct Fascial Therapy, Indirect Fascial Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Mechcanical Link, Tensegrity Therapy, Shiatsui, Thai Massage, Lomi Lomi, Muscle Energy Technique, Active Isolated Stretching, Zero Point Balance, Direct Cranial Manipulation and even more therapies

Its none of the above, yet all of the above


Like Jeet Kune Do.
Having No Way as the Way,
Having No Limitation as Limitation.

Be Water My Friend (Bruce Lee)

I brought this thread backup in case anyone has chronic pain or orthopedic injuries and need advice on what therapist is best for you condition as most are one tool therapist.
I use a full tool box....and we are few and far between.
If your having no resolution with your chronic pain, maybe I can direct you to the appropriate therapist,
cheers

I made an excellent post about Postural Therapy over in BTS.
www.belowtopsecret.com...

It has explanations about many aspects of this medical model of orthpedic therapy married with engineering and biophysics.

You cannot seperate structure from function and therefore Postural Therapy is a missing link in many orthopedic treatment models that use antiquated data like levers and beams vs tensegrity. The Postural Model is a powerful medical model when you treat the fascia. Its not about ultrasound and TENS machines and lasers. Its old school hands on with no lotion and modern engineering principles married with the science of fascia and posture in a gravitational field.

If you have chronic pain check the four teachers I name in that thread on Postural Therapies and see if you can find a practicioner of their therapies in your area.




[edit on 9-6-2007 by junglelord]

Well My Medical Threads are being bounced around like a basketball
I have had my Postural Thread moved last night from Medical Conspiracies and then this one moved by Byrd last night too when its been in the medical conspiracy section for over a month.

The conspiracy is the technological revolution.
Your pain is best served hands on.
Its basic orthopedic information that has been replaced by Ultrasound and the like

Show me a the stats that says chronic pain is not an epidemic let alone back pain. Show me the stats that prove the technological revolution in orthopedic care is a success/


Otherwise a very poor decision by the moderators to move this thread and the Postural Thread

Is ATS not about being informed?



How in the world is this skunkworks material.


I would like to remind everyone I am a medical professional, I have 12 years clinical experience.

How many people go back to the chiro over and over?
How many peopel go to the physio and come home no better?

I have the clinical experince and the clincal results to back up the thread as do all the teachers and therapist in the soft tissue field.

Lets do the members a service, not bury the thread in an inappropriate section and make some people aware of their choices when seeking professional help for chronic pain.


[edit on 10-6-2007 by junglelord]