Look at following statements....
Annals of Medicine 2003;35(8),pp 564-77....Donald E Ingbar,MD, PhD, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
- "The global shape of the cell dictates its behavior"
- "Local changes in tissue structure also may explain why genetic diseases, including cancer, often present focally"
- "When the shape of the molecule (cell) is altered, its biophysica properties change and hence biochemistry will be altered..."
- "Because out bodies are hierarchial structures, mechanicical deformation of any tissues results in structural re-arrangements in many tissues"
Dr. Wells' Comments:
Can you see the application?
Basicallly there are many factors which contribute to build up of tissue tension within our bodies they are referred to as "perpetuating factors". These can be caused by different types of stressors to the body (trauma, repetitive activity, activities which cause postural distortion patterns, mental and emotional stress, nutrtritional imbalances etc.)
You really cant find any better pre-liminary sign of disconnect within the body then muscle tension whether the signs are subtle (mild tension) or dramatic (expressed as pain).
One of the first signs to be aware of is a feeling of re-strictiveness or compromised posture...even though pain may not yet have been expressed...aswell as a feeling of rigidity or inability to stretch it out.
While attempting to stretch or train on tight muscles and joints may be the first thought of most...this actually becomes more damging to the cells of the connective tissue predisposing them to additional distortion and compromise.
The solution lies in working more up-stream in the hierarchy and releasing the rigidity that has built up in the connective tissue system. This is what is done in the WellSport System of approach.
Once the "Tensegrity" is re-set to appropriate tension and re-connect and proper communication is re-established between the Connective Tissue and Nervous Systems...then we can re-direct the focus of the patient to re-enforcement of proper therapeutic movement and stretching.
See how powerful this can be for Sports Performance as well as Wellness and Prevention?
Key note: If you feel restrictions in movement or stretching ...you already have a problem going on and are overdue to have your "Tensegrity" re-set.
Most individuals will need to be re-set at a minimum of twice per month but optimally every week as athletes do.
You can also refer to my other posts on "Tensegrity"
Hope this helps you better to undertand why it is so important....
Please post any questions or comments..
Dr. Wells
Function of the cells determined by the geometry of the system as a whole is brilliant and bold. Myers speaks of such things in the second edition of "Anatomy Trains". His paper "Spatial Medicine" ( http://www.anatomytrains.com/explore/spatialmedicine/expanded ) is an excellent starting point on this topic. While Myers was a Rolfer and now has his own Structural Integration school, his writings are applicable to all body/mind disciplines. "Anatomy Trains" is for body/mind professionals but is valuable and understandable by anyone. A 20-page PDF summary of the first edition is freely available at http://www.anatomytrains.com/uploads/rich_media/AnatomyTrainsOverview.pdf.
ReplyDeleteThere is also Stephen Levin's website www.biotensegrity.com. Levin is great on the "nuts and bolts" of how tensegrity works in general and in our musculoskeletal system in particular.
As Myers notes, our structural definition begins somewhere around 40 cells in the embryo and continues throughout our lives. We are all a tensegrity and have variable amounts of structural health. I don't like the phrase "reset the tensegrity", because some might think that we're not a tensegrity until we're "re-set".
We can have localized chronic tensions that undermine the overall resiliency of our structure. Releasing those chronic tensions can have a remarkable impact on our function. Powerful body/mind workers are facilitators in having us develop our innate ability to heal ourselves. As Pete Egoscue famously noted, pain is the symptom and movement is the prescription.
Your comments about stretching are right on. Stretchers often try to force something to happen in their bodies; that can undermine our overall resiliency. Lengthening is a superior to stretching.
Thanks for posting on this blogsite.Your comments and resources surely insightful and very welcome....
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have not read "Anatomy Train" yet, I am familiar with it and Myers' works but look forward in doing so. I also appreciate you mentioning Stephen Levin website as well and look forward to exploring it. Sincerly J.N.Wells DC.... WellSport