[dt_gap height=”20″ /]
[dt_box]
[dt_cell width=”100%”]
[dt_list style=”1″ dividers=”true”]
[dt_list_item image=””]JENT Directed Neuromyofascial Release[/dt_list_item]
[dt_list_item image=””]Undirected Myofascial Release[/dt_list_item]
[/dt_list]
[/dt_cell]
[/dt_box]
Dianne’s 43 years in the horse industry and 20 years of empirical experimentation in her JENT interventions is seminal work, and has now been supported by Myofascial Mechanoreceptor research done by Professor Robert Schleip PhD, and discussed in his paper, ‘Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation’. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (2003).
Fascia envelops all organs and plays a particularly important regulatory role in the tensegrity of the musculo-skeletal tissues. Professor Schleip from the ‘Fascial Research Project’ in Ulm University in Germany reports that fascia has up to 10 times more sensory nerve supply than muscle. Schleip refers to these as ‘interstitial myofascial tissue receptors’ stating that most of them originate in ’free nerve endings’. Research cited by Schleip by Mitchell and Schmitt (1977) has shown that ‘the majority of these interstitial nerve receptors do in fact function as mechanoreceptors, which means they respond to mechanical tension and / or pressure’.
This new appreciation of the nerve rich innervation of fascia has led to us taking Schleip’s recommendation and renaming Fascia as ‘Neuro-Myo-Fascia’ (NMF). This more technical term supports what we know about ‘fascial distortions’ from the thousands of trial and error interventions Dianne has undertaken with her clients.
Due to their size, form, structure and unique function, horses are regarded as the greatest mammalian athlete on the planet. Like us, horses consist of a structure of levers, struts or bones that ‘float’ in a sea of connective tissue with the tensile balance points of the contractile elastic bands (or muscles) holding it all together.
Please keep in mind that all human myofascia research applies to horses as they have the same neurophysiological tissue and cellular molecular substrates and structures, as nearly all mammals do.
As one part of the anatomy moves, it imparts its’ tension in inter-related vectors of force throughout the entire structure. Not one vertebrate body structure is constructed just for static mechanical stability; instead they are designed for dynamic, fluid functionality. If that is impaired in any way then compensatory movement deficits result. Understanding and maintaining the neuromyofascial network is the key to unlocking the entire body mechanics of any equine athlete.
Tom Myers in his article ‘Fascial Fitness: Training in the NeuroMyoFascial Web, published in the April 2008 Fitness Journal states that;
“Our fascial fabric constitutes one single biomechanical regulatory system”.
Recent scientific advances demand a new understanding of NMF. In his book ‘Anatomical Trains – Myofascial Meridians’. Myers poses the question:
“Do we have many muscles or are we one muscle working in a sack of fascia?”
These new concepts correlate completely with JENT directed NMF interventions.
As we (mammals) move, we warm up and metabolically heat up (or melt) the NMF and it becomes thinner and ‘filmy’, looser, more hydrated and ‘areolar’ – which lubricates the sliding surfaces between the muscles facilitating and organising the muscles into a functional unitary system – no muscle works independently on its own.
According to anatomist and author of ‘Dynamic Body – Exploring Form and Expanding Function’ Dr Gil Hedley http://gilhedley.com live at the Vancouver Fascial Congress, he said that,
“Normal fuzz (fascia) enables an optimal functional range of motion within and between layers of muscle.”
So if we do not continuously move and stretch then the ellastin and collagen fibres of the three dimensional NMF web stiffens and hardens. After a period of inactivity like sleep or after any temporary injury we get a mild fibrotic solidifying effect. If after injury we do not have an active recovery and remodel the injured tissues along the normal parallel lines of contraction, then they solidify into a ‘tangle’ of interlocking fibrils in a hardened gel we call ‘scar-tissue’. These are called fascial (NMF) adhesions.
If the ‘tensgrity web’ like structure of ‘cold’ (not warmed-up) musculature is overloaded from a ‘ballistic’ action like a sudden twisting demand that exceeds its conditioning, endurance or contractile strength, then the neuromyofascia can become pulled out of shape into a hardened protective disfigurement. These are called fascial (NMF) distortions.
Massage and bodywork helps to loosen and rehydrate the NMF (plasma extravasation) and uses movement that manually and mechanically warms up the tissues, realigning distortions and removing adhesions. The sliding surfaces surrounding and between all muscles becomes viscous and lubricated again with NMF that becomes slippery and flexible; and normal full range movement returns.
Fascial Mechanoreceptors and their Potential Role in Deep Tissue Manipulation.
Excerpt from: Schleip R 2003: Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 7(1):11-19 and 7(2):104-116
German TV documentary on Fascia (with English voice track added)
This (must watch) brilliant documentary was shown on German public TV in early 2013. It illuminates the different properties and functions of fascia (muscular connective tissue) in the body.
Fascia -The Tensional Network of the Human Body
This 2012 book introduction represents an important collaboration between clinicians of the manual therapies and scientists in several disciplines that grew out of the first three International Fascia Research Congresses (Boston, Amsterdam, and Vancouver). The book editors, Robert Schleip PhD, Thomas Findley MD PhD, Leon Chaitow DO and Peter Huijing PhD, were major organizers of these congresses and used their extensive experience to select chapters and contributors for this book.
Fascial Fitness – Fascia Oriented Training for Bodywork and Movement Therapies
By Robert Schleip and Divo Mueller 2011 – This article is adapted from: Fascia in Manual and Movement Therapies, Schleip et al., Elsevier Science.
A unique characteristic of connective tissue is its impressive adaptability: when regularly put under in-creasing physiological strain, it changes its architectural properties to meet the demand. For example, through our everyday biped locomotion the fascia on the lateral side of the thigh develops a palpable firm-ness. If we were to instead spend that same amount of time with our legs straddling a horse, then the opposite would happen, i.e. after a few months the fascia on the inner side of the legs would become more developed and strong (El-Labban et al. 1993).
The Architecture of the Connective Tissue in the Musculoskeletal System
by Jacob Van Der Wal, MD, PhD, University Maastricht, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Maastricht, Netherlands.
Retrieved from: http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/62/79
By Dr Kerry Ridgeway DVM / Master Saddle-fitter & Equine Acupuncturist
See – Institute for Equine Therapeutic Options
Fascial Fitness Training in the MyoFascial Web
By Tomas Myers, author of ‘Anatomical Trains – Myofascial Meridians’.
Research into the fascial net upsets both our traditional beliefs and some of our new favourites as well. The evidence all points to a new consideration within overall fitness for life—hence the term fascial fitness. This article lays out the emerging picture of the fascial net as a whole and explores three of the many aspects of recent research that give us a better understanding of how best to train the fascial net.
Interesting Research on the Sensory Innervation of Fascia:
See: http://www.fasciaresearch.com/Innervation.htm
Therapeutic Fascia Manipulation – Some Interesting Scientific References:
See: http://www.fasciaresearch.com/Manipulation.htm
International Journal of Massage & Bodywork Research Archives:
See: http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/index
How a Mysterious Body Part Called Fascia Is Challenging Medicine
Retrieved from: http://io9.com/how-a-mysterious-body-part-called-fascia-is-challenging-1598939224/+tcraggs22
Fascia is a web of fibrous tissue that permeates the body, but is it really the “Cinderella Tissue” that new age therapists, Rolfers and yoga instructors suggest? The fascial system is still a medical mystery. But that could soon change, thanks to an unlikely alliance between researchers and alternative therapists.
FASCIA – Explained by Real Bodywork
FASCIA 101 – Tom Myers from ‘Anatomy Trains’ breaks down the basics of our fascial system.
FASCIA & STRETCHING – THE FUZZ SPEECH – Gil Hedley, Ph.D., gives a lesson on the importance of movement and stretching to maintain the sliding properties of tissues in the body, as well as the value of bodywork modalities and yoga when movement potential has become inhibited.
For additional Information see: http://www.gilhedley.com
Alice in Wonderland – Getting Curiouser and Curiouser – Dr Schleip’s lecture at the 3rd Fascial Research Congress
Fantastic lecture of Dr. Robert Schleip held at the 3rd Fascia Research Congress, Vancouver, 2012. The title of his talk illustrates his journey from a clinician towards the field of academic research. Having been a Rolfing and Feldenkrais teacher for many years, he felt frustrated with the explanatory models he had been teaching and turned in the field of laboratory research. A decade later he became one of the leading figures in the new field of fascia research. His talk gives several examples how this new background has changed his clinical work when dealing with patients as a manual therapist.
For additional lecture recordings or for the abstract books of these congresses please visit: www.fasciacongress.org
For additional information on fascia research see: www.fasciaresearchsociety.org
[dt_gap height=”20″ /]
[dt_box]
[dt_cell width=”100%”]
[dt_list style=”1″ dividers=”true”]
[dt_list_item image=””]FascialEdge Tool[/dt_list_item]
[dt_list_item image=””]JENT Equine Massager[/dt_list_item]
[/dt_list]
[/dt_cell]
[/dt_box]
These products are also available for purchase through our Online Shop.