Monday, April 22, 2013

The Fascinating & Frustrating FASCIA

Fascia is one of those buzzwords right now. We had to jump aboard! But is fascia just another fascinating and frustrating fad in manual medicine?






10 years ago, it would have been tough to name a handful of manual therapists in a given area that utilized Mckenzie Diagnosis and Therapy, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), Functional Screening (FMS, SFMA, Janda's Screens, etc.), Active Release Techniques, or even performance based rehabilitation of common MSK problems. It is now hard to find a handful that don't apply at least one or two of these (thankfully!). This is partially due to how rapidly information travels now due to social media and websites and partially due to the wonderful research backing a functional -active model of care.

We are now at the forefront of another area of research that will shape manual medicine for the next decade and beyond. What a thrilling time to be in this form of healthcare! In 2007, the first International Fascial Research Conference was held at Harvard Medical School. The emphasis and centerpiece of this conference was the presentation of the latest and best scientific fascia research for clinical professionals in whose specialties the human fascia are central in both theory and practice. Many of the scientists attending had little experience with clinical practice and clinicians were often unfamiliar with each other's work. (1) This proved to be groundbreaking exposure for the 650 persons in attendance. This sparked a movement for researchers and clinicians alike! The International Fascia Research Congress was held again in 2009 and 2012 with rapidly improving study designs and presentations. The congress is now accompanied by practical workshops and training, which accelerates the movement of findings from the lab into the clinic.

In many ways, the research has highlighted what we have always known: "(tune) The hip bone is connected to the back bone..."- muscles are connected together via fascia to form slings for movement - when fascia is aggravated it becomes less pliable and generates pain - treating the fascia can normalize the surrounding structures - etc. etc. etc. But in many exciting ways this research was entirely new. For example; new research shed light on the connection of fascia not only within a group of muscles that fire together, but from the 3rd toe of the right foot all the way through the body to the third finger of the opposite arm (Wow, cool!). Furthermore, this fascia could be traced from just under the skin through several layers of tissues, across axes of movement, and actually into the viscera and organs!!! There finally seemed to be scientific proof and reasoning behind the many theories of muscle-to-organ connections. Could a faulty movement pattern truly and reliably start a cascade of visceral dysfunction via fascial connections? Can the newly defined fascial connections to the intervertebral disc be treated to relieve discogenic pain and centrate the joint? I'll let you peruse the research. What was most groundbreaking to me, was the consistency and reliability of the findings presented - especially those focusing on myofascial pain and dysfunction. Numerous symptoms that appear randomly scattered throughout a patient's body and psyche now had a tactile, visual, well-researched connection. Groundbreaking. Earth shattering.

These findings and many others from the congress leave the hardworking, dedicated, and curious therapist with a major question: "How can I apply this research in my clinical practice to help patients with the trickiest pain and dysfunction"? Well, I am glad you asked! This is what the 2014 Course Calendar for GRIP Approach is all about. Getting the best researched and best taught approaches into your hands and seeing the difference in your patients and your practice!

We will announce our full 2014 Course Calendar in a few weeks. With over 8 fascia driven courses already confirmed, this is sure to be another great year! You won't find any single-muscle, single-joint, or single-symptom treatments in these courses. Our courses will teach you to reliably break down the most complicated global issues and cure (not manage) their underlying cause with minimal visits. These courses are designed to give you an answer to your hardest clinical questions and dramatically improve your results in patient care. Stay tuned for updates! www.gripapproach.com




1) First International Fascial Research Conference, http://www.fasciacongress.org/2007/

Exciting Links for Fascia
http://www.fasciacongress.org/
http://www.fascialmanipulation.com/
http://www.leonchaitow.com/fascia.htm