Myofascial Meridians, Tensegrity, & Structural Health, A Possible Missing Link

[lvysaur]

If there was ever any doubt that the forums are turning full fasciaist

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

Totally makes sense @pimpnamedraypeat and as a conductive mechanism, I can imagine how the liquid crystal structure interfaces between electrical signals in the body AND the separate Prana/Chi aspect Haidut was speaking about in the same thread.

Yes so well structured liquid crystal fascia allows you to absorb or manipulate more ether...If according to ray peat: energy = structure and according to Tesla: Aether = energy then aether = structure and more structured liquid crystalline body = more ether. Life is a struggle to take stored ether from plants and animals. Those yogis who can live off sunlight are absorbing it directly from the source.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

Interesting that you mentioned Tom Meyers, someone else had mentioned him to me, but I don’t quite have the money right now to buy his book, but I am interested in myofascial work. Apparently the validity of myofascia driving musculoskeletal movement is quite controversial in mainstream science.

One thing I have noticed that is immensely helpful in correcting postural issues is by focusing on primal crawling patterns with a focus on keeping my head up looking towards the horizon.

As children we all had to master this in order to move, and I think many modern people need a “reset” in terms of spending dedicated time each and every day to rolling, crawling, and stretching. The crawling can be as simple as hands and knees baby crawling, and can be progressed up to much harder variations.

I noticed that after one particularly extended crawling session, that my eyes became blood shot, as if there was a huge amount of increased blood flow to my skull, my breathing became much easier, and my right eye deformity (squint) had completely disappeared.

Upon sleeping and waking up the next morning the effects had reversed, but I do believe with sufficient time and strengthening of the fascial lines that had become weakened, I can maintain proper eyelid functioning.

The note on a shortened front fascia line also makes me consider its impact on the organs that would be compromised via compression, aka the stomach and liver. I think having proper posture would allow those cells to function optimally and would help a lot of people who may have compromised digestion and detoxification abilities.

I have had very similar experiences. I think the primal patterns you mentioned are quite crucial. Looking at the suboccipital muscles I mentioned in this thread appears to be a useful place to start because of their role in spinal integrity.

One of the first things babies learn is how to effectively presss their head and limbs into the ground. This is step one in learning to roll over. I think some people (like myself) maybe did not learn these skills very well. I have derived a lot of benefit from practicing these skills. My neck has noticeably elongated and my Adams Apple which was never visible is beginning to protrude.

Totally agree regarding body position possibly affecting digestion through fascial compression of the stomach, liver, etc. Myers mentioned a clear demonstration in which compressed or flattened cells were stuck in cell division, unable to differentiate.

 

[Blossom]

If there was ever any doubt that the forums are turning full fasciaist

 

[tankasnowgod]

The thoracic spine is one of the more complex systems due to the range of motion of the shoulders coupled with the powerful system at work within the rib cage. The spiral line creates an incredible range of motion in children.

Alas, these gifts are often lost because of poor posture for twelve to twenty years of sitting in desks at school, writing and doing everything skilled with one arm, and just general lack of enough movement throughout each day. I’ve seen estimates that about 5 miles a day of walking was something our ancestors did. I’d be surprised if most people walk one. These things are all contributing to pathology.

That said, most people probably need to elongate their back, pectoral, and lateral muscles to reap the benefits of thoracic mobility (which is a motion completely independent from shoulder motion, but you couldn’t tell this looking at most desk workers).

Standing in a door frame, holding onto the edge with one or both (or both) arms and taking step forward is a good way to stretch the pectoral muscles.

Hanging from a pull up bar (you don’t have to pull yourself up at all, just practice hanging by your hands) is a great way to stretch the lats and back muscles.

If all else fails, someone who is well trained in functional movement should be able to assess some of these things with some simple range of motion tests.

This is awesome. I've gotten a renewed interest in stretching recently, especially as it relates to breaking up scar tissue and improving posture. And apparently, stretch itself generates ATP.

I don't know if you've seen the Inclined Bed Therapy thread, but a couple of the benefits are "Fascia Trauma Unwinding" and also, an ability to correct back problems like scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, and dowager's hump. Since laying inclined generates a slight traction on the spine, it can correct these problems over time. Andrew Fletcher, the man who discovered the effects of IBT, comments that Wim Hof uses posture to control his body temperature. As I've been looking at myself in full length mirrors, I've been thinking that stretching my body out and fixing my posture correct many issues on it's own.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

This is awesome. I've gotten a renewed interest in stretching recently, especially as it relates to breaking up scar tissue and improving posture. And apparently, stretch itself generates ATP.

I don't know if you've seen the Inclined Bed Therapy thread, but a couple of the benefits are "Fascia Trauma Unwinding" and also, an ability to correct back problems like scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, and dowager's hump. Since laying inclined generates a slight traction on the spine, it can correct these problems over time. Andrew Fletcher, the man who discovered the effects of IBT, comments that Wim Hof uses posture to control his body temperature. As I've been looking at myself in full length mirrors, I've been thinking that stretching my body out and fixing my posture correct many issues on it's own.

Indeed. One of the more powerful therapies I’ve employed is hanging upside down by my feet. I think creating that spinal traction is incredibly therapeutic, creating more intervertebral space and elongating the intercostal muscles of the ribs.

 

[Mufasa]

Indeed. One of the more powerful therapies I’ve employed is hanging upside down by my feet. I think creating that spinal traction is incredibly therapeutic, creating more intervertebral space and elongating the intercostal muscles of the ribs.

Do you know foundation training from Eric Goodman? Foundation Training has helped me improve my posture a great deal.

 

[tankasnowgod]

Indeed. One of the more powerful therapies I’ve employed is hanging upside down by my feet. I think creating that spinal traction is incredibly therapeutic, creating more intervertebral space and elongating the intercostal muscles of the ribs.

How long do you hang upside down for?

 

[tankasnowgod]

Do you know foundation training from Eric Goodman? Foundation Training has helped me improve my posture a great deal.

I hadn't heard of it, but I have been looking for more stretches and training that could improve my posture. I'll look into this a bit more, anything in particular you recommend?

 

[Mufasa]

I hadn't heard of it, but I have been looking for more stretches and training that could improve my posture. I'll look into this a bit more, anything in particular you recommend?

I think the "Founder" is quite awesome.
Here is a playlist of exercises:
Foundation Training on Vimeo

Here is long interview with Eric Goodman:

 

[tankasnowgod]

I think the "Founder" is quite awesome.
Here is a playlist of exercises:
Foundation Training on Vimeo

Here is long interview with Eric Goodman:

Excellent, Thanks! Just watched the intro, I will be doing the Founder later today.

 

[lollipop]

I think the "Founder" is quite awesome.
Here is a playlist of exercises:
Foundation Training on Vimeo

Here is long interview with Eric Goodman:

Very Interesting @Mufasa I already listened to the intro and the founder stance video while practicing it. Totally interested in learning more. Also I watch only 30 sec of the Mercola interview. I must say striking difference in Eric’s and Mercola’s sitting posture! Honestly a bit painful to watch.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

I think the "Founder" is quite awesome.
Here is a playlist of exercises:
Foundation Training on Vimeo

Here is long interview with Eric Goodman:

He has some interesting methods. I had never heard of him. There are a few people who have developed thorough systems for this type of kinetic retraining. I’ve been a big fan of a lady named Katy Bowman. She produces some fascinating ideas along similar lines of thought.

The Founder exercise is a unique idea I haven’t seen elsewhere. The way he described it to Mercola made a lot of sense. He basically describes the adductor muscles of the inner leg as a built in traction device, and that is how he designed this exercise. I think this is a fantastic introduction to creating thoracic traction and improving inferior:superior mobility in this region.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

How long do you hang upside down for?

Typically 3-5 minutes with some in between postures and some light swinging between upside down and right side up.

 

[Owen B]

Great discussion. I've seen people on the site talk about "joint pain" as if there was a homunculus in "the joint" that could magically regulate the pain there from a pure metabolic POV. There's no little man in there. Just like there's no such thing as "the back".

The joint's health is, like a lot of other things, a balance. In this case, between the relatively compressive elements of the bone and ligaments on one hand and the relatively tensile elements of the muscles, connective tissue and maybe even the tendons on the other. It's like a bridge. A bridge has a load bearing capacity just like a body. The compressive elements are the towers and support structures and the tensile elements are the cables. A bridge has stress too.

Here's a couple of sources that people may find helpful. One for theory, the other for applications (around the whole trigger point thing).

https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Medic...sr=8-2&keywords=energy+medicine+james+oschman

https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Poin...rigger+point+therapy+workbook+by+clair+davies

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

@CoolTweetPete I have a hiatal hernia that's been giving me a lot of trouble is there anything in the book that could help me. Specifically anything dealing with the diaphragm or stomach or esaphogeal sphincter.

 

[CoolTweetPete]

@pimpnamedraypeat I think these things are usually related to chronic thoracic dysfunction as a consequence of posture of the ribs and shoulders. This can create warped spaces within the diaphragm, rib cage, and pelvic floor (which all act as a sort of box to maintain pressure in the cavity). This will make these tissues very prone to injury as they are operating outside of their normal ranges.

I think a simple intervention is to attempt to create more space in this cavity by elongating the tissues that interact in the region. This may mean stretching the shoulders and hips to give more "slack" to the neighboring tissues. This is a good intervention because directly attempting to manipulate an injury can be painful.

Soft tissue work on these areas like foam rolling or massage will help to reduce adhesions, making these tissues easier to stretch. This is a well-known tactic in exercise physiology for improving tissue conditions. First we stimulate stiff tissue, then we immediately apply a stretch as the area has become more supple and responsive.

 

[Owen B]

@CoolTweetPete I have a hiatal hernia that's been giving me a lot of trouble is there anything in the book that could help me. Specifically anything dealing with the diaphragm or stomach or esaphogeal sphincter.

If by "book" you mean the Trigger Point workbook, probably yes.

It's very clearly written and very well organized. Just look through it and find the area that corresponds to your "referred pain" and then check out where the trigger point is and work that area. I don't know what problems you're referring to but I'm guessing that it's some kind of stiffness.

I don't like the use of term "pain" in medical and even in alternative circles. It can really mean - if one takes the time to observe his sensations - a lot of different things: numbness, stiffness, tenderness, dull pain, sharp pain, achiness.

I'd be really leery of relying on a diagnosis like "hiatal hernia". If you're not careful some doctor will be wheeling you in for surgery.

And there's plenty of other ways to deal with some of the problems you're referring to - I'm guessing. Just check out stretching. It's true that there's a lot of different kinds, but my thinking for a lot of these kinds of issues is to just put length back in one's muscles. And doing trigger point therapy on the connective tissue before you do the stretch will make the stretch go farther. Most stretching just lengthens the body of the muscle, not the fascia.

A good exercise to do for the areas you're having problems is a squat. Polarity therapy uses them a lot. Done the right way it allows the spine to float and the diaphragm to drop. Polarity therapy is off most people's radar but I still have one of Randolph Stone's books from decades ago. Here's another

https://www.amazon.com/Polarity-The...pID=51EoWysuPHL&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Also, don't forget Osteopathic physicians, D.O.s. If you can find one who specializes in cranio-sacral work, they're worth a look.

 

[David PS]

@CoolTweetPete I have a hiatal hernia that's been giving me a lot of trouble is there anything in the book that could help me. Specifically anything dealing with the diaphragm or stomach or esaphogeal sphincter.

Consider strengthening the vagal nerve by using breathing exercises. See page 7 in the link
https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/module_gerd_clinician.pdf

 

[CoolTweetPete]

Consider strengthening the vagal nerve by using breathing exercises. See page 7 in the link
https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/files/webfm-uploads/documents/outreach/im/module_gerd_clinician.pdf

I second this. Learning to breathe with proper diaphragmatic activation can be very transformative for issues that may seem like they have nothing to do with breathing.

Stress promotes distorted breathing patterns and those patterns promote stress right back. Often the mechanics need to be relearned.