BE PROUD: WE ARE ALL SPECIAL
As mentioned in Section 1 under Objectives vs Subjectives, the Human Genome Project found that every human being shares 99.9% of the same DNA [1][2], this is the objective and defines us as the human species. This may seem a lot but when you consider that Chimps and Bonobos (2 species of the Chimpanzee), the closest relatives to humans, share 96-98.7% of DNA with us[3][4], leaving just 1.2-3.9% to separate us meaning there is actually very little which determines the human species, so we are all pretty special. Furthermore, remember the Bill Bryson quote from the Platform Menu page, well we think it fits perfectly here,
"It is a slightly arresting notion that if you were to pick yourself apart with tweezers, one atom at a time, you would produce a mound of fine atomic dust, none which had ever been alive but all of which had once been you."[5][6]
This quote does not only apply to humans, but every other living thing, break anything down enough and you will simply find a cocktail of chemical elements and nothing else. We all share a great deal not only as a species ourselves, but with other animals and nature as a whole, highlighting the importance of how special every life is.
So sharing 99.9% of DNA, the remaining 0.1% is what makes you 'you', helping to define you as an individual in your own right, and forming part of your subjectives including characteristics and personality. Our bodies all vary somewhat, some are passed down to us genetically, but some we develop post birth, meaning our development is both nature and nurture, the fact that it could be one more than the other is becoming increasingly null. Therefore, whilst we are all special as a species as we share so much, we are all special as individuals too as we are all unique. So no matter your gender or religious beliefs, or the colour of your skin, eyes, or hair, whether you enjoy reading and/or sport/s, preference to be an extrovert or introvert, or a bit of both, be proud to be you because we are ALL individuals that just need to be understood. So whilst we are all the same, our bodies can vary and we all have different interests and passions, and as long as they are morally correct and do not hurt you or anyone else, there is no reason why you should not enjoy taking part and/or doing something that makes you happy, and there is no reason why you should be judged for that either. Be happy by doing what makes you happy - simple!
The issue we have here is that many people are afraid to be themselves, scared to enjoy what makes them happy, you may be one of them, because you are afraid to be judged negatively. Pretty much every individual has at least one insecurity about being themselves, whether that is something they enjoy partaking in, or the way they look, and sadly many go onto change themselves, even aesthetically via cosmetic practices including surgery. This is not saying that all reconstructive surgeries are unnecessary, as they can be very beneficial when it relates to health including trauma, and rather we are saying that you are not alone, we may not all share the same insecurities, but we all have at least one. So as above, ensuring it is morally correct, there is no reason to feel shame or embarrassment, after all, it is difficult to stand out in the crowd of the human population if you blend in so dare to enjoy what makes you smile from the inside out and enjoy being who you are. Sometimes all it takes is finding some likeminded people who make you feel less judged when being yourself, and who make you a better person, this is much easier than wanting to be loved and accepted by everyone as not only is that lonely, but it's exhausting too. Sadly some people's passions and interests mean they are faced with a battle, particularly when it comes to improving society as a whole but imagine if the honorable Nelson Mandela didn't dare stand up against racism in the way he did, and gave in feeling the fight was too much? He stuck to his beliefs and kept his integrity despite everything he faced, knowing he was doing a good thing, and his passion meant he got noticed, and people of all races proudly stood with him in support. The adversity is that sometimes, what is deemed morally correct in certain types of societies, it is not accepted in others, and if such beliefs are held strongly, people often end up judging others for something they simply do not understand enough about. Placing labels is a prime example as modern society seems to feel the need to # everything, with even the term 'flexitarian' being used for those who eat meals with and without meat, and whilst this can help people find community, it can also do the opposite by increasing segregation, and some even feel the need to impose their choices on others rather than letting people choose for themselves. If the world was even a bit more compassionate towards each other, it would be a much happier place for us all.
A relatively easy argument for a more compassionate society is that we must learn to become more compassionate towards ourselves, mentally and physically, as some of, if not all of the most successful battles start with facing the issues within first. Accepting ourselves for who we are naturally makes us more compassionate in accepting others for who they are too, thus feeling free within yourself makes you feel in control of yourself, making the the need to control other parts of your life less. A well known chocolate wafer has been promoting it for years, but when was the last time you gave yourself a break, and felt more compassionate towards your insecurities? If we can learn to accept ourselves for who we are, then it is much easier to accept others for who they are. The song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sun Screen)" by Baz Luhrmann is very apt here, and if you haven't heard it yet, we highly recommend listening to it, because he shares some very helpful wisdom in it which complies here.
PAIN - HYPERMOBILITY - PERFORMANCE - BREATHING PATTERNS - TMJ (JAW) WORK
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MEDICAL CONDITIONS - INJURIES - HEALTH - ALIGNMENT - BIOMECHANICS - POSTURE
SPORT - REMEDIAL - PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES - MAINTENANCE - HOMEOSTASIS
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PERFORMANCE SOFT TISSUE THERAPY
SPORT AND REMEDIAL MASSAGE
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SECTION 4
FASCIA: PART C
4.1: FASCIA AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
FASCIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Firstly, a brief re-cap of the endocrine system:
“The endocrine system works closely with the nervous system. By manufacturing and regulating hormones, the endocrine system prompts long-term changes in various organ and system activities. Hormones are the chemicals secreted by the organs of the endocrine system, which include the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenal glands, and parts of the pancreas, ovary and testis. Blood carries these chemicals to receptive organs, which respond with change.”[i]
In comparison to other areas of research within anatomy and physiology, fascia research is relatively new, yet there are increasing amounts of findings which are giving us insight into the relationship between fascia and the endocrine system.
Robert Schleip in his paper “Fascia as a Sensory Organ: A Target of Myofascial Manipulation”iii states how fascial mechanoreceptors are vital for communication with the endocrine system. A large portion of the sensory neurons in the enteric brain are mechanoreceptors which are vital for neuroendocrine changes, with research discovering that at least 90% of serotonin (5HT) is produced in the enteric system[ii][iii]. 5HT being paramount for physical and mental health, and the enteric system is located in the gut, just below the diaphragm. Furthermore, the enteric nervous system (ENS) has more neurons than all the peripheral ganglia combined, containing potentially more than the spinal cord[iv], and the peristaltic reflex which is a reflex in the small intestine and colon that is mediated by the nervous system and causes caudad propulsion of chyme, of which this mechanically stimulates the mucosa causing enterochromaffin cells (EC cells) to release 5HT onto local receptors of intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs)xiii.
Considering the mechanotransduction sensitive receptors regarding stretch and chemical stimuli of the visceral peritoneum which includes the celiac and mesenteric sympathetic plexuses and parasympathetic system[v], and the parietal peritoneum receptors are pressure and heat sensitivexiv, it at least reveals the potentials of movement and manual therapy for this area. There is a surmountable level of sensory nerve endings in the abdominal area which respond to pressure and stretch, so whilst the parietal peritoneum is superficial and thus can be easily accessed regarding pressure application for manual therapy, accessing the stretch receptors of the deep visceral peritoneum is much more difficult. Myofascial release is one technique that could help offer release as the abdomen consists of many fascial layers which connects the rectus abdominis muscle to the pubic bone[vi], yet physically applying stretch to the area remains a challenge for manual therapy. However, there is movement potential which could aid this stretching, and that is diaphragmatic breathing. Whilst this will be discussed in further detail in Chapter 3, diaphragmatic breathing consists of increasing pressure within the gut through inhalation which will naturally provide stretch as the internal organs adapt to the pressure, and then reducing the pressure as the diaphragm contracts once more and thus reducing stretch. Thus there is potential to improve gut function through breathing patterns which is discussed in the next Section (Section 5).
Consequently, whilst there is currently little research on this area, there are at least insights into how fascia could play a role on the endocrine system. Through this research, there is potential guidance for manual therapists regarding treatments including techniques to help reduce symptoms of chronic stress, and also the general public regarding simple breathing pattern practices. Considering that the enteric system has now been named the ‘second brain’[vii], there are great potentials, however, the extent is yet unknown.
[i] Premkumar, K. (2012). Anatomy & Physiology, 3rd Ed. + Study Guide. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, pp.11-12.
[ii] Gershon, M. D., & Tack, J. (2007). The serotonin signaling system: from basic understanding to drug development for functional GI disorders. Gastroenterology, 132(1), 397-414. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2006.11.002
[iii] Stoller-Conrad, J., 2015. Microbes Help Produce Serotonin in Gut [online]. CALTECH: Research News 04 September 2015. Available via: https://www.caltech.edu/news/microbes-help-produce-serotonin-gut-46495. [Accessed 22 October 2016).
[iv] Rao, M., & Gershon, M. D. (2016). The bowel and beyond: the enteric nervous system in neurological disorders. Nature reviews Gastroenterology & hepatology, 13(9), 517. Doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2016.107
[v] Bordoni, B., Simonelli, M., & Morabito, B. (2019). The other side of the fascia: the smooth muscle part 1. Cureus, 11(5). Doi: 10.7759/cureus.4651
[vi] Earls, J. and Myers, T. (2010). Fascial release for structural balance. Chichester: Lotus Publishing, pp.160-161.
[vii] Gershon, M. D. (1999). The enteric nervous system: a second brain. Hospital Practice, 34(7), 31-52. https://doi.org/10.3810/hp.1999.07.153
4.2: FASCIA ROUND-UP
Every living thing has fascia in some form, the characteristics of the fascia depends on its environment (internal and external), to which there are fascial differences within humans. There is a spectrum of fascial tensegrity ranging from the ‘Viking’ which is quite dense which creates friction and thus heat, and has quick repairing mechanisms, to the other end of the spectrum of ‘Dancers’ whose fascia is highly elastic and has low friction. Consequently, there is consideration that the ‘Viking’ characteristics were developed in cold climates, whereas the ‘Dancers’ characteristics were developed in more tropical climates.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If the body has adapted to its internal and external environment in the past, what says that it still not adapting? Genetic research has found that genes can adapt to their environment and enables us to store information such as stress and trauma, so there is potential that the requirements of modern society could be detrimentally impacting people on a genetic level, including fascia and posture. Furthermore, if an individual does minimal exercise and works the majority of the time at a desk or driving for example, their Functional Line may become weaker which can place strain on the remaining Anatomy Trains – is there potential for an individuals genetic coding to adapt and store this information, and moreover, pass on to future generations meaning children with weaker or adapted Functional Lines?
In clinic at Move Well Nottingham, Kim is consistently analysing postures and biomechanics to help gain further insight into how their bodies work regarding both postural and functional – it is surprising how much the body can tell you if you know how and where to look, and you should be starting to learn yourself!
FASCIA: MAIN TAKEAWAY POINTS
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Continuous sheath of connective tissue throughout the body connecting head to toe
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It's the bodies main proprioceptive organ aiding balance, movement, reaction. The healthier the elascticity vs tension, the better the proprioception.
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Reduces friction throughout the body by encasing everything like cling film, and thus aids cadence with movement.
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There are different types of fascia with different constitutions, their make-up adapted for each of their specific responsibilities and functions.
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Anatomy Trains involve 7 continues paths of fascia throughout the body which together enable posture and movement, but dysfunction in 1 can create compensation patterns in the other 6.
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Every living thing has some form of fascia, or at least matter with fascial properties, it is NOT solely found in humans.
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It has endocrine properties, to which is being researched further.
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