Biotensegrity's Tipping Point - Has it Finally Arrived? New Concepts in Movement Science and Manual Therapies [Article]

If biotensegrity or the 'biology of tensegrity' is everything that some of our thought-leaders in anatomy believe, it has the potential to change the way we deliver many physical and massage therapies. Biotensegrity has been defined as the new "science of body architecture" and includes the latest research into the fascia. Biotensegrity, or tensegrity in biology, is described as the tensional network of the human form. Biotensegrity is an emerging field that raises new questions and insights into how this fascial connective tissue matrix is tensioned and how crucial that is to human structure.

The objective of this article along with our Co-Kinetic module on biotensegrity is to help you as a therapist understand how to integrate biotensegrity principles into physical activity programmes and massage therapies. If we can achieve this, all signs point towards a recipe for fewer injuries, better rehabilitation, improved natural function in motion, greater happiness and by virtue of all the above, greater success as a therapist. I am sure that most of us will agree that when we, or our clients, move injury-free everyone is at their happiest. Pain and injury bring misery.

Tensegrity and biotensegrity - is this the next big thing in understanding body structure?

Can tensegrity, or more specifically biotensegrity (defined as ‘tensegrity in living structures’), explain the interconnectedness of body structure? More importantly, will an understanding of biotensegrity change the way in which you work as a massage therapist? At this moment in our evolutionary history, it seems very likely it can and will, which is why the concept of tensegrity and biotensegrity has become an international hot topic and has provoked much discussion among a wide range of scientists and therapists. Simply defined biotensegrity provides a scientific (and plausible) explanation for something that we as therapists instinctively already know, that every structure in the body is in some way interconnected in a way in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This article (along with its associated links to a series of animations) documents a fascinating insight into the ongoing debate between two leaders in their fields of research into the organisation of body structure and gives the reader the opportunity to understand the relevant concepts and compare the different points of view. It looks very much like this is the next step in our journey of discovery of functional anatomy.

Tensegrity and Biotensegrity: Will it Change Our Understanding of Human Anatomy? [Article]

This article discusses whether tensegrity or more specifically biotensegrity, which is explained as "tensegrity in biology" is changing our understanding of anatomy. The article is part of a special series published to coincide with the Biotensegrity Pre-Conference day which preceded the British Fascia Symposium 2016. It is part of a module of articles which can be found at the following link: Biotensegrity: concepts and practical applications for the manual therapist. Other articles in this series include: ‘Biotensegrity Part 1: Introduction to biotensegrity’; ‘Biotensegrity Part 2: Considering the role of fascia in the science of body architecture’; ‘Biotensegrity Part 3: Levers and pendulums’; ‘Dissecting the anatomy experience: a valuable learning tool’; ‘Function, form and fascia: What lies beneath?’; and ‘A new anatomy for the 21st century’.

Dry needling for myofascial pain - research review

Our regular research review summarises research looking into the effectiveness of dry needling for myofascial pain.

Treating myofascial pain with myofascial trigger point needling

This article discusses the role of dry needling in the effective treatment of myofascial trigger points specifically and chronic pain states generally. The article details when dry needling is suitable but, more importantly, when it is contraindicated. A special emphasis is placed on the safety of the patient and the interests of the sportEX reader. The author highlights the need for tutors of dry needling to have an excellent knowledge of anatomy giving examples of why this is vitally important.

Biotensegrity Part 3: Levers and Pendulums in Human Anatomy Are So Yesterday! [Article]

Biotensegrity, or tensegrity in biology, is described as the tensional network of the human form. It is an emerging field that raises new questions and insights into how this fascial connective tissue matrix is tensioned and how crucial that is to human structure. Biotensegrity is a compelling model that explains structure and motion in non-linear biologic forms such as the human body. The problem with many of the classical theories of biomechanics is that they are largely based on outmoded notions, such as the widely accepted idea that muscles act on the human limb joints as if they are levers. This article (Part 3 in a series on Biotensegrity) explains why it is a misconception that there are levers in biologic forms and proposes the idea of recognising closed kinematic chains as an alternative model of human anatomy and structure.

Dry needling

Dry needling is a technique similar to acupuncture that is used for the treatment of trigger points and muscle pain. This article describes its effects, dangers and technique as well as providing details of how to treat common trigger points.

Human dissection: What can we learn as therapists from the dissection experience?

This article explains the importance, for therapists, of experiencing human dissection as a teaching and professional development aid. With the empathy of a clinical anatomist and a doctor, who are also manual therapists, these experienced professionals understand and appreciate what therapists need to know. Touching a body is the key to most, if not all, movement and physical therapies; cadaver dissection helps in understanding the architecture beneath the skin which provides a much greater depth and breadth of knowledge or human anatomy for the practitioner.

A review of the impact of kinesiology tape on fascial chains and flexibility

Kinesiology tape (K-tape) has been increasingly applied to both amateur and elite athletes since its rise to popularity at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. K-tape has been reported to enhance muscular flexibility, through mechanisms which are not well understood, but are thought to be due to fascial manipulation. This article discusses the current research and ideas about flexibility and how K-tape might enhance it.

Biotensegrity Part 2: The Role of the Fascia in the Science of Body Architecture [Article]

In this second article about the concept of biotensegrity, we consider the fascia, or tensional network of the living body. Many traditional concepts of biomechanics and musculoskeletal anatomy are evolving rapidly, particularly in light of a better understanding of biotensegrity. Biotensegrity has been defined as the new "science of body architecture" and includes the latest research into the fascia. Biotensegrity, or tensegrity in biology, is described as the tensional network of the human form. It is an emerging field that raises new questions and insights into how this fascial connective tissue matrix is tensioned and how crucial that is to human structure. There are challenges in naming the fascia and relating this ubiquitous fabric of human form to structure and natural function in living movement. Some key questions are explored here. Does biotensegrity provide the missing link?

Biotensegrity Part 1: An Introduction to Biotensegrity and its Importance to Massage Therapists [Article]

Biotensegrity has been defined as the new "science of body architecture" and includes the latest research into the fascia. Biotensegrity, or tensegrity in biology, is described as the tensional network of the human form. It is an emerging field that raises new questions and insights into how this fascial connective tissue matrix is tensioned and how crucial that is to human structure. It evolves many of the classical concepts of biomechanics and offers new and intriguing perspectives on how we naturally move ourselves in space. In this first article the basic concept of biotensegrity is introduced (in plain English) and describes why we as movement and massage therapists cannot afford to ignore this concept.

Improve squat patterning with fascial stretch therapy™ - Part 2

Stretch to Win – Fascial Stretch Therapy® (STW-FST) offers sport manual and movement therapists and trainers a quick, effective and logical system to improve function. STW-FST combines innovative passive, active, resisted and assisted mobility and stretching movement patterns that can be used to remove the restrictions that are the barriers to good mobility. The squat is used as an example where we are focusing on the hip, knee and ankle. In Part 1, a full description of the STW-FST system with a focus on the hip was presented. In this article, Part 2, we will discuss common problems that occur in the knee, foot and ankle to complete a comprehensive discussion of correcting faulty patterns in the squat movement.

Fibromyalgia: The myofascial trigger point connection

As the number of chronic pain patients in the UK increases, especially patients suffering with fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain, a need exists to promote a better understanding of what these conditions are and how best to treat them. This article is for the therapist and the patient and for those with previously unexplained symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, myofascial trigger points and chronic myofascial pain. It will help to bring some clarity to the topic of fibromyalgia. Every member of the medical team involved in the treatment of chronic pain needs to be familiar with myofascial trigger points.

Improve squat patterning with fascial stretch therapy™ - Part 1

Stretch to Win – Fascial Stretch Therapy® (STW-FST) offers sport manual and movement therapists and trainers a quick, effective and logical system to improve function. STW-FST combines innovative passive, active and assisted mobility and stretching movement patterns that can be used to remove the restrictions that are the barriers to good mobility. The squat is used as an example and we will focus on the hip, knee and ankle. This article, Part 1, introduces and describes the STW-FST system, with a focus on the hip. The next article, Part 2, will focus on the knee, foot and ankle for a comprehensive discussion of correcting faulty patterns in the squat movement.

Function, form and fascia. What lies beneath?

The study of anatomy is what unites all therapists and coaches. Books line our shelves, and discussions abound about function, pain and injury – all of which stem from the study of these books. But what if the books weren't revealing the whole truth? This article seeks to examine what we think we know about certain structures of the body, and balance this against what we really see when we go into a dissecting room with an open mind.

Functional fascial taping® research

Functional fascial taping® (FFT) is fast and effective way to decrease pain, assist function and allow rehabilitation to commence in a pain-free environment. Clinically, FFT can be used to determine soft tissue dysfunction in musculoskeletal conditions with a high degree of accuracy. This article will discuss the overview and results of research on the effects of FFT on non-specific low back pain, which was the subject of Shu-Mei Chen’s PhD at Deakin University and was supervised by Professors Jill Cook and Sing Ky Lo. Shu-Mei Chen and Ron Alexander were the clinical investigators and the outcome assessor was Shu-Mei. This study was published in 2012 in the Journal of Clinical Rehabilitation (1).