Newsletter
Light Center Massage San Diego
Hillcrest
Anatomy Trains We see the human body as being composed of separate organs, limbs, bones, and muscles. And that is good as far as allowing us to view the body in detail, and to examine and treat conditions. But the body originates from a combination ot two cells which, onced joined, multiply to create variations of themselves, and thus to form tissue. This fact opens us up to the concept of the body as one complex unit. Muscles, bones, organs form one organism (albeit filled with countless helpful and sometimes harmful microorganisms). Fascia runs through all tissues. This dense material envelopes muscles and their fibers, and holds internal organs in place. Knowing that fascia runs throughout our anatomical system, we can begin to see how "everything is connected to everything else". As fascia unites muscles across joints, these groups of muscles form what are called "anatomy trains". We can then see how this interconnectedness helps these muscle groups work together. On the other hand, restrictions in any muscle along the train may be felt in other "member" muscles. One example of an anatomy train goes from the bottoms of the toes, up the calves, the backs of the thighs, along either side of the spine, up the back of the neck, over the scalp, to the eyebrows. This is the superficial back line (SBL). It is helpful to have this understanding when figuring out problems anywhere along this train, and in alleviating those problems. The deep front arm line (DFAL), while the arm is hanging, goes from the fingers, the forearm, biceps, upper trapezius, to the base of the skull. When the arm is above the shoulder as in hanging from a bar, the same line goes from the fingers, forearm, biceps, pectoralis minor/ribs, abdominals, to the pubic bone. The trajectory of the line is determined by how the pull is directed through the muscles that lie within the uniting fascia. So massaging a part of the body seemingly unconnected to the area that feels the discomfor is often the best way to help relieve the problem. Even with this knowledge, it often takes more than one massage session, and effort on the part of the recipient, to finally correct the issue. Science continues to develop our understanding of anatomy trains. The body is very complex, and new discoveries are still being made. This way of viewing anatomy and kinesiology is useful in all disciplines that deal with impeded function.
Frank P. Arce, C.M.T.
Light Center Massage 842 Washington St., Ste. B |
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