FA S C IA L P H YS I O LO GY

Fascial plasticity – a new neurobiological explanation: Part 1
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Robert Schleip
In myofascial manipulation an immediate tissue release is often felt under the working hand. This amazing feature has traditionally been attributed to mechanical properties of the connective tissue. Yet studies have shown that either much stronger forces or longer durations would be required for a permanent viscoelastic deformation of fascia. Fascia nevertheless is densely innervated by mechanoreceptors which are responsive to manual pressure. Stimulation of these sensory receptors has been shown to lead to a lowering of sympathetic tonus as well as a change in local tissue viscosity. Additionally …ver más…

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arrangement of fascia through the application of manual pressure (Barnes 1990, Cantu & Grodin 1992, Chaitow 1980, Paoletti 1998, Rolf 1977, Ward 1993). Their theoretical explanations usually refer to the ability of fascia to adapt to physical stress. How the practitioner understands the nature of this particular responsiveness of fascia will of course influence the treatment. Unfortunately, fascia is often referred to in terms of its mechanical properties alone. This series of articles will not only explore the neural dynamics behind fascial plasticity, but will also offer new perspectives for myofascial treatment methods.

J O U R NAL O F B O DY WO R K A N D MOV E M E N T TH E R API E S JANUARY 20 0 3

Schleip

The classical gel-to-sol model
Many of the current training schools which focus on myofascial treatment have been profoundly influenced by Rolf (1977). In her own work Rolf applied considerable manual or elbow pressure to fascial sheets in order to change their density and arrangement. Rolf’s own explanation was that connective tissue is a colloidal substance in which the ground substance can be influenced by the application of energy (heat or mechanical pressure) to change its aggregate form from a more dense ‘gel’ state to a more fluid ‘sol’ state. Typical examples of this are common gelatin or butter, which get softer by heating or mechanical