Q. What is M.A.T or “Myomemory Advantage Transformation”?
A. M.A.T. is the name given to a system of exercises I have developed over my forty years in physical therapy. Specific exercises that transform your muscle/myofascial memory or “myomemory” and the dysfunctional neuromyofascial patterning created by the brain and nervous system in response to the constant and vertical forces of gravity and ground reaction force (GRF). It is the length, tensile, and compressive forces of the integrated fascial or connective tissue system and the isolated forces of the neuromuscular/myofascial system providing the internal force of the body that cancels out the external forces of gravity and GRF creating skeletal balance and equilibrium that keeps you vertical and upright.
Q. What is the different between “myofascia” and fascia?
A. The term “myofascia” itself implies that the nature of isolated muscle tissue (myo) and accompanying integrated web of connective tissue called fascia that encapsulates the entire, integrated body as well as the isolated muscle fibers is inseparable. When any muscle of the body changes in length and tension, it will ultimately affect the length and tension of the fascia that encapsulates the entire body. The fascia is a fibrous, collagenous web or net that includes the continuum of soft tissues of the body that infuse and attach organs to the collagenous bony structure as well as including the body’s cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. The fascia is what unites and integrates the body much like the human nervous system. There are three types of proteins that make up the fascia including reticulin, elastin, and collagen.
Q. What are the different layers of the fascia?
A. The human fascial system can be broken down into three arbitrary divisions. From the deepest layer of the dura mater encapsulating the central nervous system (CNS) and creating the cranio-sacral system early in human development, it spreads throughout the body with a middle layer that diffuses through all the body’s organs, muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels down to the individual and isolated cells of the body. The fascia then continues its inherent, encapsulating nature by creating a superficial layer directly below the dermis of the skin. Because of fascia’s integrative nature, the tension of the superficial layer of fascia will affect the middle and deepest layers and vice versa. “Everything is connected!”
Q. What is neuromyofascial “trigger point” therapy?
A. Neuromyofascial trigger point therapy is a specialized form of deep tissue work in which deep, digital pressure is used to release trigger points in hypertonic or contracted muscles. A Trigger point is where the fascial covering (fascia,connective tissue) of the muscle or myofascia gets almost glued together forming nodules or taut bands within an isolated muscle that is sensitive to palpation. These trigger points affect the function of the isolated muscle that ultimately can affect the muscle’s performance and its effect on the skeletal structure causing dysfunction in posture and movement. I have also been using the vibration of a massage gun and trying various tuning forks to release the trigger points.
Q. The new buzz word in the fitness world is “collagen.” What is it?
A. Collagen comes from the Greek language meaning “glue producer” and is by far the most prevalent protein in the human body’s fascia or connective tissue system. It is made up of a fibrous network and has a ground substance referred to as “proteoglycans” which creates a watery gel between the fibers composed of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin, keratin sulfate, and heparin sulfate. In addition, reticulin and elastin can be found in the body’s fascial system. Using the metaphor of a building for the human structure, it is these collagen, reticulin, and elastin fibers and the proteoglycans between the fibers that make up the continuum of building materials in the body. Even bone is made up of collagen with calcium salt added. This combines the resistance to tensile and shearing forces of collagen with the mineral salt’s reluctance to succumb to compressive forces. All connective tissue cells are designed to meet both the flexibility and stability requirements of your body to respond to the many external and internal forces experienced everyday while performing the many activities of daily living. This is accomplished by mixing a small variety of collagen fibers within a matrix that varies from being quite fluid, to gluey, to plastic, and finally to a crystalline solid.
Q. How does the fascia respond to the mechanical stresses of our everyday posture and movement?
A. Mechanical stress passing through the collagen fibers of the fascia will deform the fibers that alters the bonds between its molecules. As a result, a slight electrical flow through the collagen fibers known as a “piezo” (pressure) electric charge is created. This electrical charge is read by the surrounding collagen cells of the fascia that respond by increasing, reducing, or changing the intercellular elements of the collagen in that area. This could describe the mechanism that occurs with “osteoporosis.” Osteoporosis is the result of an imbalance created between the “osteoblasts” that lay down new bone and the “osteoclasts” that clean up old bone facilitated by this piezo electric charge. The osteoclasts may eat of any bone, except those parts that are piezo-electrically charged or simply mechanically stressed. That is why the doctor will prescribe so called weight bearing activities with a diagnosis of osteoporosis.