Research, Articles & Case Studies

Fascia – what a fascinating tissue!

Also known as dense irregularconnective tissue, this tissue surrounds and connects every muscle, even the tiniest myofibril, and every single organ of the body.

It forms a true continuity throughout our whole body. Fascia has been shown to be an important element in our posture and movement organization. It is often referred to as our organ of form (Varela & Frenk 1987, Garfin et al.1981). Many approaches to manual therapy focus their treatment on the fascia. They claim to alter either thedensity, tonus, viscosity or arrangement of fascia through the application of manual pressure.

Abstract: According to the traditional understanding of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physiology, the majority of CSF is produced by the choroid plexus, circulates through the ventricles, the cisterns, and the subarachnoid space to be absorbed into the blood by the arachnoid villi. This review surveys key developments leading to the traditional concept. Challenging this concept are novel insights utilizing molecular and cellular biology as well as neuroimaging, which indicate that CSF physiology may be much more complex than previously believed. The CSF circulation comprises not only a directed flow of CSF, but in addition a pulsatile to and fro movement throughout the entire brain with local fluid exchange between blood, interstitial fluid, and CSF. Astrocytes, aquaporins, and other membrane transporters are key elements in brain water and CSF homeostasis. A continuous bidirectional fluid exchange at the blood brain barrier produces flow rates, which exceed the choroidal CSF production rate by far. The CSF circulation around blood vessels penetrating from the subarachnoid space into the Virchow Robin spaces provides both a drainage pathway for the clearance of waste molecules from the brain and a site for the interaction of the systemic immune system with that of the brain. Important physiological functions, for example the regeneration of the brain during sleep, may depend on CSF circulation.

Introduction: The Craniosacral Therapy uses tender and accurate touches to diagnose and treat the craniosacral system. The Mixed Martial Arts athletes are exposed at risk of injury during competitions, which can affect your wel­fare. The Craniosacral Therapy improves the functioning of the Central and Autonomic Nervous System, that promotes relaxation, sense of welfare and homeostasis in the body. Objective: to evaluate the effect of Craniosacral Therapy in welfare and Autonomic Nervous System in Mixed Martial Arts fighters. Method: We conducted a case study by an­alyzing the heart rate and general welfare of OS Mixed Martial Arts fighters, eight sessions with Craniosacral Thera­py, using respectively a frequency Polar RS800 and a Range of Subjective Well-Being for collection data, posteriorly it was submitted to the calculation of mean and standard deviation and "T Studant" test to compare the data before and after the treatments. Results: The initial evaluation of the athletes showed a high subjective well-being, that re­mained after the therapy. There was a statistically significant increase in one of the athletes with respect to positive affect (from 4.048 ± 0.5896 to 4.429 ± 0.5071). As for the negative affects three increased the score. There was a statistically significant reduction (p <0.001) between the initial and final heart rates in each service, with averages of 68.50 and 63.28 respectively. Conclusion: The Craniosacral Therapy increases the activity of the parasympatic ner­vous system, promoting decreased heart rate, providing better coronary flow and that al