Myofascial chains: A review of different models

3.3


Myofascial chains


A review of different models



Most of the following models are based on personal experiences of the authors, combined with neurological and physiological theories. Even if these models are sometimes very different, they all have one thing in common: they show the locomotor system and the myofascial tissues as being one unit that always functions as a whole. The model of Thomas Myers will not be covered in this review as it will be addressed in the next chapter.


To fulfill its function, a muscular group must have a stable basis. This basis is given by another muscular group, which is again supported by another muscular group, etc. This process leads to the formation of muscle chains.



Kurt Tittel: muscle slings


Dr. Kurt Tittel uses the term “muscle slings” to describe the co-operation of muscle groups to exert coordinated movements. In very instructive illustrations, he explains the muscular chains that are active in sports activities, while also referring to the fact that muscles change or adapt their activity during the different movements. Therefore the images in his book only refer to their momentary state. Dr. Tittel shows the following muscle slings by referring to examples of sports activities.






Muscle slings in sidebending and rotation of the trunk


Connecting the spinal column ventrally with the lower extremities:



Connecting the shoulder ventrally with the foot:



Dorsal chain, connecting the arm with the leg on the opposite side:



These diagonal muscle slings are of great importance for movement and a wide range of sports such as football, tennis, spear throwing, shot-put, etc.; see Fig. 3.3.1.




Herman Kabat: proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)


Together with Margaret Knott and Dorothy Voss, Dr. Herman Kabat developed a treatment method for muscular paralysis of patients suffering from poliomyelitis. The particularity of this method is the idea of integrating paretic muscles into a muscle chain. The patient is supposed to make special motion patterns that include weak or paralyzed muscles.


The following motion patterns were used by Dr. Kabat:



• Trunk:



• Neck:



• Shoulder blade and pelvis:



• Upper extremity:



• Lower extremity:





Godelieve Struyf-Denys


Miss Struyf-Denys is a Belgian physiotherapist with osteopathic training, who presents a muscle chain model which includes three aspects:



She was led by the osteopathic holistic idea and the ideas of Mézières a French physiotherapist, along with the theories of Piret and Béziers. According to Mézières, the reasons for postural disorders are partly dysfunctions and incoordination of the muscular system, but mainly shortening and hypertonicity in the area of erector spinae muscles, linked to reflex hypotonia of the abdominal muscles. According to Piret and Bezière, all movements are spiral-shaped; they are conditioned by the form of the joint surface, and the diagonal alignment of the pluriarticular muscles. Furthermore, Piret and Bezière are convinced that posture patterns have a mental, emotional cause. Struyf-Denys also knows the treatment method of Kabat.


Struyf-Denys describes five muscle chains on each half of the body, that normally function in a coordinated fashion. As a result of traumatic disorders or emotional stress, one of these chains will dominate the others, and this leads to malposture and deformed motion patterns.


The five muscle chains of Struyf-Denys are subdivided into three fundamental or vertical chains and two complementary or horizontal chains. The fundamental chains include the trunk muscles and proceed through a so-called secondary section into the extremities. The complementary chains are composed of muscles of the extremities. The fundamental chains are tied to the complementary muscle chains by the muscles of the shoulder girdle or the pelvic girdle, respectively.


According to Struyf-Denys, these five muscle chains depend on five psychological constitutions. The three fundamental chains are each allocated to a section of the cranium. The shape of this cranium section indicates the dominance of this chain; it also proves the existence of a specific psychological disposition.



The vertical or fundamental chain




The posteromedian chain




Secondary section


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Aug 24, 2016 | Posted by in ORTHOPEDIC | Comments Off on Myofascial chains: A review of different models

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