A study published in a highly-respected journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, demonstrated that yoga was as good as physical therapy for chronic lower back pain management in a diverse, predominantly low-income population. Studies show that yoga is effective for treating low back pain, however it is not clear how it compares with standard treatments for
There is a hypothesis that fascia may play an important role in chronic low back pain. Following on a series of experiments, researchers have shown that fascial injury with resultant movement restriction caused loss of fascial mobility contralaterally (i.e., on the opposite side of the body from the injury). Now in a new study, researchers
A study has demonstrated that unilateral foot rolling (using a roller) did not improve ROM of the ankle, hamstring flexibility, or low back ROM in the ipsilateral or contralateral limb. In addition, unilateral foot rolling also did not affect postural balance. This is in contrast with previous studies in which the quadriceps, hamstrings, and plantarflexors
According to a study published in the Journal of Sports Science, “remote” stretching the lower limb is as effective as local neck stretching in cervical spine range of motion (ROM) improvement. This could have an interesting application for patients for whom stretching of the neck is contraindicated. The results of this study validate the presence
There seems to be a belief, propagated mainly through social media, that the iliotibial band (ITB) cannot be stretched and thus manual treatment on the ITB is futile. We have a lengthy discussion on this topic in Terra Rosa e-magazine #18. Now a new study published in the Feb 2017 issue of International Journal Sports
In his new bestseller about the body’s connective tissue, David Lesondak succeeds in making the obscure informative and entertaining. We spoke with David about his book. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a structural integrator and multi-modality fascial specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Department of Integrative Medicine. I also
Foam rollers has become a popular a self-myofascial release gizmo among health and fitness professionals. Studies have shown that foam rollers can enhance joint range of motion (ROM). Recently vibrating foam rollers were introduced allowing a combination of vibration therapy and foam rolling. A study headed by Dr. Scott Cheatham from California State University
Oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, plays an important role in social behaviour, appears to sustain social bonds and to increase cooperative behaviours. A study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology demonstrated that massage through a mechanical instrument can increase oxytocin levels. In addition, the elevated oxytocin level stimulates a more sensitive response. This study from the
A study from Spain investigated the immediate effects of myofascial unwinding, with placebo electrotherapy as a control, on perceived pain, cervical/shoulder range of motion (ROM), and mood state in breast cancer survivors with shoulder/arm morbidity. The study recruited 21 breast cancer survivors who had a diagnosis of stage I–IIIA breast cancer and had completed adjuvant
A study from National Taiwan University attempted to quantify the immediate effects of myofascial release on the mechanical properties of posterior thoracolumbar fascia in healthy men using ultrasound. They found a decrease in thoracolumbar fascia stiffness after application of myofascial release. Before jumping to any conclusion about “deformation” of fascia, we need to understand terminologies
