Dynamics of the Thoracic Spine and Massage

Lynn Teachworth, BS, LMT, FAFS, ATSI

WELCOME• Trunamics helps “Make Good Therapists

Great” by teaching the concepts of Structural Integration, Functional Biomechanics and Energy/Informational medicine

• Located in Orlando Fl. • Lynn Teachworth, BS, LMT, ATSI, FAFS, Adv.

CBP, 2018 World Massage Hall of Fame • Ann Teachworth, BS, LMT, FME, CBP

TRUNAMICS

We combine the Concepts of Structural Integration, Functional Movement/

biomechanics and Energy Medicine to expand your therapeutic lens.

Teaching therapists how to think not just techniques to do.

INTRODUCTION• Structure • Function • Integration • Dynamics • Embodiment

CONCEPTS OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRATION

“I am dealing with problems in the body where there is never just one cause. I would like you to have more reality on the circular

processes that do not act in the body, but that are the body. The body process is not linear, it is circular; always, it is circular. One

thing goes awry, and its effects go on and on and on and on. A body is a web, connecting everything with everything else.”

– Ida Rolf

“One individual may experience his losing fight with gravity as a sharp pain in the back, another as the unflattering contour of his

body, another as constant fatigue, and yet another as an unrelenting threatening environment. Those over forty may call it

old age; yet all of these signals may be pointing to a single problem so prominent in their own structures that it has been ignored: They are off balance; they are at war with gravity.”

– Rolf, 1977

“There is no real difference between structure and function; they are two sides of the same coin, if structure does not tell us

something about function, it means we have not looked correctly.”

– D.A. Still (the founder of Osteopathy), 1899

“This is an important concept, that practitioners are ‘integrating’ something; we are not ‘restoring’ something. This puts us in a

different class from all other therapists that I know of. It takes us out of the domain designated be the word “therapy,” and puts us

in the domain designated by the word “education.” It puts our thinking into education: how we can use these ideas behind

Structural integration? How do we put a body together so that it’s a unit, an acting, energy efficient unit? One of the differences

between Structural Integration Practitioners and practitioners of medicine, osteopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy, etc., is that the

latter are all relieving symptoms. They make no effort to put together elements into a more efficient energy system.”

– Ida Rolf

INTEGRATION

TENSEGRITY• Means “Tensional Integrity”, a term coined by architect

Buckminster Fuller. • A tensegrity system is defined by a continuous tensional

network (tendons) supported by a discontinuous set of compressive elements (struts, bones).

TENSEGRITY• Myofascial dysfunction causes the tensegrity model to

break down and the body compensates with unhealthy patterns

• Joint compression: Herniated discs and joint breakdown due to uneven tension from restricted fascia.

• “Fascia supports weight. Weight goes up not down. Bones do not carry weight.” – Ida Rolf

• When the client moves back into tensegrity, they will experience a feeling of being lighter.

TENSEGRITY• When under the appropriate

tension, the soft tissues around the spine can lift each vertebra off the one below it. The upward projecting superior articular processes of one vertebra extend higher than the lower tips of the downward projecting inferior articular processes of the vertebra above it. The fibrous connective tissue forms slings that suspend each vertebra from the one below.

CONNECTIVE TISSUE

RESTRICTED MYOFASCIA

• Trauma and lack of use can lead to restricted myofascia • Relationships of the body parts and gravity are

compromised. • Body compensates with adaptive shortening and tension • Locked long and Locked Short fascia • Leads to lack of structural integrity which leads to poor

function

LOCKED LONG/SHORT

• We live in a flexion based society • Body must balance with extreme extension • Pain is usually in locked long tissue. • Locked short tissue is what needs to be addressed. • Upper back pain tension example. • What is priority? • Rhomboids, Middle Trapezius - Why is fear and anger

returning?

LOCKED LONG/SHORT

• Example: Locked short chest and abdominals. • Leads to pain in locked long posterior tissues: long neck,

erectors, rhomboids, traps, etc. • Anterior aspect of lower leg is often locked short causing

knee, pelvis, thoracic and especially cervical issues.

POSTURAL READING

• Tilts • Shifts • Rotations • Always look at different angles for a different perspective

ORGANIZATION/REORGANIZATION

• Our goal is to help educate the body and allow it to “live in itself”.

• As we help to integrate and release structures, it will reorganize itself to be more efficient, stronger, stable and adaptable.

• Our goal is to organize the tissues. • Help it to let go of old patterns and traumas.

“This is the gospel of Rolfing: When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through. Then

spontaneously, the body heals itself.” – Rolf, 1977

EMBODIMENT• As therapists, we are inviting our clients to live in and

have a fuller experience in their bodies. Not just optimize on a table.

• Our hands provide information to our clients • Learning function as “information” is difficult. • As we have a clearer experience of structure and function

in our own bodies we can provide clearer information to our clients as we work with more focused intention and clarity

• Growing understanding of the impact of mind on neuromuscular function - improve balance, coordination, performance, as well as mood and focus.

CENTRAL AXIS

• Franklin Method™ embodiment to answer the question “what is good posture?”

• How does the body organize itself in relationship to gravity for sturdy yet efficient posture and readiness for movement.

SENSORY RECEPTORS• Proprioception: Gives us info on the relationships of our

body and its relationship to space, gravity, etc. • Not the whole picture

• Interoception: The sense of the internal states of the body. Internal awareness.

• Exteroception: The sense of external (environmental) states.

• Neuroception: How neural circuits distinguish whether situations or people are safe, dangerous, or life threatening

• We are balancing all.

LIVING IN YOUR OWN BODY

• Coming back inside with awareness • Tendency to get caught up in “stories” from being

externally focused. • Sensory Motor Amnesia • Invitation “come home and live in this part of your body” • How can we help our clients have more body awareness?

“Support is a relationship, not something solid.” – Ida Rolf

“You can change human beings. You can change their structure, and in changing their structure you are able to change their

function. Structure determines function to a very great degree and to a degree which we can utilize. The basic law of Rolfing is that you add structure to the body. In so doing, you are demanding a

change in function. This is the basic reason why Rolfing works as it does.”

– Ida Rolf, Fetis, 1978

FUNCTIONAL THEORY• 3 Planes of motion experience • Allows for function, adaptation, stability and

mobility. • “Mostability”- Motion with Stability • grayinstitute.com • Eccentric and Concentric Contraction • Helps the body protect itself; can be a

compensation that will lead to injury

3 PLANES OF MOTION

• Everything moves in all three planes: • sagittal, frontal, transverse

FUNCTIONAL THEORY

• Directed by Proprioceptive Nervous System • If the body cannot load and unload/accelerate decelerate

it will lock up the tissues to protect the body from injury. • This leads to injuries when the body cannot decelerate a

movement efficiently. • We must reeducate the body through movement.

THORACIC SPINE: ANATOMY & FUNCTION

• Thoracic spine and its impact on overall posture and function are often overlooked

• T1-T12 • Most often fixated in flexion • Issues can lead to lumbar and cervical issues, shoulder

injuries, overloaded posterior muscles • Greatly affects gait, daily movement and athletic

abilities.

STANDING FUNCTIONAL ABDOMINAL RELEASE

• Similar to table reciprocal release but with motion • Touch anterior hip and shoulder points and have client

rotate towards shoulder side. • Prompt them to lengthen the area between the

reciprocals • Nudge at end range (reciprocal points, hand on thoracic

and shoulder, decelerate femur, decelerate femur and guide abs, guide abs and rotate with hand on sacrum)

ABDOMINAL FUNCTION

• 4 Layers of abdominal muscles: Rectus, inner and external Obliques, and Transversus.

• Mostly taught to keep rigid core (planks) and only strength in concentric flexion (crunches).

• Eccentric loading is key

STOMACH REFERRAL

• Stomach itself can be a main cause of thoracic pain and stiffness

• Anatomy and Nerve plexus can cause a referral to the thoracic spine.

• Visceral Dynamics Class • Contraindications: Ulcers, client has recently eaten

FACET JOINT EMBODIMENT

• Line of action, range of motion, and coupled motions are partially determined by the orientation of the facet joints

• Gliding joints, curvilinear joint motion. • Flexion: Inferior facet of the superior vertebrae glides up

and forward on the superior facet of the inferior vertebrae. Reverse on extension

• Coupled motion: lateral flexion and ipsilateral rotation • Most people will have a hard time with extension in the

thoracic spine and will compensate with scapular retraction and/or cervical or lumbar extension

THORACIC WARMUP

• Can use to get ready for a workout or to help integrate change in clients body after a session.

• Great for “homework”

STANDING THORACIC RELEASE

• Educates Thorax, Pelvis and Cervical Structures on Thoracic Extension with Frontal/ Transverse plane motion

• Usual suspects (after releasing abs, quads) usually will arise in diaphragm, cervical spine area and pelvis.

• Excellent homework for clients as well

STANDING THORACIC RELEASE

• Position for client: Find stability object: A doorway, internal facing wall corner, column, etc.

• Facing away from stability object • (right rotation) Right hand at hip height holding rotation

(transverse plane) • Left hand over head to stability object to create right

lateral flexion. • Neck in as much extension as possible without causing

pain

STANDING THORACIC RELEASE

• Therapist: Stand by side of Client to help hold and give inout to thoracic spine via sternum and thoracic themselves.

• Have client begin release by deep breathing to help diaphragm and all deep fascia and ligaments to let go.

• Client moves cervicals through frontal plane (ears to shoulders) and transverse plane motion (yes motion)

• Client moves pelvis in frontal plane and transverse plane • Repeat on other side

SITTING THORACIC RELEASE

• Take client into thoracic extension and then all ranges of motion as you release area

• Place a finger tip or knuckle into the lamina groove on multifidus and rotatory muscles.

• As the myofascia softens you can help the facet joints to glide properly