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Biomechanics of the human body

2010-09-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

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Biomechanics

Under Standing the Biomechanics of the Body and its Implications on Muscular Pain

by Gadi Kaufman

Certified Neruomuscular Therapist

The human body must obey certain physical laws in order to survive its environment. These laws act on the body and trigger compensatory neurological and muscular activity, which commonly result in distortions of the human skeleton and muscle over activity known as muscle spasm. The resultant dysfunctions may include chronic pain, weakness and limited range of motion. However, by understanding a few key principles of biomechanics, many of these functional disturbances can be easily understood and corrected.

First, we will examine these physical laws and their effects on the biomechanics (movement) of the human body. The first law is the law of gravity. Gravity compresses us at a rate of 3.5 pounds per square inch. To illustrate the effect of gravity on the human skeleton, one may consider that we carry on our heads the equivalent weight of ten telephone books.

Our nerves, muscles and joints must continually respond to the demands of gravity. Had we evolved in a state of zero gravity, the body would have developed a very different set of compensatory reactions to changes in its physical environment. The second law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In terms of biomechanics, for every movement or muscular contraction, there will be a compensatory reaction.

The human body responds to these physical laws in predictable ways. These responses may be understood in terms of two primary forces. Firstly, the body-gravity-center in a normally aligned human skeleton is located midway between the hips at the level of the second sacral vertebra. This location is affected by the position of the hips. The hips must be horizontally level in order to maintain the gravity center in its correct location. Hip position determines the susceptibility of the body to injury and its ability to cope with the various stresses of daily life.

Therefore, level hips are the foundation of mechanical balance in the body. Secondly, the “righting reflex” is achieved by a series of neuromuscular interactions that respond to the body-gravity-center and result in positioning the eyes on a horizontal plane. (If the head is tilted or angled downward, such that the eyes are not horizontally level and facing forward, the righting reflex will be activated. This reflex involves a system of constant communication that between the pelvis (that is, the body-gravity-center) and the eyes.

Spasticity in the muscles between the pelvis and the head is a result of the righting reflex triggering muscle over activity in an attempt to keep the eyes horizontally level. (If the righting reflex did not operate and the eyes were permitted to deviate from the horizontal, forward gaze, dizziness would result and function would be compromised.) Thus, the righting reflex responds to hip position and the body-gravity-center, guaranteeing that the eyes will stay level horizontally. This means that if the hips fall out of correct alignment, the body will compensate by making further adjustments in the hips, trunk, shoulders and neck in order to achieve the eyes on the necessary horizontal plane. Unfortunately, most of us do not have level hips. These compensatory adjustments may be called mechanical distortions, as they further alter body alignment from the normal.

To illustrate the neuromuscular therapy approach to muscular pain, we will look at the most common bodily distortion and its effect on the body in the reclining position, while standing and while walking. In the most common bodily distortion, the right hip is rotated forward approximately ¼ inch to 1 inch more that the left hip. This occurs because there is frequently a tendency to use the right leg more than the left leg, for instance, as in the operation of an automobile with automatic transmission. In this case, use of the right leg activates the muscles of the right hip, causing these muscles to shorten and consequently to pull the hip forward. The effects of this mechanical distortion may be clearly seen by examining the subject in various positions.

In the supine (reclining) position: When the subject lies on his back, the right leg will extend further forward than the left leg, making the right leg appear longer that the left leg. This is not because of an anatomical discrepancy in leg length, but because the right femur (thigh bone) extends from the right hip which, in our subject, is rotated forward. In the standing position: When the subject is standing, he will automatically shift his weight onto the functionally shorter left leg. This tilts the pelvis to the left, pulling the spine and head also to the left. This change in head position will involve the righting reflex, which will be called into action to reestablish the eyes on the horizontal plane. This neuromuscular reflex will be carried out as follows: The nervous system will send impulses to muscles on the right side of the trunk to contract, thereby pulling the spine and head to the right, as a reaction to the left tilt of the hips. Next, the nervous system will recruit muscles between the left shoulder and neck to pull the head back to center to level the eyes. While the subject is standing, his right hip will be higher than the left hip, and his left shoulder will be higher than the right shoulder.

Most people fit this pattern. The simple act of standing results in excessive muscular activity that distorts skeletal alignment, all in reaction to the initial simple forward rotation of the right hip. The person may not suffer pain at the moment, but eventually this constellation of distortions in skeletal alignment will result in some degree of chronic debility and pain.

In walking: Recall that we have discovered that our subject has functional right. These muscular adjustments occur with every step one takes. In addition, the skeletal distortion (that is, hips pulled to the left and upper body pulled to the right), when the subject walks, will send shock waves up and down the spinal cord itself, resulting in tightening of the connective tissue around the spine, called the “dura matter,” and triggering muscle spasm in various parts of the body. How is muscle spasm different from normal muscle activity? In normal muscle activity, muscle fibers alternately elongate and contract. When a muscle is over stimulated by trauma or overuse, the resultant muscle contractions are not followed by the normal relaxation. The muscle remains shortened and is unable to lengthen, as it should. This occurs because the nervous system receives signals from the overused muscle and, as a mechanism of defense against further muscle overuse and injury, the nervous system will trigger a “protective muscle spasm reflex” in the affected muscle. Neural impulses from the spastic muscle will feed into the central nervous system. This barrage of neural activity originating in the spastic muscle will result in further stimulation of the spastic muscle by the C.N.S., reinforcing the muscle spasm and preventing muscular relaxation and elongation. This positive feedback loop prevents muscle relaxation in the spastic muscle and is called the hyperactive reflex arc. In this reflex arc, neural impulses from the spastic muscle stimulate the C.N.S., and the C.N.S. responds by stimulating further contraction in the spastic muscle. This reflex arc is indefatigueable and therefore may persist for months or years, leading to chronically spastic muscles and associated pain.

In addition, chronic muscle spasm may result in other harmful physiological effects. In particular, spastic muscles may have deleterious effects on muscles and joints. Spastic muscles compress and constrict blood vessels, diminishing circulation to the affected muscles. This reduces the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle cells and results in the buildup of toxic metabolites, such as lactic acid. The buildup of lactic acid causes nerve irritation in the muscle tissue, contributing to pain.

The spastic muscle develops ischemia (oxygen deprivation) and nutrient depletion, provoking tissue injury and poor healing. Spastic muscles also compress the joints, increasing the pressure on the joints during movement. This may affect any joint in the body. The knee, hip and shoulder joints are particularly vulnerable to the compressive effects of chronic muscle spasm in the muscles that border and support these joints. Gradually, the joint may deteriorate and wear out. In extreme cases, joint replacement may be necessary. Spastic muscles also elicit signals from the C.N.S. that may inhibit and weaken other muscles. The muscular state is thrown out of balance; some muscles overwork while other muscles are inhibited. This results in inefficient mobility, excessive energy consumption, exhaustion and pain. Activities of daily life may contribute to muscular imbalance. Activities such as long sessions spent at a desk or computer, commuting by car or a lack of regular physical exercise may involve overuse of certain muscles and neglect of others. This may in turn lead to abnormal hip rotation and subsequent skeletal distortions and muscle spasms, as previously discussed.

Important facts to know

2010-09-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

1.To provide an effective therapy,first we have to communicate with the nervous system to release the spastic muscles, than to manipulate the muscular and the joints system.The manipulation of muscles and joints will be much more affective in this order

2.Muscle spasm is not medical condition. It is a physical condition of the body and it is being used as a defense mechanism against possible tears or as a reaction to different stresses (physical, emotional, psychological etc.) which might be perceived as a threat to the nervous system. It can become a medical condition because the ability of the muscle spasm to compress blood vessels and compromise blood circulation to the tissues, to entrap nerves and disrupt normal flow of impulses, or to compress joints and damage them. Eventually the symptom will appear.

3.A spastic muscle stays contracted because it cannot be lengthened, as a normal healthy one, until the spasm is released.

4.Spasm in a muscle can last for years, and will compromise blood circulation, entrap nerves and compress joints.

5.The strain counterstrain technique is the most effective technique to release muscle spasm.

6.It is counterproductive to either stretch, massage or exercise spastic muscles. These techniques further irritate the nervous system and typically increase pain.

7.Most people have many muscle spasms during their lifetime. They do not know that, unless they touch the muscle and are surprised to find that it is very tender. The cause for this tenderness is that the muscle is saturated with lactic acid. Lactic acid is a noxious irritant for the nervous system which will be perceived as pain by the brain. The muscle will be saturated with lactic acid because the spastic fibers compress the blood vessels, reducing the oxygenation process to the cells and slow down the removal of the lactic acid out of the cells. Once in a while the "low intensity" spasm will change to "high intensity" spasm and the person will "freeze" or as it is known "my back or my neck went out".

8.Muscles are not independent structures. They do not have a mind and cannot on their own decide what to do, to contract , to stretch or to get in spasm. Since they carry sensors and receptors they constantly get signals ( nerve impulses- reflex ) and receive signals from the central nervous system and respond to this information.So when you feeling pain in the muscle because it is in spasm, DO NOT BLAME THE MUSCLE FOR THAT! The cause of the spasm is in the SPASM REFLEX MECHANISM which is triggered by the NERVOUS SYSTEM!!!

9.Joints (2 or 3 bones attached to each other) cannot move on their own. They are pulled by muscles.

10.Joints cannot stay where they belong after being manipulated if the muscles which surround them are still tight and spastic.

11.The foundation of the body is in the hips because the body’s gravity center is there. We have a “righting reflex,” which means that we need to keep the eyes leveled horizontally all the time. If they are not leveled, we get dizzy and unable to function. All muscle activity between the hips and the eyes is just the attempt of the nervous system to keep the eyes leveled according to the position of the hips.

Why my pain does not stop?

2010-07-30T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Do you feel frustrated that even after you have stretched, massaged and exercised, you are still having pain in your muscles? Maybe in your neck or lower back? Check it out! This could be the cause!

Muscle Spasm !!!

Muscle spasm is the most common response of the body to stress. It can occur as a response to emotional, psychological or physical stress. Common examples of physical stresses are traumas such as may occur in a fall, car accident, or a blow. Other less well-recognized examples include engaging in repetitive movements or “bad habits,” such as sitting at a desk with slouched shoulders and head forward, sleeping on the side or on the abdomen with the head turned to one side, or holding the phone with the shoulder to the ear.

Once the central nervous system is informed of one of these stressors, it will trigger a defense mechanism called the protective muscle spasm reflex. In this mechanism, the muscle, or a group of muscles, will receive nerve impulses telling it to contract and to remain contracted. This state of prolonged contraction is called spasm. When the muscle is in spasm and its fibers have shortened, it loses its ability to lengthen to its relaxed state. The contracted muscle fibers will start to compress small local blood vessels, compromising circulation to the muscle, resulting in lack of oxygen and nutrients to the involved muscle tissue. Prolonged muscle spasm can produce other detrimental effects, including nerve entrapment and joint compression. In the latter, movement of the joint is performed under increased pressure; over a prolonged period of time, this can lead to deterioration of the joint, as the cartilage, which protects and lubricates the joint surfaces is worn away. In most cases of muscle spasm, the pain that is experienced is localized to the spastic muscle, but the pain may also include referred pain, because the muscle spasm can refer symptoms of pain and/or tingling to other areas of the body far from its source of origin.

This protective muscle spasm reflex is indefatigueable. Once the muscle is in spasm, it will bombard the nervous system with nerve impulses, informing the nervous system of the muscle spasm. The nervous system will become overexcited and, as a result, motor neurons will carry a message back to the spastic muscle, causing it remain in the contracted state. Now the muscle and the nervous system are locked in a positive feedback loop. This hyperactivity of the muscle spasm reflex can persist for long periods of time, sometimes as long as years. This is an important mechanism by which acute pain becomes chronic, persistent pain.
Effective treatment of muscle spasm requires involvement of the nervous system, in order to interrupt the nerve stimulation to the muscle. Muscle spasm will not respond positively to massage, stretching, exercise, heat, cold or joint adjustment, because these modalities do not affect the hyperactivity of the muscle spasm reflex. Muscles are not independent structures. The spasm occurs in response to signals from the central nervous system; if the muscle is in spasm, it has a purpose. One of the most effective techniques for releasing muscle spasm is called Strain-Counter Strain Technique, also known as Positional Release, which was developed by an osteopathic doctor named Lawrence Jones, O.D.

Strain-counter strain technique is a manual therapy whereby the clinician uses only his hands for the treatment of muscle and joint pain. He uses passive body positioning of hypertonic (spastic) muscles and dysfunctional joints, relocating the muscles or joints toward positions of comfort, or manually compressing (that is, shortening) the offending muscle. The purpose of this passive shortening of the spastic muscle is to reduce the aberrant neural stimulation to the muscle (the neural portion of the reflex arc) that produces the muscle spasm, accomplishing an immediate reduction of muscle tone to normal levels. This allows the joints influenced by the now relaxed muscle to function optimally, increasing their range of motion and easing muscle and joint pain. Strain- Counter Strain is an effective but extremely gentle technique, because the therapist gently and passively moves the affected area of the body into a position of relative comfort, interrupting the neural reflex that was perpetuating the spasm, producing immediate muscle relaxation and improved mobility.

Neck Pain

2010-07-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Neck pain can be triggered by a trauma (fall, car accident, whiplash), "bad habits" (sitting in front of the computer with slouched shoulders and head forward), sleeping habits (on the side or on the stomach with the head turned to one side), or holding the phone with the shoulder to the ear.

All these activities will alarm the central nervous system, and will trigger it to send "protective muscle spasm reflex" to the muscle as a defense mechanism.
Once the muscle is in a spasm and its fibers have shortened, it has lost its ability to stretch. The muscle fibers will start to compress blood vessels, compromise blood circulation, entrap nerves, and compress joints, the cervical (neck) vertebrae in this case.
The involved muscle groups are located in the back, front and side of the neck.

1.The Scalene muscles which located in front, side and back of the neck have a powerful impact on neck structure and function. They can straighten the normal neck curvature, or even reverse it. The anterior and lateral scalene could compress nerves, and will produce pain and radiation (tingling sensation and numbness) to the neck, shoulder, arm down to the fingers.

2.The Upper Trapezius and Levator Scapulae muscles connect the cervical vertebrae to the shoulder blades (scapulae) and upper thoracic spine. While in a spasm they will produce pain to the back of the neck, to the shoulder and headaches.

3.The S.C.M. (Sternocleidomastoid) muscle is connected from the clavicle (collar bone) to the side of the neck under the ear. When in spasm, it produce headaches stiff neck, and pain to the jaws, and side of the neck.

These neck muscles respond to the position of the shoulders. When the shoulders move forward, they take the neck and head forward with them, causing the eyes to be directed downwards, towards the floor. However, because of the "righting reflex", the head must be pulled back to level the eyes. For every inch the head is in front of the shoulders, the neck muscles are forced to work three times harder to support the head.

The position of the shoulders is determined by the position of the hips because they carry the body's center of gravity. When the hips are pushed too far forward or backwards while sitting or standing, it will change the position of the shoulders which in turn affects the workload of the neck muscles and make them more susceptible to fatigue, leading to spasm.