06/10/2023
More on Fascia! I’m such an Anatomy nerd!
FASCIAL COMPARTMENTS
⠀
[FASCIAL ANATOMY - OSTEOPATHIC APPROACH]
⠀
Posterior view of the pelvic region reveals interesting fascial links from thorax to pelvis to lower extremity.
⠀
This view is much closer to reality that many “muscle only” pictures.
The concept of named muscles is a manifestation of isolationist dissectors of years past who likely equated their findings on a dissection table to that of a butcher.
⠀
Protein “cuts” seemed to take shape and were named as muscles. However, this illustration shows the real anatomy which is an interconnected web of connective tissue that happens to have “compartments” that house contractile protein bundles.
⠀
The left side shows the fascial compartments for the glute max, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. On the right the compartment for the quadratus femoris is shown with the muscle protein removed.
⠀
One can easily see how muscle chains are the true reality as no muscle is isolated but is in fact just compartments along a much larger fascial system.
⠀
This concept can change the clinician’s approach to myofascial therapy or acupuncture. The best therapeutic effects may come from targeting fascial lines or chains rather than individual muscles only. Always think links.
⠀
Credit Anatomy Links & Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery (J. M. Bourgery & N. H. Jacob)
⠀
