Anatomy Trains
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"Where you think it is, it ain't." - Ida Rolf

Fascia & Tensegrity

Fascia is the fascinating biological fabric and glue that holds us together.  Long ignored, the fascial system is now getting its rightful due of attention, from both therapists and researchers.


Tensegrity is a model for understanding the geometry of the body, on both a micro- and a macro-cosmic scale, that leads to many new insights in terms of body connectivity, the relation between stability and movement, and how we can develop what might be called “Spatial Medicine”. We have an tensegrity model available in our store. Look on the right side of this page for an interview with Eli Thompson, who developed the tensegrity model.

In this section, choose:

Franklyn-Miller's study (see below) actually gives very nice evidence for the plantar fascia demo trick (of getting the whole posterior back line lengthened from a firm stretch of the plantar fascia of the specific leg). His study only demonstrates the transmission from proximal to distal; yet this makes it also 'more than likely' that a fresh cadaver measurement with a plantar fascia stretch (i.e. foot dorsiflexion) would also transmit in a proximal direction with similar magnitude.

Rich Media Icon
Acture! Posture in Action View
Article by Tom in Massage and Bodywork, Oct./Nov. 2006 (file; 1,549 KB)
Tom on Tensegrity View
Tom Myers takes you sailing to describe how the body is built like a sailboat. (video; 7,157 KB)
The Scapula is a Sesamoid Bone View
Yep, that's what this scholarly paper proposes (file; 110 KB)
Connective Tissue Signals View
Connective Tissue: A body-wide signalling system. Helen M. Langevin. Medical Hypotheses, 2006. (file; 76 KB)
Fascia Can Contract in a Smooth Muscle Like Manner View
The latest abstract from Robert Schleip (file; 133 KB)
Histoligical Study of Deep Fascia View
A 2006 Study conducted at the University of Padova, Italy. (file; 143 KB)
Fascia & Yoga View
A 20 minute excerpt of one of Tom's teleclasses for Deborah Rubin at Yoga Spirit. (audio; 18,123 KB)
Interview w/ Stephen View
Discussion of tensegrity with Dr. Levine on the crowded showroom floor at IASI '05 (audio; 15,890 KB)
Interview with Phil Earnhardt View
An interview with Phil Earnhardt of floatingbones.com filmed during a windy day at the KMI Reunion! (video; 40,357 KB)
The anatomy of the deltoid insertion View
The deltoid muscle is in continuity with the distal arm fascia and musculature. Reprinted from the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, (2009) 18, 386-390. (file; 618 KB)
Tensegrity of the Cranium View
Graham Scarr's intriguing hypothesis on how the membranes work with the sutures. (file; 2,411 KB)
Interview with Eli Thompson View
Our faculty member Eli Thompson talks about Tensegrity in an interview with Terra Rosa's e-magazine. (file; 189 KB)
Tom Myers explains tensegrity View
In this excerpt from Tom Myers' DVD "Myofascial Meridians" he uses a sailboat and a model to illustrate the concept of tensegrity (Warning! Large file). (video; 248,290 KB)
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