STM is intended to be used as a component of a complete manual therapy program that includes evaluation and treatment of articular, neurovascular and neuromuscular dysfunctions

Goals of STM

One benefit of STM is preventing basic treatment techniques

Primary components of soft tissue

Soft tissue pain and functional impairment

External macrotrauma

Internal or external microtraumas

Basic inflammation cascade

0-4 days after injury

Ruptured cells release debris and chemicals into the plasma; which attract leukocytes

WBC clean out bacteria and prevent infection

Arrival of macrophages

Lasts for weeks

New collagen will be organized into the new ligament

Fibroblasts make single long molecules

Contraction of collagen fibers begin and the molecules become tighter and shorter

Components of connective tissue

Collagen and elastin

GAG side chain

Laminated sheaths of connective tissues of varying thickness and density

Funtions of fascial system

Dysfunctional factors

What does the word stasis mean?

Ground substance dehydration and intermolecular cross-linking is mostly common in?

Thixotropy

Loss of critical fiber distance

Connective-tissue fibers that are not managed properly

Major factor is altering the biomechanics of the whole kinematic chain, placing abnormal strain or all related structures

Response to treatment

Myofascial cycle dysfunction

From the patient

From the physical therapist

Location and type of symptoms

Course of symptoms and irritability

Duration of symptoms

Precipitating trauma or activity

Previous traumas

Previous surgeries

Stressful environment, leisure and recreational activities

Postural and sleeping habits

Structural and postural analysis

Movement analysis

Palpation assessment

Functional compensations

Type of palpation assessment that assess the integrity and force attenuation capacity of the spine and extremities in WB positions

Chronic or habitually held postures that alter the system’s structural and functional capacity

Uses skin gliding, rolling and finger sliding

Using either general or specific contacts

A manual contact point is fixed to the skin kver the region to be assessed

The skin is pulled to the end range, evaluating the functional excursion, quality of extensibility and end feel

The exact location of the adherence that is limiting ita mobility is found through tracing and isolating along the directiong of restriction

Lifting the skin between the thumb and the index and middle fingers to evaluate its ability to lift from underlying structures

Evaluates the ease with which the fingertips slide across the skin

Often used initially to trace and isolate regions of restriction

Provides a means to localize the precise location and direction of restriction

Sliding the fingers parallel at progressively deeper depths along the edges of the bone, noting any points of adherence and restricted mobility

Hypertonic muscles feel harder, denser, and often tender to normal palpation

Quality of accessory mobility of a muscle in relation to the surrounding structures

Ability of the muscle belly to expand during contraction

Ability of the muscle cell bundles to slide in relation to each other

Muscle’s capacity both to lengthen and narrow and to shorten and broaden

Effectively evaluated and treated by using the principles and techniques of PNF

Myofascial assessment

Principles of treatment application

Cascade of techniques for progressive treatment of specific soft tissue restrictions

Using one hand to apply pressure on the restriction

Assists to facilitate a release

Treatment techniques (treatment hand)

Treatment techniques (assisting hand)

Adjusting the tissues surrounding the restriction in a shortened range to ease the tension on the restriction

First assisting tool to be used, especially if the symptoms are acute or easily excarbated

Involves adjusting the surrounding tissues in a lengthened range to place tension on the restriction

Chronic conditions and as a means to place more demand on a restriction