Connective tissue manipulation helping your body relax into a healthier state
Connective Tissue Manipulation.
Carried out by the Physiotherapist with the maleable surface of the finger tips to move one layer of skin on the level underneath. This motion causes a short, sharp, flex reflex, creating an impulse, which moves out through the connective tissue. The individuals brain translates this reaction as if it were a ‘cut’ or a ‘abrasion’. The tighter the connective tissue the bigger the stretch reflex and therefore the sharper the ‘cut’ feels to the patient. The reflex is a small reaction which passes through the liquid in the connective tissue and releases tension.
The lessening in stress surrounding the blood vessel walls lets more blood to move into the damaged region and so lessens the inflammation. Connective tissue manipulation helps in softening the connective tissue also allows more motion to happen without triggering off irritation and therefore pain. Dealing with this often starts at a distance from the injured area slowly moving closer to the starting place of the injury. The improvements of Connective Tissue Manipulation are cumulative. Once the stress has been lowered by treatment the decrease is maintained. Further reduction in connective tissue tension occurs with every additional manipulation.
The amount to which the lessening in connective tissue tension is held at is dependant on the amount of stress placed on the system by the individuals lifestyle. Connective Tissue Manipulation is a skill learnt at postgraduate level in the UK and because of this it hasn’t travelled very rapidly across the land. At the last calculation, there were only two dozen Physiotherapists in the UK actively practising Connective Tissue Manipulation.