Grounded in scientific and clinical evidence, this highly illustrated new guide gives an introduction to the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders using the Fascial Manipulation (FM) method developed by Luigi Stecco – the foremost scientifically valid method of evaluating and treating fascial dysfunction. It describes FM’s history, anatomy and physiology of fasciae, indications and contraindications, mechanisms of action, and details of the subjective and physical techniques used to manage disorders. A Practical Guide to Fascial Manipulation focuses on concepts around evaluating the fascia based on functional testing, movement and direction in specific spatial planes, and the location of specific areas to treat safely. With an emphasis throughout on accessible practical information, the book is also supported by a website – www.guidefascial.com – containing procedural video clips and an image bank.

This book highlights the impact that the Fascial Manipulation® - Stecco® method for fascial dysfunctions, developed by Italian physiotherapist Luigi Stecco, has had on the clinical practice of 16 well-established practitioners from a total of seven different countries and from different disciplines, including physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy and massage therapy. It gives voice to some of the experienced practitioners who have acknowledged Luigi Stecco's work and have played an important role in the diffusion of this method in their respective countries. The knowledgeable 'clinical eye' of these practitioners will have immense value for their peers. An introductory chapter outlines the theoretical models underlying the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method and the clinical reasoning process applied in this method. Each subsequent chapter presents the application of the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method in detailed case reports. Chapters are divided into three main sections (Musculoskeletal, Internal Dysfunctions and Other Perspectives) and they provide useful information either for other practitioners of this method or for colleagues who are interested in approaching this type of fascial work. Furthermore, the personal accounts presented here provide ulterior historical background to the development and spread of the Fascial Manipulation - Stecco method, which has generated and continues to generate numerous areas for research.

Fascia, Function, and Medical Applications is essential reading for medical and allied health practitioners who want to bring scientific insights of the importance of fascia to human health into their clinical practices. Fascia – the biodynamic tissue that connects every muscle, bone, organ, and nerve in the body – is fast becoming the latest trend in healthcare and allied health modalities. This book is edited by David Lesondak, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, author of the international bestseller Fascia: What it is and why it matters, and Angeli Maun Akey, MD, international physician educator and board certified in both internal and integrative medicine. It contains contributions from a team of top researchers and expert practitioners including physicians, clinicians, therapists, dissectors, and surgeons. Fully illustrated in color, this book presents the latest scientific knowledge of fascia and explains insights into problems like chronic pain and myriad musculoskeletal symptoms that may not respond to conventional treatments. It gives practitioners the information they need to make better decisions to improve the health of patients often without pharmaceuticals or surgeries. FEATURES • Provides comprehensive overview of how fascia, as a tissue and a system, affects various body functions and systems, from musculoskeletal disorders to nervous system, circulatory, and auto-immune function. • A section devoted to medical applications highlights a comprehensive and critical overview of various fascial therapies. • Gives practitioners the knowledge they need to refer or add as an adjunct therapy to their department or rehabilitation team. This is a cutting-edge, practical guide that will appeal to researchers, physicians, and clinicians alike.

This book is the product of an important collaboration between clinicians of the manual therapies and scientists in several disciplines that grew out of the three recent International Fascia Research Congresses (Boston, Amsterdam, and Vancouver). The book editors, Thomas Findley MD PhD, Robert Schleip PhD, Peter Huijing PhD and Leon Chaitow DO, were major organizers of these congresses and used their extensive experience to select chapters and contributors for this book. This volume therefore brings together contributors from diverse backgrounds who share the desire to bridge the gap between theory and practice in our current knowledge of the fascia and goes beyond the 2007, 2009 and 2012 congresses to define the state-of-the-art, from both the clinical and scientific perspective. Prepared by over 100 specialists and researchers from throughout the world, Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body will be ideal for all professionals who have an interest in fascia and human movement - physiotherapists, osteopathic physicians, osteopaths, chiropractors, structural integration practitioners, manual therapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, yoga or Pilates instructors, exercise scientists and personal trainers - as well as physicians involved with musculoskeletal medicine, pain management and rehabilitation, and basic scientists working in the field. Reflects the efforts of almost 100 scientists and clinicians from throughout the world Offers comprehensive coverage ranging from anatomy and physiology, clinical conditions and associated therapies, to recently developed research techniques Explores the role of fascia as a bodywide communication system Presents the latest information available on myofascial force transmission which helps establish a scientific basis for given clinical experiences Explores the importance of fascia as a sensory organ - for example, its important proprioceptive and nociceptive functions which have implications for the generation of low back pain Describes new imaging methods which confirm the connectivity of organs and tissues Designed to organize relevant information for professionals involved in the therapeutic manipulation of the body’s connective tissue matrix (fascia) as well as for scientists involved in basic science research Reflects the increasing need for information about the properties of fascia, particularly for osteopaths, massage therapists, physiotherapists and other complementary health care professionals Offers new insights on the fascial related foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine Meridians and the fascial effects of acupuncture