FASCIAL MANIPULATION

I was more than happy to write this foreword to “Fascial Manipulation for Internal Dysfunctions” by Luigi Stecco, because I have always encouraged manual therapies dealing with internal dysfunctions. My enthusiasm derives from the extraordinary results I obtain using “Visceral Manipulation”, the method I have developed from my experiences as an osteopath. In recent years, many scholars have shifted their attention from the organs to their surrounding fasciae, but this is the first book to provide an overview of all the internal fasciae. Furthermore, it proposes a biomechanical model that defines the specific relations between organs, fasciae and musculoskeletal system, and it is supported by beautiful images of dissection that help to comprehend these relations. This book examines all facets of the fascia, showing how this is the only tissue of the human body that modifies its consistency when under stress (plasticity), yet it is capable of regaining its elasticity when subjected to manipulation (malleability) I particularly appreciate the concept of the tensile structures that explains perfectly how different trunk cavities can interact with the internal organs. In fact, the fasciae of the trunk are arranged according to the principles of tensile structures, allowing for ample trunk movements without interfering with internal organ function. This concept effectively shifts the therapist’s attention from the organ itself to its ‘container’, and treatment can then focus on recreating a suitable environment within which the organs can move according to their physiological rhythms.