FunctionalAnatomyBLOG’s top 3 rated posts of 2012

I figure I would get this out before our impending doom on December 21st!!

#3 – Case Review:  Post surgical management of 23 year old elite hockey player with a glenohumeral revision managed with Functional Range Release (F.R.)® techniques

In this post we reviewed a very interesting and challenging case of a 23 year old hockey player who had underwent several G/H revisions for his recurring instability/dislocations.  On the final revision the surgeon choose to use an achilles allograft which severely limited the patients shoulder ROM.  The case walks you through a typical thought process utilized in the Functional Range Release ® method covering concepts of assessment (mechanical tension vs. neurological tightness), treatment (using F.R.® release technique), and rehabilitation using P.A.I.L.s (Progressive Angular Isometric Loading) as well as some Functional Range Conditioning (FRC)™ concepts.

#2 – Developing intrinsic foot strength using FRC™ methods

In this post we review an entire program of progressive intrinsic foot strengthening with the hopes of improving foot control and strength.  As is noted in the video, it is my intension with all of my patients to end their reliance on extrinsic foot support (shoes, orthotics, etc) and replace it with good intrinsic control.  This process helps to prevent some debilitating foot conditions (planar fascists, metatarsalgia, etc) as well as promotes good lower limb proprioceptive awareness.  This post is a must see especially for those interested in bare foot running/training.

#1 – Why neither foam rolling nor instrument assisted soft tissue techniques should be considered myofascial release

People love controversy!  Coming in as the number one rated blog post of the year is the argument we posed that two of the currently most utilized treatment modalities are NOT achieving the intended goals!  In this small video demonstration we see why neither foam rolling, nor instrument based techniques can create relative tissue motion and hence cannot be assumed to effectively break down adhesion or scar tissue.

Honorable mentions:

– The Connective Tissue Continuum: Is it more extensive than we give it credit for? – discussing the interconnectivity of human cellular histology

– In response to “Fascia Science: Stretching the power of manual therapy – by Dr. Greg Lehman” – a long-winded Dr. Spina rant discussing a bit of everything

– “Stability”…a misunderstood concept:  Why stability does NOT mean rigidity — discussing the misconception that to be ‘stable’ means you must restrict motion

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