36 - Miofascial Chain: Spiral Line Dissection as a Translational Basis

Poster Board Number: 36
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Abstract Body : INTRODUCTION. The fascial system permeates the entire body and its study is the key to understanding the complexity of body movement, posture maintenance and homeostasis. The existence of connections between the different body segments, the myofascial chains, initially described by Myers, isresponsible for receiving and transmitting mechanometabolic information and perfectly reflects body continuity. When the fascial continuum is altered by systemic disorders, mechanotransducer stimulican lead to loss of their functions and structural properties. Different approaches refer to myofascial chains as the target of therapies for chronic pain and physical and postural rehabilitation. Recognizing the anatomical elements of the myofascial chains is a way to apply a translational basis for these structures. Among the different myofascial chains , the spiral line stands out, because it functions posturally to wrap the body in a double spiral that helps to maintain balance across all planes.
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the continuity of the elements forming the Spiral Line through dissection in a fixed cadaver.
METHOD: An adult cadaver, preserved in Larsen’s solution, was dissected at the Morphology Department/Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences. Myofascial planes of the Spiral Line was demonstrated in the following sequence: Occipital tip / mastoid process / atlas and axis; head and neck splenius muscles; rhomboids major and minor muscles; medial border of the scapula; serratus anterior m.; side ribs; external oblique m.; semilunar line; posterior blade of rectus abdominais muscle; linea alba; contralateral semilunar linea; internal oblique m.; iliac crest; tensor fascia lata m.; iliotibial tract; lateral condyle of the tibia; anterior tibial m.; base of 1st metatarsal; m. peroneus longus; fibula head; m. biceps femoris; ischial tuberosity; sacrotuberous ligament; sacrum; thoracolumbar aponeurosis; spinal erectors muscles; contralateral rhomboid major m.; occipital tip; mastoid process; atlas and axis.
RESULTS: The spiral line was fully demonstrated, with the dissection of muscle, tendon and fascial components. It was evidenced that the myofascial elements of the Spiral Line are arranged in a body plane that establishes morphological continuity between them.
CONCLUSION. This dissection showed the anatomical topography of the Spiral Line and the continuity of its elements, forming one of the myofascial chains.The morphological continuity in plane of the elements of the Spiral line corroborate its functional aspects related to balance and posture maintenance. Despite the myofascial chains are based on valid concepts, they are theoretical representations that need to understand the fascial behavior in the presence of anatomical variations or of pathologies and how these variables can affect the adaptation of the myofascial continuum.