Gang Concept Do old models have to be reconsidered?

Gang concept: Do old models have to be reconsidered? At the interdisciplinary Fascia Research Course from 21 to 26 March at the Academy of Science, Economics and Technology at the University of Ulm, Dr. Ing. Adjo Zorn, Rolfing therapist and research associate at the Fascia Research project of the University of Ulm presented a new model for the gait concept in humans.

Dr. Zorn pointed out that previous approaches were geared to anatomical details and topography. In these models, balance and the up and down movement of the body are considered energy loss mechanisms that add up. Our upper body needs to steadily decelerate and accelerate slightly on a flat plane while walking. A functional model, sees the elasticity and the involvement of the back on the walking motion as energy-saving components, which, in contrast to the traditional concept, subtract.

Professor Serge Gracovetsky, a researcher in the field of biomechanics in Canada, had already demonstrated in Ulm the day before in Ulm with a video presentation on the fascia course to people who could only walk on the seatbone bumps without legs. Building on this proof of the influence of the back on the human gait movement, the participants in the five-day course of Zorn saw a video of a dog that had been born without front legs. He was forced to walk upright, which worked. Also a video of a Greyhound, which used only one side a front and a rear leg to the successful locomotion, impressively occupied Zorns functional approach.

Zorn pointed out that the only two scientists who had previously considered the connective tissue plate of the back, the so-called lumbodorsal fascia (Lumbodorsal Fascia, LDF) in gait analysis, the researchers Serge Gracovetsky and the native of Holland clinical anatomist Andry Vleeming were.

According to this, the lumbodorsal fascia works elastically and works together with muscles of the buttocks. In this way, oscillations between pelvis, legs and arms can be transmitted and initiated. For clarification, Zorn used videos from Africa of so-called swing walkers. The Swingwalkers have a strong swinging pelvis movement when walking with their walking style called "Elastic Walking".

Turning to a functional perspective involving the human gait seems to be more likely to do justice to reality. Especially in terms of therapeutic use, clinicians and researchers in Ulm are doing pioneering work with their fascia research and the novel concept of this course, which serves to steadily expand the understanding of processes in the human organism. For one possible factor of back pain could be the lack of use of the elastic structures in our lower back. (Thorsten Fischer, Naturopath Osteopathy, 23.03.2010)

Additional information
Videos of „Swing Walker“ from dr. Adjo anger
What is osteopathy
Fascia Distortion Model FDM