non-critical points in the device. These are deliberately designed to fail and disintegrate should the machinery become severely compromised, thus protecting more critical components. Could the unstable joints, in fact, be sacrificial joints (see Figure 1)? What about the lower lumbar spine? The spinal cord is a key core structure that must be pro-tected. However, as we know, the spinal cord ends at the level of L2 or L3. Thus, the neurological structures of the lower lumbar spine (cauda equina) – composed of separate nerve tracts, each protected by the meninges – are much less vulnerable to serious damage. People with lower lumbar injury tend to have much less debil-itating impairment than those with direct spinal cord injuries. Thus, the response of the lower lumbar spine fits the model of instability that I had been formulating. Matrix Repatterning is a gentle form of manual therapy, based on a recent understanding of the ultrastructure of the body, specifically the intracellular and extracellular matrix, and their influence on structural, mechanical and physiological properties of the body. The basic premise is that gentle manual therapy applied to areas of the body identified as primary restrictions can help to restore the functional capacity of tissue, reinstating its elastic and electrochemical properties. Primary restrictions are often located in the deep core structures within the skeletal frame (referred to as intraosseous lesions), and the flu-id-filled thoracic and abdomino-pelvic areas, directly related to the spine, pelvis and rib cage. These injury patterns are often associated with impact injuries, such as falls, sports injuries and motor vehicle collisions. Remarkably, treatment of primary restrictions, often located in remote parts of the body, using Matrix Repat-terning, appears to immediately restore stability in certain joints. What could account for this response? It is my theory that there may be a feedback mechanism, medi-ated by spinal reflexes or mechanical-electro-chemical signals generated within the extracellular matrix (ECM). These systems may be able to monitor potentially threat-ening injuries, and respond by triggering inhibitory or excitatory efferent neurons (spinal/neurological level), or via the production of electro-chemical signals to activate specific tonal structural proteins within the ECM. Whatever the mechanism may be, it appears to allow the body to rapidly modulate stability of the peripheral, appendicular joints, as well as – notably – the lower lum-bar spine. Practitioners, trained in Matrix Repatterning, have confirmed that joint stability is often restored when the underlying primary restrictions are properly addressed. In this way, they have been able to help many conditions associated with joint instability, resulting in significant clinical improvement. Further research is also required to assess the effec-tiveness of this approach on the possible reversal or prevention of degenerative changes associated with these joints. www.canadianchiropractor.ca Turning joint stability back on Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College September 2014 Canadian Chiropractor 23
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor September 2014: Page 23
