4-19-82

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to share with you (and present for investigation to our Research Committee) some thoughts about a heavy word: scoliosis.

I seem to have worked on an unusual number of children recently, with different variations on the same theme: spinal curvatures and distortions. I perceived some common textural impressions from their flesh and have these thoughts to present:

1) Bone growth, from embryo to adult presents the same general picture: bone growth pushing into (and aside) connective tissue matrices.

2) While the lines of strain and resistance within the tissue immediately surrounding the bone are readily apparent (and indeed help polarize muscle cell orientation), there must be corresponding strain in the organism itself in its own basic polarization. Not only must proximal and distal heads of the femur set up strain in the flesh they slowly thrust into, but the cranium and pelvic floor must also thrust into fascial resistance.

3) This scenario is appropriate. The mechanisms of growth don’t often err. But if the innate resistance of the fascial web is greater than normal, the bones must compromise and not grow as long (or as straight) as they might like. A femur could end up shorter than appropriate, because the biological pressures exerted by its osteoblasts could not overcome the resistance of the medium it was growing into.

4) The entire web of the organism must feel all the combined strains of its parts as they add together. The entire erector spinae stretch as the infant spine elongates. AND WHEN THE BASIC INTEGRITY OF THE ENTIRE FASCIAL WEB IS TOO SEVERE; SCOLIOSIS IS THE INEVITABLE RESULT.

5) When my mind held this model and focused on the lengthening and softening of very broad and extensive fascial planes, I got tremendous results. Of course, other causes of scoliosis exist. I found this model powerful and effective, and I wish you all well in its application.

Tom McCombs
Certified Rolfer
Boulder, ColoradoThoughts About Scoliosis