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Fascia is the “sensor” for the coupling response of manipulative therapies

筋膜是手法治疗耦合应答的“传感器”

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Abstract

Fascia, the initial response site for mechanical stimulation in manipulations, is also the target of the effect of manipulations. As the essence of manipulation is “force”, how mechanical stimuli are transduced into neuroelectric and biochemical signals in the fascia and how physical and chemical signals of the fascia initiate the mechanical stimulation effect are the common key questions in the study of the principle of manipulation. The physical changes in the fascial connective tissue caused by the manipulation, such as the deformation and displacement of the fascial tissue, can act on the nerve end receptors in the fascial layer and generate neural electrical signals; they can also activate the mechanoreceptors on the fascial cell membrane and convert mechanical signals into chemical signals via mechanosensitive ion channel transduction, triggering a physicochemical coupling response in the fascial microenvironment and producing mechanical stimulation through neuro-endocrine-immune system pathways. The “mechanical force of manipulation” in the fascia is transmitted through the meridian to facilitate the body’s perception and transmission of mechanical stimulation signals, indicating that the fascia is the “sensor” of coupled response to the physicochemical information of mechanical stimulation of manipulation.

摘要

筋膜作为手法力学刺激的初始应答部位, 也是手法的效应靶点。手法以“力”为本质特征, 其机械力学刺激 在筋膜如何转导为神经电信号和生物化学信号, 筋膜的理化信号如何启动力学刺激效应, 是手法作用原理研究中的 共性关键性问题。手法引起筋膜结缔组织物理变化, 如筋膜组织的形变位移等, 可作用于筋膜层神经末梢感受器, 产生神经电信号; 也可激活筋膜细胞膜上的力学感受器, 经机械敏感性离子通道转导将力学信号转化为化学信号, 触发筋膜微环境理化耦合应答, 通过神经-内分泌-免疫系统途径产生力学刺激效应。“手法机械力”在筋膜通过循经 感传, 促进机体感知并传递力学刺激信号, 表明筋膜是手法力学刺激物理化学信息耦合应答的“传感器”。

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Major Project of Natural Science Research in Anhui Province (安徽省高校自然科学研究项目重大项目, No. KJ2021ZD0062); TCM Health Science and TCM Rehabilitation Open Subject of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine (安徽中医药大学中医养生学及中医康复学学科开放课题, No. 2022ZJXK07); Key Project of Natural Science Research in Anhui Province (安徽省高校自然科学研究重点项目, No. 2023AH050725).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China

    Lulu Cheng  (程露露) & Zhaohui Chen  (陈朝晖)

  2. Graduate School, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, 430079, China

    Lulu Cheng  (程露露) & Siyu Wang  (王思雨)

  3. College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004, China

    Qinggang Wu  (吴庆港)

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  1. Lulu Cheng  (程露露)
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Contributions

The study was designed by CHENG Lulu, WANG Siyu, WU Qinggang, and CHEN Zhaohui. CHENG Lulu wrote the first draft. WANG Siyu and WANG Qinggang corrected the manuscript. CHEN Zhaohui supervised the conduct of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zhaohui Chen  (陈朝晖).

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First Author: CHENG Lulu, M.D., lecturer

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Cheng, L., Wang, S., Wu, Q. et al. Fascia is the “sensor” for the coupling response of manipulative therapies. J. Acupunct. Tuina. Sci. 22, 81–90 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11726-024-1423-7

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