The anatomy models that we’ve been using to base movement and function training are rapidly evolving at the moment. Thomas Myers’ description of anatomy trains and the application of his concepts to movement by pioneers such as Paul Taylor and Ian O’Dwyer has helped bring this change about.

If you’ve been academically trained as a movement therapist you’ve most likely learnt your anatomy from a traditional isolated muscle theory in which muscles are presented as structures that are independent from other muscles and other regions of the body. In isolation, muscles attach from bone to bone and shorten or resist stretch.

For those who haven’t been exposed to the concept of anatomy trains, simply put anatomy trains is a theory that links parts of the body with straps and slings of muscle and fascia. These anatomy trains allow parts of the body to connect and communicate. See Figure 1 showing Anatomy trains mapped out on the body.

The anatomy models that we’ve been using to base movement and function training are rapidly evolving at the moment. Thomas Myers’ description of anatomy trains and the application of his concepts to movement by pioneers such as Paul Taylor and Ian O’Dwyer has helped bring this change about.

If you’ve been academically trained as a movement therapist you’ve most likely learnt your anatomy from a traditional isolated muscle theory in which muscles are presented as structures that are independent from other muscles and other regions of the body. In isolation, muscles attach from bone to bone and shorten or resist stretch.

For those who haven’t been exposed to the concept of anatomy trains, simply put anatomy trains is a theory that links parts of the body with straps and slings of muscle and fascia. These anatomy trains allow parts of the body to connect and communicate. See Figure 1 showing Anatomy trains mapped out on the body.

Figure 1. Anatomy Trains

Another term that is commonly used in anatomy trains is “myofascial meridians” – myo =muscle (needs no further explanation), - fascial = fascia.  Fascia is the connective tissue throughout the body encasing every muscle fibre. Connective tissue cells are also the building blocks for bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and more.  The term meridian is simply a line of pull, not to be confused with meridians used in acupuncture.

Anatomy trains are not established in science – but are certainly proven in a clinical sense.  Try some of the pointers in this article and I’m sure you’ll agree.  In the words of my supervisor for my postgraduate thesis Will Hopkins from AUT “practitioners are usually 5 years ahead of science”.   We’ll have to wait for the research to catch up.

An even newer model of how the body is structured to change shape will be released in 2011 by Phillip Beach entitled “Muscles and Meridians - The manipulation of shape”. I have been lucky enough to be exposed to a great deal of Phillip’s work – it is a highly logical, highly researched model.  Phillip’s concepts, like Thomas Myers’, are likely to change the practice of bodywork and movement forever – you (may have) heard it here first folks!

The Superficial Back Line

The function of the Superficial back line (SBL) is to stop you curling up into foetal position (see Figure 2).  This line is made up of some of the densest fascia in the body (sacrotuberous ligament, Achilles tendon, and thoracolumbar fascia as this line needs to support sustained upright posture.  The SBL runs down the back of the body and moves the body in the sagittal plane.

Figure 2. The Superficial Back Line

Common problems that are associated with the SBL are restricted ankle dorsiflexion, hyperextended knees, short hamstrings, sway posture (posterior pelvic tilt and forward pelvis), and upper cervical extension – all familiar problems to anyone working with bodies.

Here are a few tips for you to influence the SBL.  Firstly, get a feel of your SBL by bending forwards with straight legs letting your head hang down.  You could you choose to work on any area of the SBL, for example hamstrings or lumbar erectors. However, working at control points such as the plantar fascia and also the suboccipitals is extremely effective.  Due to myofascial connections, we’ll use plantar fascia release to reduce tightness in lumbar spine, hamstrings, and sub occipitals.   You can use your hands or preferably knuckles on the plantar fascia.  However, don’t go too hard or too fast.  Spend 2-3 minutes working - slow and steady wins the race here.  Release the entire plantar fascia, rather than only the medial border.  Think of a triangle with its base running from the base of the 1st and 5th metatarsal heads to the apex at the heel.  Alternately if you have clients with stinky feet or to self release stand on a tennis or golf ball to generate pressure.  Retest your forward bend.  This control point at the plantar fascia can radically change the SBL.

If plantar fascia release has a pronounced effect on your forward bend consider including this in your warm up, and also look to get more stimulation through your feet by wearing thin-soled or no footwear on a regular basis.

The suboccipitals at the base of the skull are highly proprioceptive muscles with a massive 36 muscle spindles per gram of muscle.  Compare this with gluteus maximus which has a mere 0.7 spindles / gram.  The suboccipitals are highly related to eye movements, jaw function and also breathing.  Paul Chek classes vision, mastication (chewing), and respiration as the highest priority reflexes in his survival totem pole - a system he devised to prioritise treatment.  He proposes that the body will look to optimise these important functions over all others in the body.  Tension in the suboccipitals can elevate tension right throughout the SBL.  Techniques to release tension in the suboccipitals and skull powerfully influence the SBL.  Suboccipital release techniques won’t be covered in this article, but I would encourage all therapists to learn release techniques for this area.  Thomas Myers’ second edition of Anatomy Trains is a great place to start for further reading.

I hope that this article has helped you get an overview of the concept of anatomy trains.  Please try the techniques outlined above.  Ian O'Dwyer's New Zealand workshops "Fascia, movement, fun...a more successful approach" will go into these concepts and more in depth.   We hope to see you there to learn more about this work.