Syn.Spinal Mechanics

Spinal Mechanics

Synergetic Spinal Mechanics and PPT Manipulation

The word “synergetic” means that the resulting outcome is bigger than the component parts.

In relation to spinal mechanics the word synergetic is used to describe ‘real world’ movements. In other words the movements of ambulation, rotation and side-bending human beings take for granted in everyday life.

If you take a singular cogwheel in a mechanical clock , in itself the movement is insignificant but when you put it together with other cogwheels working in precise harmony, their combined output is capable of accurately turning the hands of the clock. No one cogwheel or one small set of cogwheels on their own would be capable of this.

When we look at the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae the most obvious difference is the direction of their antero-posterior curves and the shapes of their facets. The shapes of the facets are illustrated in figures A and B immediately below.

We know from our tests that the combination of side-bending and rotation or, rotation and side-bending in the individual lumbar joints provides extremely limited rotation. Yet we know as humans that we can apparently rotate our lumbar spines quite considerably. So we know something additional is going on here rather than mere focused movement.

If we look again at the opposing shapes of the lumbar and thoracic facets we begin to appreciate the complexity of the mechanism for the synergetic movement we take for granted. Supposing that you could account for how the lumbar rotates and you could account for how the thoracic rotate, what happens when these two types of facet and curves meet at L1/T12? Further, what about the mechanics allowing for the change in facet shape and design from lumbar figure A to the S/I joint in figure C? And what about the C/D junction?

It was simple observations like this that caused J.R.Bayliss to seriously question the currently accepted theories on spinal mechanics.

Both his DVD ‘Spinal Mechanics and Bony Locking for Health Professionals’ and his book ‘The Theory of Synergetic Spinal Mechanics and PPT Manipulation’ cover and demonstrate a plausible theory for how the whole spine and sacroiliac joints move to produce harmonious synergetic movement.

Synergetic Spinal Mechanics