The human body is composed of four tissue types: epithelium, muscle, connective and nerve. Everything in the human body is made from these four basic tissues. Connective tissue was given its name because it "connects", and thus holds, the other tissues together. Connective tissue includes tissues that produce blood cells [hemopoietic tissue], the blood cells themselves
and the strong supporting types of connective tissue, these include bone, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, fascia, etc.
The strong supportive types of connective tissues have two components: The living cells [like osteocytes, chondrocytes, fibroblasts etc.] A non-living intercellular substance; this non-living intercellular substance is produced by the living cells. The chief role of these living cells is to produce and maintain the intercellular substances.
Collagen is a protein. It is the primary protein produced as intercellular substance by the living cells of the strong supporting types of connective tissue. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. Most of the collagen in our bodies is produced by the fibroblasts.
Dr. Cailliet noted that ideally, at the contact points between these , the points of intersection become fibrotic and "stick together" resulting in a "loss of flexibility."
James Oschman, PhD, notes that the cytoskeletons of all of the cells in the body are physically and mechanically linked to the collagenous connective tissue extracellular matrix. Proteins called "integrins" do the trans-cellular linking. The molecules that link the cell interior with the extracellular collagenous matrix are these integrins.
Likewise there is a physical mechanical link
between the cellular cytoplasmic matrix and the nuclear envelope, nuclear matrix, and the DNA of the genes / chromosomes. This physical continuum, beginning with the skin and extending to the genetic material, can be affected physically as a consequence of postural distortions, injury, physical stress and scar tissue, resulting in alterations in expression of our genetic material. Dr.
Oschman notes that this entire interconnected system is called the: "Connective tissue - cytoskeleton" matrix or the "tissue - tensegrity" matrix."
Our bodies behave as a tensegrity system. A tensegrity system is characterized by a series
of continuous tensional networks. This means that the entire body is physically interconnected. A stress on one part of the system will spread to other parts of the system. This includes the genome and its genetic expression. One can change the genomic expression of DNA by alterations of physical stress.
All of the components of our bodies, from the skin to the genome are physically and mechanically interlinked by a connective tissue collagen matrix and integrins. This is often referred to as the the "tensigrity matrix."
Tensegrity accounts for the ability of the body to absorb impacts without being damaged. Mechanical energy flows away from a site of impact throughout the tensegrous living matrix.
Dr. Oschman explains that the most significant influence on the tensegrity matrix is our alignment in the gravity field. He notes that gravity is the most potent physical influence in any human life. Simple mechanical calculations reveal that gravity gives rise to surprisingly large forces within the body as a consequence of levers that amplify the forces exerted on joints and other tissues.
The gravity system connects, via integrins, to the cytoskeleton of the cells throughout the body. Therefore an imbalance in one part of the body will affect the whole body and thus the function and performance of every living being.
Tensegrity is a design principle that describes a structure in which a discontinuous series of compression elements are balanced by the tensile forces.
This creates an internal pre-stress which actually balances the entire structure. The same principle applies to the human body. The discontinuous compression elements (bones) are balanced by the tensile forces of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia.
When these compression and tensile forces are balanced within the human framework, we have very little stress on our joints, in other words the joints are basically floating in the tensile elements.
It seems vital to correct our tensegrity compensation as soon as possible to minimize the unnecessary pressure and the wear and tear on the joints of our body.
Everyone on the planet is affected by a tensegrity compensation, because everyone is affected by birthing trauma.