MUSCLES: TENDONS AND FASCIA AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BEND

April 1st, 2009 by admin in Healthy bones Osteoporosis Rheumatic

When you start to lean forwards, the muscles of the back become active and tensed in order to counter the effects of gravity on the upper half of the body which is now forward of the hips, so that the trunk is cantilevered from the pelvis. There is a compensatory movement of the hips backwards to maintain the line of gravity within the base of support. On further bending, however, as the hands pass the level of the knees, the back muscles stop working and the strain is taken by the ligaments. The restraint on the spine by either muscles or ligaments imposes a force on it which compresses the vertebral bodies and discs. The muscles of the hip, thigh and back are strongly active when holding the trunk in the forward position, and have to become even more active to bring the body upright again. The muscles do not resume their stronger work until the hips are again at right angles. (All muscles have the ability to actively relax as well as contract.)

Tendons and fascia-The muscles in the arms and legs are attached to the bones by means of tendons (sinews) which are tough, fibrous elongations of the muscle fibres. The muscles attached to the vertebrae are not always connected by tendons; in some places very tough, thin sheets of connective tissue, called fascia, connect the muscles to the vertebrae. A big band of fascia runs down the neck, becoming rectangular across the nape. There is another big, rectangular sheet of fascia at waist level. When the muscles are working strongly, the fascia and tendons take the strain at the point where they are attached to the bone.

*13\111\2*