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Fractals and Physical Therapy

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Fractals and Physical Therapy

 

What is a fractal?: a math equation. And what does a math equation have to do with your body?  It turns out, fractals create almost every aspect of your body.  Fractals create patterns that exist throughout nature.  This Romanesco broccoli has the same pattern in it if you zoom in as when you zoom out.  This pattern, the fractal, appears in nature time and time again.  We see it everywhere.  Scientists also used fractals to develop computer technology.  The use of fractals in this way allowed our electronic devices to get smaller and smaller.

 

So again, what does this fractal have to do with you?

Everything!

You come from nature, and therefore, have the fractal pattern throughout you.  The lining of your intestines follows a fractal pattern.  In your small intestine contains finger-like projections called villi.  Those villi contain finger-like projections called microvilli.  If you zoom in on either one, you see the same pattern.  Your blood vessels follow fractal patterns; your lymph system follows fractal patterns.  Even your heart beat follows fractal patterns.

 

Heart-beats follow fractal patterns?

 

Yes. Researchers have found that heart beat (1) and ventricular volume (2) follow fractal patterns.  They also find that those with heart conditions have heart beats that do not follow the fractal patterns as well as their healthy counterparts (3). Researchers now consider these factors as they look at medications and other cardiac treatments.

 

So what does this have to do with physical therapy?

 

The movement patterns in the body appear to have fractal components to them as well.  Several studies on gait analysis show variations in step length in healthy adults.  Researchers used to consider these variations “noise.”  Once they started studying them, they discovered these noises follow fractal patterns (4).  They also discovered those who did not show these noises in a fractal pattern had increased risk of fall and the fractal patterns decreased with certain conditions (5).

 

Another viewpoint for physical therapy and fractals is through the fascial system.  Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau, M.D first used a microscope while performing surgery to view these fascial structures.  I bet you can guess what he saw: fractals!!  Here is link to the video showing the facial system:    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW0lvOVKDxE

 

So what does this information mean for treatment options?

 

Now we get away from research and into options, theories, and subjective observations.  We can’t intellectualize how to create these fractal movement patterns; we can’t instruct taking steps that have fractal variations.  However, we may teach people how to feel the movements.  I believe that teaching mindfulness, body awareness, and mindful movement will help or patients and clients to restore these fractal movement patterns.  It won’t cure the Parkinson’s disease, but may help restore movement patterns in this population.  Or may help healthy people with injuries restore appropriate movement patterns.

 

For example, when I perform myofascial release on someone, I place my hands on them, and wait for their body to start to release.  From there, their body determines where my hand moves instead of me forcing their body to move in a certain direction.  This hasn’t been studied, but I believe this movement follows a fractal pattern.

 

 

You can create these movements for themselves at home.  Find a comfortable position, sitting or standing.  Then, take in a few deep breaths.  From here, you should tune into their bodies and observe what they feel in their bodies.  You may notice your body starting to move.  If so, they should let the movement happen.  Likely, the neck will start to sway.  Other body parts might start to move as well.  Allow these movements to occur.

 

This process, while different, feels incredibly restorative.  I use this technique when I have aches and pains, often finding they disappear after about 5-10 minutes.  Give it a try a couple of times: see if it works for you.  In conclusion, learning to work with fractals will require getting away from linear views of the body.  This process will frustrate many of us, but hopefully we will develop improved methods for pain, functional mobility, and balance.

 

 

 

 

 

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