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90 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 lumbodorsal fascia. Conversely, the attachment site of the hamstrings on the ischial tuberosity is small, so the forces are more concentrated there. When high-tension forces are concentrated in a small area, there is an increased risk of tension injury. Injuries. Tension forces play significant roles in soft-tissue injuries, with the most common examples being muscle strains and ligament sprains. In these injuries, the two ends of the soft tissue are pulled apart. The tissue will stretch to some degree first, but will eventually tear if tension forces are maintained or increased. Another example of tension forces producing soft-tissue injuries is neural tension disorders. In these conditions, nerve tissue is overstretched and begins to produce common neurological symptoms such as paresthesia, pain, and numbness. Neural tension injuries are frequently mistaken for some type of nerve compression problem because the symptoms are identical. That is why taking a thorough history and analyzing the biomechanics of any potential injury or movement is essential. Nerve compression and tension injuries will be treated with different strategies, so it is important to make this distinction. Treatment. Tension forces are used extensively in soft-tissue treatment as well. Numerous theories of movement restriction suggest that range-of- motion losses can be reversed by attempting to stretch or relax tissues. Tensile forces are applied to these tissues in an effort to encourage range-of-motion increases. New research emphasizes the role of tensile force applications in decreasing neurological resistance to a muscle's fully elongating. 3. Torsion Torsion is a twisting force. Most commonly, torsion force injuries involve a joint or joints (as in the spine). They happen when one body structure is held in place as the connecting structures are twisted. It would be a rare occurrence for an individual soft tissue that has attachments at both ends to experience pathological torsion, unless it is an extreme event. Injuries. It is easier to perceive torsion forces when applied to a larger region, such as a joint. For example, when a person is running and immediately attempts to change direction by planting a foot and turning the body, there is a torsion (rotary) force on the knee joint as a whole. There is torsion to the entire joint, but the individual ligaments of the knee are not actually being twisted. Another example of a torsion injury would occur when twisting and bending to pick something up. The impact of the torsion stress is exaggerated when combined with a compressive load such as lifting something heavy. Treatment. Rotational stretching is an example of how torsion is used in treatment. Another application in treatment involves twisting the skin, such as wringing your hands around a limb (Image 3). These maneuvers are often used in superficial myofascial techniques or those aimed at affecting the subcutaneous nerve tissue. 4. Bending Bending force is most relevant when you are discussing a rigid structure like bone. It is a combination of compression on one side of a structure and tension on the other. If you think about bending a metal rod, on the concave side there is increased compression, and on the convex side there is increased tension. Injuries. We don't think of bending force with soft tissues. However, bones are vulnerable. Think of a long bone that is bending in the middle. Keep in mind that 3 Twisting of the skin in a torsion force application.