Adaptive Muscle Shortening (AMS) is the real culprit behind the health-care crisis

ADAPTIVE MUSCLE SHORTENING (AMS) is a pervasive clinical finding that affects the entire population. Simply put, muscles are made of tiny strands of connective tissue that have a natural tendency to spontaneously undergo semi-permanent shortening. Nearly all muscle and joint pain syndromes can be directly linked to AMS. First it is the muscle tissue that shortens. Then the ligaments and joint capsule retract. This results in increased joint compression which produces and accelerates arthritis. This shortening is more notable in an athlete who fails to stretch properly, although AMS limits functional independence in the sedentary individual, and is largely responsible for “growing pains” in children. The only clinically proven method for offsetting this natural tendency for muscle tissue to shorten is to deliberately perform a daily stretching program.

Having correct posture (muscle balance) is vital to achieving and maintaining optimal health. In the human body, ideally it is muscle tone that maintains the bony segments in correct vertical alignment. When certain muscles are preferentially used due to occupation or sport, and there is no adequate stretching program in place, there will be a distortion of posture due AMS and related muscle imbalances. This results in much of the body's weight literally hanging off select muscle groups, which then act like a guide-wire, resulting in cramps, muscle fatigue and pain. Those are the local muscular effects. When faulty posture is left uncorrected, within a few months semi-permanent changes begin to occur within the dense connective tissue known as fascia. This deeper fascia separates muscle groups and encases delicate blood vessels and nerves. Since delicate blood vessels and nerves perforate most muscle tissue, disturbance of posture due to muscle shortening is likely to disrupt functioning of the nervous system and the internal organs, in addition to causing myofascial dysfunction.

The current health-care crisis is being exacerbated by AMS. The Medical treatment of fall-related injuries amongst the senior population currently costs the American economy $19 billion per year. It has been projected that by 2020 this figure may be near $55 billion per year ( adjusted to 2007 dollars). Then take into account the millions of dollars that are wasted on unnecessary CAT and MRI scans (since X- rays and scans observe the patient at rest, the failure to maintain correct dynamic posture during work, recreational and sporting activities is frequently overlooked) in cases where the only culprit is shortened muscle tissue! And let's not forget the millions of lost man hours and workmen's compensation claims for muscle and joint pain syndromes that affect the working-age population. Billions of dollars are wasted upon the prolonged management of a patient's SYMPTOMS (such as the overuse of prescriptive and over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medication) when a sound stretching and strengthening program would provide long-term relief of the CAUSES of muscle and joint pain syndromes at a fraction of our current health care expenditure, while promoting more active and productive lifestyles. The natural history of AMS amongst the elderly is for the calf and leg muscles to shorten to the point that step lengths are greatly reduced, slowing gait speed, resulting in declines in strength, balance and the cardiopulmonary system, ultimately increasing the risk of falls and shortening the lifespan. It is a national tragedy that elderly individuals are prematurely losing their physical independence due to a condition that is so easily avoidable and reversible as AMS.