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ELDOA Tip #4: The Physiologic Role of Water & The Intervertebral Disc

By February 26, 2016March 2nd, 2016ELDOA News Blog

In the ELDOA 1 course, we explain to clients that “the ELDOA opens a vertebral segment allowing the disc to ‘suck water’ in like a sponge.” In ELDOA 2, practitioners learn that physiologically, the ground substance of fascia consists mainly of water, but not ordinary water. The disc is a fascia. The water is stabilized by a complex of GAGs, proteoglycans and glycoproteins. The effect of GAGs in the water is similar to that of gelatin. Because of the presence of proteins bound to the water, the water in our bodies is more similar to a GEL-SOL state. The water content of fascia (or lack thereof) determines the stiffness, and that stretching or compression of the fascia causes water to be extruded (like a sponge) making the tissues pliable, (or not).

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