The motor system is embedded in soft tissue which has to follow its movement by shifting and stretching. Impairment of soft tissue mobility therefore can disturb motor function not merely mechanically, but by reflex mechanisms. 1 Dr. Douchova emphasized palpation as mandatory for diagnosis and treatment with regard to determining the barrier. She stated that a barrier is diagnosed when we palpate the first sign of tissue resistance. The normal barrier is elastic.
Resistance increases gradually, and the barrier can be easily sprung.
The pathological barrier restricts free range and is abrupt. Treatment follows by engaging the barrier in the restricted direction and waiting for release, hardly changing the force used. This makes soft tissue treatment so specific that one can speak of soft tissue manipulation. I spoke on integrative fascial release and slightly differed with Lewit by stating that there were two barriers, an elastic barrier and a collagenous viscous barrier. This concept originated with Barnes.