CONNECTIVE TISSUE SOFT TISSUE

that can disturb the body’s fundamental homeostatic balance. It is the major part of the neuro-endocrine system used to regulate stress – it also regulates many other processes including immune system support.

Although the focus of this article is on the steroid-based

hormone cortisol and its relationship to connective tissue, it is also important to understand its role in the context of the wider endocrine system.

CONNECTIVE TISSUE More and more evidence is surfacing to suggest that much of the body’s connective tissue is in fact attached together as one single piece of material that joins bones to bones, brain to toe, hand to mouth, muscle to ligament, provides shape to our organs and binds our muscles in a beautiful network that holds the human form together in one entity. The make-up of each individual piece of connective tissue within this network, contains specific roles relating to the movement, structure and form of the human body and directly influences the scope of performance in an athlete. Coupled with this, the environment of connective tissue nurtures cellular activity (discussed later) and has profound implications on the immunological and metabolic pathways in the body. Connective tissue is made up of cells including fibroblasts, leukocytes and macrophages, with the fibrous parts being collagen, reticular and elastic fibres.

Properties of connective tissue Connective tissue is in its essence very diverse. Its properties allow it to take different forms ranging from loose to dense connective tissue through to cartilage and bone. Because of its variability in form, it is not limited to one single function and instead has many roles. n Loose connective tissue - can be found in great quantities, examples include skin and the tissues surrounding our organs n Dense connective tissue - forms the basis of our ligaments and tendons n Cartilage is also a form of connective tissue and has its own unique properties depending on its role within the body. Some has more elasticity than others. For example harder cartilage protects the ends of our joints while softer forms create the structure of our nose and ears. n Bone is another form of connective tissue and is full of very dense extracellular matrix and osteocytes (bone building and shaping cells).

It is the arrangement of the different components of

connective tissue that determine the structure and function of the particular tissue. There are many ways that this connective tissue network can be affected by nutritional, hormonal and physical deficiencies as well as administered drugs and all these have the potential to damage the cellular interaction of the tissue and change the way the body behaves internally as well as externally.

Communication by connective tissue Current research and medical hypotheses are now suggesting that connective tissue functions not only as a network of support and structure to surrounding tissue and organs, but also as a body-wide mechano-sensitive signalling network (1). Electrical, cellular and tissue remodelling activity have each been considered as signalling pathways within

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the connective tissue framework. Cell-to-cell connections in the form of a fibroblast web have been observed and form the basis of the cellular communication network (2). This network could be affected by a whole range of factors including changes in posture, form and hormonal activity and in turn, have profound implications on the health of integrated and individual systems alike. Connective tissue in this form, represents an unbroken chain of communication and seems to respond to piezoelectric stimuli. It appears that distortions in the body’s energy, as a result of injury or trauma, can manifest themselves physically, sometimes along specific acupuncture meridians, in the form of trigger points, adhesions and fibrosis. Alternatively if we find the fascia to be healthy, well hydrated and without pathologies, energy seems to travel a lot quicker and more freely. These ideas are currently gaining ground and seem to intuitively make sense due to the compensation patterns within fascia e.g. twisting, pulling and organising around specific points or fulcrums and groups of points.

CT and the HPA axis Three elements of connective tissue that are directly influenced by the HPA axis are: n the ground substance, n osteoblast activity n fibroblast activity.

The osteoblast and fibroblast cells help to build

structures like skin, bone, tendon and fascia, while the ground substance, with its ability to hold water, acts as a support and filtration system. Each piece of the connective tissue matrix is influenced by varying factors including metabolism, pharmaceuticals, growth hormones, injury repair and dietary input. It is therefore logical to assume that any change in the properties of the connective tissues due to these factors, could change the biomechanics of the individual. In this article we will focus specifically on the direct influence of cortisol modulation.

The endocrine system The endocrine system is a system of glands, each of which secretes a type of hormone to regulate the body. It is fundamental to maintaining the internal physiology of the body. The system aids us in adapting to constant environmental change as well as changing behaviour (3). Hormones target specific cell receptors and activate strong biochemical responses in the body, including stimulation of the immune response, growth, electrolyte balance, blood nutrient balance and reproduction (4). The chemical messengers can significantly alter the activity of the target cells, even at very low concentrations. The active agents can be divided into three general groups: n tyrosine amino acids n protein/peptide hormones n steroidal hormones.

MAINTAINING THE INTERNAL PHYSIOLOGY OF THE BODY

THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM IS FUNDAMENTAL TO

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