ABR emphasises 3 essential concepts in describing the functional role of smooth muscles or internal myofascia with respect to the body's biomechanical structure:
Hydraulic (or hydraulic/pneumatic) skeleton. This concept highlights the structural roll of the smooth muscles - in comparison to the classical definition of the «hard», bony skeleton as being that which carries the sole responsibility for the body's structure. Smooth muscles and other structures of internal myofascia are the membranes that maintain the shape of the body, with an effect similar to the whitish-coloured membranes within a grapefruit. These tissues envelop and ensheath the major bodily cavities (cranial, thoracic, abdominal etc.), enwrap each of the bodies individual organs (lungs, liver, stomach etc.) and sustain the smallest compartments within each of the bodies system. It is the hydraulic quality of the smooth muscles that administers inner strength and form. The term 'hydraulic skeleton' is used most frequently by ABR for convenience.
A normal "hydraulic skeleton" provides normal alignment of the bony skeleton and normality of skeletal muscles - allowing normal motor function.
Am abnormal, weakened "hydraulic skeleton" results in the collapse of the musculoskeletal system and impossibility of motor function.
Visceral skeleton (visceral core) is the name used for the observation and discovery that the structures comprising the hydraulic skeleton serve as the body's core and define the mechanical foundation of the internal organs for the body's structure.
Hydraulic/pneumatic capacity characterizes the "strength" and volume of the hydraulic/ pneumatic skeleton and the quality of «hydraulic support» that it gives to the musculoskeletal system.
The term pneumatic capacity summarizes several main characteristics:
The level of pressure necessary for the development of sufficient internal volumes.
The size of internal volumes.
The level of strength of the myofascial membranes that is necessary to achieve the normal internal pressure/volume ratio. This is in turn required to sustain the challenges of gravity and of the external atmospheric pressure.
The objective of ABR is to restore proper tone to the smooth muscles/internal myofascia, which in a cascade effect restores proportions and alignment of the skeleton. During this process, the muscle tone is normalized and the arms and legs develop increasing muscle mass, normal range of mobility, and finally: sufficient strength - so that the children can develop their movements in normal spontaneous ways. All other approaches address the skeletal muscles directly. Nevertheless, such a direct approach proves to give limited results. ABR sees the direct approaches as the ones addressing the "tip of the iceberg". The underwater part is the smooth muscles.
What are the smooth muscles?
The smooth muscles are the ones that make up the internal organs, such as the liver, lungs, kidneys, intestines, etc.
Why address the smooth muscles?
ABR considers the smooth muscles as the "primary victims" of the brain injury. As their tone significantly drops, following brain injury, the secondary victims are the structures of musculoskeletal system, which distort as a result causing cerebral palsy as the disorder of posture and movement.
The total surface of the lining of internal organs is enormous in comparison to their respective volumes. For example the total active surface of the lungs is about 900 sq. feet (80 sq.m.) in relation to a volume that is approximately 3 litres. This huge surface is necessary for efficient metabolism. On the other hand, it seals the internal hydraulic volume that composes the walls that hold the shape of the bodily cavities. ABR recognizes the importance of the strength of this lining made of smooth muscles (internal myofascia) for the proper development of a human body and, particularly of the musculoskeletal system, which is supported by this internal "hydraulic skeleton". ABR considers the smooth muscles to be the primary victims of a brain injury. As their tone drops following a brain injury, the secondary victims are the structure of the musculo-skeletal system, which in turn collapses - changing the normal alignment of muscles and bones and shifting the distances between points of muscular attachments. Such shift of attachments in turn causes the skeletal muscles imbalance: i.e. spasticity and contractures. Finally, such muscular imbalance makes normal movements impossible. The resulting pathological diagnosis is cerebral palsy, as a disorder of posture and muscle control.
This is why ABR proposes a unique technique to administer kinetic input directly to smooth muscles.
ABR is the first and the only approach that recognizes the fundamental role of smooth muscles in the development of the musculoskeletal system.
Unfortunately, in traditional medicinal practice the internal organs are looked upon only from the viewpoint of chemical metabolism, while, on the other hand, the biomechanical approach does not normally focus on anything other than the classical skeleton comprised of «muscles and bones».
Strengthening of the smooth muscles induces gradual growth of internal pneumatic capacity, which in a cascade effect restores:
volume, shape and strength of the neck and trunk,
normal alignment of the joints of the limbs, eliminating spasticity and contractures,
normal volume and then strength of weakened skeletal muscles,
normal alignment of the shoulder girdle and arms as well as pelvis and legs - allowing normal "insertion" of arms and legs and thus making proper movements possible.
Moreover, restoration of muscular skeletal structure re-establishes normal metabolism (flow of blood and oxygen supply) of 'defective', atrophied muscles and, in addition, normal electrical ascending activity to the brain, opening wide the "back door" to function.
