DR FERNANDO BERTOLUCCI
MD, BSc
Luiz Fernando Bertolucci, MD is a biologist and physician. Specialized in physiatry (rehabilitation medicine), Fernando also studied SI Rolfingⓒ, graduated in 1990, and started applying it in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain patients. Around five years later, Fernando started seeing unexpected responses in his patients: involuntary muscle activity could be seen and palpated during the fascia-directed manipulation. This led him to endeavour in research to study such an intriguing phenomenon. Indeed, involuntary tonic muscle activity could be detected systematically with electromyography (see published articles) when a particular style of manipulation was used. Fernando then concluded that his way to deliver the fascial manipulation changed, unconsciously, along his initial years of practice. One of the distinct features of such manual style is that it integrates the patient’s body segments in a single whole, presumably through tensioning of the fascia web -thence the name Tensegrity Touch (tensegrity: tension+integrity)-. Currently Fernando is involved, along with a team of high level researchers of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, in a new research project to investigate the possible effects of Tensegrity Touch in the CNS. The hypothesis is that Tensegrity Touch evokes instinctive auto-regulatory behaviors, related to pandiculation (stretching and yawning). In fact, in some patients the involuntary muscle activity is strong enough to produce involuntary movements which resemble such behaviors. Tensegrity Touch could then be conceived as a sort of “assisted pandiculation” and, in so being, suits both the manipulation and the auto-regulatory actions to each individual’s current needs.
Symposium Presentations :
- 2007: I Fascia Research Congress, Boston, presentation: Evoking tonic reactions with myofascial touch: Moving towards objectivity?
- 2009: II Fascia Research Congress, Amsterdam, presentation: Sustained Manual Loading of the Fascial System Can Evoke Tonic Reactions: Preliminary Results.
- 2009: Muscle Repositioning workshop presented at II Fascia Research Congress, Amsterdam
- 2010: Muscle Repositioning workshop presented at the IASI (International Association of Structural Integrators) Symposium in Denver, May 2010
- 2018: Presentation: Opening of Event and Basic Notions of the Fascial System, shared with Dra Julia Greve at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20 , 2018
- 2018: Presentation: Clinical and Functional Alterations Related to Fascia shared with Dra Julia Greve at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20 , 2018
- 2018: Presentation: Manual and Movement Therapies in Myofascial Pain Treatment, shared with Dra Marta Imamura and Dr Eduardo Bracher at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20, 2018
- 2020 Presentation: “Fascia e Dor” (Fascia and Pain) at IX CINDOR (International Congress on Pain of the University of São Paulo), São Paulo, December 15, 2020
- 2021 Presentation”Manutenção da Saúde pelo Toque Terapêutico” (Health Maintenance through Therapeutic Touch) at XXVII Congresso Brasileiro de Medicina Física e Reabilitação, April 10, 2021
Teaching Experience :
- 1989-2000: Teacher of Basic Sciences (kinesiology, anatomy and physiology) at ABR (Associação Brasileira de Rolfing).
- 2000-present: Rolf Institute Anatomy Faculty, classes taught in Brazil, Japan, Indonesia (Bali).
- 2001-present: Co-creator and teacher of the Systemic Myofascial Release (Unit I) training program at ABR.
- 2000-present: Various Muscle Repositioning (Tensegrity Touch) workshops taught in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, USA, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.
- 2013-present: chair and teacher of Practices Based in the Body and Manipulation in the post-graduate program at Hospital Albert Einstein, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Education :
- 1982: Degree in Biology, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- 1986: Degree in Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- 1988: Specialty in Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), Centro de Reabilitação da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
- 1990: Rolfing Training Certification
- 1998: Rolfing Movement Certification
- 2000: Advanced Rolfing Certification
- 1993-present: Various workshops on Rolfing or related matters (e.g.: visceral manipulation, Structural Stretchings, Somatic Experiencing, anatomy, embriology)
Clinical Experience (Rehabilitation Medicine) :
- 1989-1992: Physician at Centro de Reabilitação da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
- 1992-1998: Physician at Centro de Reabilitação da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (USP).
- 1989-present: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) private practice.
Publications :
Book Chapters :
- 5 Book chapters published on Rehabilitation Textbooks (peripheral nerve injury, kinesiotherapy, functional anatomy and fascia-oriented therapies)
Articles :
- Muscle Repositioning: A new verifiable approach to neuro-myofascial release? J Bodyw Mov Ther, 2008 July: 12 (3): 213-224
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19083677/ - Pandiculation: nature’s way of maintaining the functional integrity of the myofascial system? J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2011 Jul;15(3):268-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.12.006. Epub 2011 Jan 14.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21665102/ - Sustained Manual Loading of the Fascial System Can Evoke Tonic Reactions: Preliminary Results. Int J Ther Mass Bodyw Vol 3 , Number 1 , 2010
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3091427/ - Muscle repositioning: combining subjective and objective feedbacks in the teaching and practice of a reflex-based myofascial release technique. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2010 Mar 17;3(1):26-35
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21589699/ - Pandiculation: an organic way to maintain musculoskeletal health. Terra Rosa E-Magazine, DEC 2011, pages 27-34
- Manually-Evoked Tensegrity and Pandiculation, Part 1, by Bertolucci, L.F. and Lobo, A. Structural Integration, December 2016: 19-23.
https://pedroprado.com.br/articles/manually-evoked-tensegrity-and-pandiculation-part-1/?lang=pb - Anne Hoff: The Blind Taylor and Biotensegrity: an Interview with Luiz Fernando Bertolucci. Structural Integration, December 2017: 37-41
https://pedroprado.com.br/articles/the-blind-tailor-and-biotensegrity/?lang=pb - O toque como um acesso ao psicossoma (Touch as an access to the psychosome): Trama – Revista de Psicossomática Psicanalítica, Instituto Sedes Sapientiae, number 2, November 2020
http://www.sedes.org.br/Departamentos/Revistas/psicossomatica_psicanalitica/index.php?apg=artigo_view&ida=38&c_palavra3=bertolucci
DR FERNANDO BERTOLUCCI
MD, BSc
Luiz Fernando Bertolucci, MD is a biologist and physician. Specialized in physiatry (rehabilitation medicine), Fernando also studied SI Rolfingⓒ, graduated in 1990, and started applying it in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain patients. Around five years later, Fernando started seeing unexpected responses in his patients: involuntary muscle activity could be seen and palpated during the fascia-directed manipulation. This led him to endeavour in research to study such an intriguing phenomenon. Indeed, involuntary tonic muscle activity could be detected systematically with electromyography (see published articles) when a particular style of manipulation was used. Fernando then concluded that his way to deliver the fascial manipulation changed, unconsciously, along his initial years of practice. One of the distinct features of such manual style is that it integrates the patient’s body segments in a single whole, presumably through tensioning of the fascia web -thence the name Tensegrity Touch (tensegrity: tension+integrity)-. Currently Fernando is involved, along with a team of high level researchers of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, in a new research project to investigate the possible effects of Tensegrity Touch in the CNS. The hypothesis is that Tensegrity Touch evokes instinctive auto-regulatory behaviors, related to pandiculation (stretching and yawning). In fact, in some patients the involuntary muscle activity is strong enough to produce involuntary movements which resemble such behaviors. Tensegrity Touch could then be conceived as a sort of “assisted pandiculation” and, in so being, suits both the manipulation and the auto-regulatory actions to each individual’s current needs.
Education :
- 1982: Degree in Biology, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- 1986: Degree in Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- 1988: Specialty in Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), Centro de Reabilitação da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
- 1990: Rolfing Training Certification
- 1998: Rolfing Movement Certification
- 2000: Advanced Rolfing Certification
- 1993-present: Various workshops on Rolfing or related matters (e.g.: visceral manipulation, Structural Stretchings, Somatic Experiencing, anatomy, embriology)
Clinical Experience (Rehabilitation Medicine) :
- 1989-1992: Physician at Centro de Reabilitação da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
- 1992-1998: Physician at Centro de Reabilitação da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (USP).
- 1989-present: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Physiatry) private practice.
Teaching Experience :
- 1989-2000: Teacher of Basic Sciences (kinesiology, anatomy and physiology) at ABR (Associação Brasileira de Rolfing).
- 2000-present: Rolf Institute Anatomy Faculty, classes taught in Brazil, Japan, Indonesia (Bali).
- 2001-present: Co-creator and teacher of the Systemic Myofascial Release (Unit I) training program at ABR.
- 2000-present: Various Muscle Repositioning (Tensegrity Touch) workshops taught in Brazil, Japan, Malaysia, USA, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.
- 2013-present: chair and teacher of Practices Based in the Body and Manipulation in the post-graduate program at Hospital Albert Einstein, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Symposium Presentations :
- 2007: I Fascia Research Congress, Boston, presentation: Evoking tonic reactions with myofascial touch: Moving towards objectivity?
- 2009: II Fascia Research Congress, Amsterdam, presentation: Sustained Manual Loading of the Fascial System Can Evoke Tonic Reactions: Preliminary Results.
- 2009: Muscle Repositioning workshop presented at II Fascia Research Congress, Amsterdam
- 2010: Muscle Repositioning workshop presented at the IASI (International Association of Structural Integrators) Symposium in Denver, May 2010
- 2018: Presentation: Opening of Event and Basic Notions of the Fascial System, shared with Dra Julia Greve at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20 , 2018
- 2018: Presentation: Clinical and Functional Alterations Related to Fascia shared with Dra Julia Greve at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20 , 2018
- 2018: Presentation: Manual and Movement Therapies in Myofascial Pain Treatment, shared with Dra Marta Imamura and Dr Eduardo Bracher at 1 International Fascia Meeting, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, April 20, 2018
- 2020 Presentation: “Fascia e Dor” (Fascia and Pain) at IX CINDOR (International Congress on Pain of the University of São Paulo), São Paulo, December 15, 2020
- 2021 Presentation”Manutenção da Saúde pelo Toque Terapêutico” (Health Maintenance through Therapeutic Touch) at XXVII Congresso Brasileiro de Medicina Física e Reabilitação, April 10, 2021
Publications :
Book Chapters :
- 5 Book chapters published on Rehabilitation Textbooks (peripheral nerve injury, kinesiotherapy, functional anatomy and fascia-oriented therapies)
Articles :
- Muscle Repositioning: A new verifiable approach to neuro-myofascial release? J Bodyw Mov Ther, 2008 July: 12 (3): 213-224
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19083677/ - Pandiculation: nature’s way of maintaining the functional integrity of the myofascial system? J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2011 Jul;15(3):268-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.12.006. Epub 2011 Jan 14.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21665102/ - Sustained Manual Loading of the Fascial System Can Evoke Tonic Reactions: Preliminary Results. Int J Ther Mass Bodyw Vol 3 , Number 1 , 2010
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3091427/ - Muscle repositioning: combining subjective and objective feedbacks in the teaching and practice of a reflex-based myofascial release technique. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2010 Mar 17;3(1):26-35
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21589699/ - Pandiculation: an organic way to maintain musculoskeletal health. Terra Rosa E-Magazine, DEC 2011, pages 27-34
- Manually-Evoked Tensegrity and Pandiculation, Part 1, by Bertolucci, L.F. and Lobo, A. Structural Integration, December 2016: 19-23.
https://pedroprado.com.br/articles/manually-evoked-tensegrity-and-pandiculation-part-1/?lang=pb - Anne Hoff: The Blind Taylor and Biotensegrity: an Interview with Luiz Fernando Bertolucci. Structural Integration, December 2017: 37-41
https://pedroprado.com.br/articles/the-blind-tailor-and-biotensegrity/?lang=pb - O toque como um acesso ao psicossoma (Touch as an access to the psychosome): Trama – Revista de Psicossomática Psicanalítica, Instituto Sedes Sapientiae, number 2, November 2020
http://www.sedes.org.br/Departamentos/Revistas/psicossomatica_psicanalitica/index.php?apg=artigo_view&ida=38&c_palavra3=bertolucci