Stretching, Connective Tissue, Chronic Pain, and Cancer

Dr. Helene Langevin explains the importance of connective tissue in the body and its link to the immune system. She talks about recent findings on the effects of stretching on inflammation and fibrosis and the relevance of these findings to chronic pain and cancer. Langevin is the director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. [6/2016] [Show ID: 30714]

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[aliciaevansunderwoodproduc]

Timestamp 32:55
Can we just take a moment to appreciate that this woman links Carrageenan (common food additive) to “Chronic Inflammation” and decides after her research to be more aware of what she was eating. Not to mention the crucial connections made between the immune system, cancer and the simple act of stretching.

[dedriccarroll]

As a myofascial bodywork I’m inspired and amazed at these results. Comforting to know that we may be in fact helping reduce the propagation of cancer cell. Fascinating!!

[elisabethjean]

This is so incredibly brilliant, if doctors only applied this information to their patients, there would be a lot less chronic pain conditions.

[hypatia]

This was so interesting. As someone with follicular (lymphatic) cancer that was diagnosed AFTER a car accident that left me very stiff, I will be starting yoga and stretching ASAP. Thank you!

[pinkyanacin]

As a Therapist id been sharing this video to my clients to better understand the fascia (connective tissue) I have seen a lot of chronic pain resolved and clients that had been told to have surgery ( hip and knee replacement) saved from having surgery. I am doing more research about the fascia and with the knowledge Im equipped with I am able to help more and more client set free from pain. Thank you Dr this video is highly informative.

[gladysma]

8:15 intro
24:50 cancer cells need a base, the connected tissue - tissue stroma
27:50 stretching

[Nancy-kghu]

Thank you for your information. I am a cancer thriver/surviver and struggle with inflammation and was blown off with you have "idiopathic Angioedema"
because they can't figure out what causes my inflammation (thinking allergies). The more I work out to strengthen my body the more the pain. But the more I learn, the more I am connecting the dots... S T R E T C H I N G!!! I will give stretching DAILY a try to see if helps the constant pain in my thighs and lower back. My goal for 2024 is to continue to get stronger, improve my strength and reduce fatigue, pain. This is so valuable because I work with cancer survivors (LiveStrong Program at the YMCA). Thank you for your inspiration!

[elektriksheep]

As someone who has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue this is very interesting stuff. Thank you.

[Bestdayever]

Beautiful presentation, very thorough, easy to digest and informative, thank you so much! One very important factor that in my personal experience adds to the thickening of the tissue is painkillers. As it was mentioned people who might have shoveled the snow and tore some tissue will not only rest and avoid using that part of the lumbar spine for a few days or weeks after the injury, but also, when the pain does not subside or even becomes chronic - many will reach for pain killing medicine, which thins out the blood and makes you more prone to injury and bleeding, which in turn sends a signal to your brain for your body to produce more and more protective tissue, or thicker tissue around the injury adding to the tightness and immobility of fascia. I have had numerous surgeries including c-sections and breast implants, both resulted in thickening of the tissue around the injury and laporascopy was needed after my first c section to cut the tissue around all of my organs. My implant developed a thick capsule around it and would not drop. Many post surgeries were necessary. Also after my epidural I started having chronic lower back pain, and a chiropractor told me that my connective tissue at the site of the injection is very thick. One common denominator in all of this was me consuming prescribed painkillers immediately after every injury. Observing others who chose to avoid pain medication recover naturally without such complications, I see a clear pattern of painkillers affecting connective tissue production at the site of injury.

[rhyothemisprinceps]

35:12 cute mice!
~
I am so envious of Dr Langevin's technicians ; they have my dream job - to work for a truly intelligent and curious scientist who respects both people and animals (and they get to live in Vermont!).

[EDR-ihfu]

Thank you so much from France for that speech. Finally, after years of research about chronic back pain (+back surgery L5S1), I just understood why my intuition about Yoga's practice may be a solution or almost decrease my back pain, sometimes make me disabled. Great amazing research; thank you again!

[janelee]

Stretching is an instinct for humans and animals to get ready for moving. Babies stretch and animals stretch. But as we get older we forget to stretch when we get up in the morning. Lets stretch whenever you feel stiff. 😅

[andreawisner]

Next step is to look at people who have connective tissue disorders like EDS, where the tissue is overly stretchy. These people tend to have chronic pain too, as some can hardly move without getting hurt. Many will get injured on any attempt at yoga. What is the solution? One young, overly-stretchy woman is getting needling done on a badly injured knee and is seeing real progress for the first time after 3 or 4 years of attempts at tissue replacement.

[rollinOnCode]

Wow. Amazing talk. Thanks for your hardwork and research

[dorotak]

Very interesting research! Yet another reason to practice yoga and avoid processed even yogurt. Thank you for sharing this.

[drnivinsharaf]

I agree and would gladly share that cupping is a manual stretching technique that helps alot with pain, immune system and cancer.
Would love to be part of similar research project.

[melodymundy]

This is five years ago? I’m so sad. My best friend was diagnosed with large B cell lymphoma three years ago, they did a biopsy and gave him 10 rounds of chemo and 10 rounds of radiation. After many months later his tumor had gone down to 2“ x 2“. A few months later it started to grow back. It got to 3“ x 4“ and they did a biopsy again. Now that biopsy had made it larger and it’s solid as a rock. Why didn’t they take it out or do something when it was 2 x 2 and soft and flimsy? I feel as if they just simply wanted to do more experiments just to see what that IF might happen and now he’s dealing with the IF. He has chronic inflammation. I do constant massages to him but it’s hard. So sad.

[wenjingsaf]

this lady really speaks well, and she loves her science

[Vekna]

Really fascinating!! I wonder if she has published any papers since... now I need to check.

[gladysma]

32:00 carrogeneen, 36:42 scleroderma, 48:10 cancer