Evolutionary movement #2

I've already talked about how mammalian movement has evolved: from an dorsal/ventral undulation that we see in a worm, to the addition of lateral spinal bending that we see in fish, snakes and reptiles, to the anterior/posterior movement of the legs and arms that we see in mammals. These three movements are not only 3 distinct movements but are also a integration of one on the other. In other words, the primitive movement of the worm is still present in the body and contributes to the amphibian movement. The summation of the previous two, worm + amphibian, plus a change in leg position = the mammalian movement.(The mammalian leg position, under the body rather than to the side of it, as in a reptile, predicates the mammalian movement.)
Since the mammalian movement is the highest order--at least to us--or most complicated, it depends on the foundation of the other two being present for it to occur. If there is a deviation or loss in one of the lower two movements the higher ordered one can not occur. While the lower two movements are always present they are usually hidden by the higher order movement.
The reason that I am interested in this, is the implications it has for the therapeutic intervention we choose. When we see these "lower" movements in a quadruped or biped this indicates that there is some thing restricting the higher movement. If we can see the parts rather than the sum--the sum being mammalian movement--then that implies that there is some disruption of the summation function. If we can determine where and what is disrupting this summation we can potentially make more informed therapeutic interventions. This seems like a worthwhile endeavor to me.
The key to being able to "see" where the dysfunction is and, therefore, where we can intervene therapeutically, is in understanding the relationship between the spinal movements and their place or sequence in evolution.
For reference you may want to read Phillip Greenman's "Principles of Manual Medicine", Luigi Stecco's "Fascial Manipulation for Musculoskeletal Pain" and Serge Gracovetsky's "The Spinal Engine".
The spine has the following movements: Flexion/Extension, Lateral or side to side Bending and Rotation. Two of these are "coupled", which means that when one occurs the other occurs as well. The third is the product of the first two occuring. If one laterally bends the spine the coupled motion of rotation also occurs, with these two occuring there will be a flexion as well. The coupled movements occur due to the spinal mechanics, which is dependent on the anatomical barriers of the spinal vertebrae, their form or structure. The third movement occurs as a physical law applying to a semi-rigid column. (I'm making a video of this principle for the new website www.animalsi.com and for the upcoming equine myofascial massage/release video.)
I'm going to stop here, the key points are simple:
Mammalian movement is the summation of 3 evolutionary movements.
Mammalian movement, as a pattern, will be absent in the presence of a restriction. (The restriction is probably in the spine.)
The more "severe" the restriction the further backwards in evolution the movement will be. (This is the summation collolary: if mammalian movement is the summation of two early movements worm and reptile, then reptile movement is built on the worm like one. Therefore the restriction of the mammalian movement will result in a reptile like movement and the suppression of this will result in the worm like movement. This isn't a negative in itself, it is the body's seeking the most efficient movement for it has available. In other words there is no struggle in this.)
I'll write more as the investigation reveals more to write about. If you want to comment on this please do.