Stephen Typaldos, D.O. was an American physician who was the founder of the Fascial Distortion Model, an anatomical and physiological model of medicine].
Typaldos discovered the first fascial distortion, which he called a triggerband, in September 1991 in Yuba City, CA. Later that month he discovered, defined and successfully treated herniated trigger points. The first continuum distortion was discovered in March 1992. Typaldos gave the first lecture on his discoveries in Las Vegas on March 25, 1992. By early 1993 he had envisioned folding distortions and began using the term Fascial Distortion Model. He completed writing his first three papers in April 1993 and they were subsequently published in the AAO Journal in 1994 and 1995. described only four fascial distortions and included artist’s drawings of the distortions that had come from cadaver studies in the lab. By 1995 Typaldos had discovered the other two distortions and felt that there were only six. He developed many of his early treatments working in the Emergency room setting, while employed by EMCare in Plainview, Texarkana, Ennis, and Ft. Worth, Texas from 1992 to 1996, and then later in his practice in Brewer, Maine. “The fascial distortion model is an anatomical perspective in which the underlying etiology of virtually every musculoskeletal injury is considered to be one or more of six specific pathological alterations of the body’s connecting tissues. This model not only allows for strikingly effective manipulative treatments for diverse afflictions such as pulled muscles, fractures, and frozen shoulders, but the results are objective, obvious, measurable, and immediate.” From 1992 to 2005 Typaldos presented numerous seminars in the USA and around the world as he taught physicians and international osteopaths his insights and treatments for musculoskeletal injuries and pain. In his book Typaldos hypothesized FDM treatments for preventing heart attacks and detailed his personal experience in treating patients with post-stroke paralysis. Furthermore, FDM was viewed by Typaldos as a link between fascial anatomy and orthopedic surgery, the understanding of which he believed would lead to better surgical outcomes.
Introducing the Fascial Distortion Model, American Academy of Osteopathy Journal, Vol.4, No. 2, Summer 1994: 14-18, 30-36. The Osteopath, Vol.1, No.2, Spring 1995. Triggerband Technique, AAO Journal, Vol.4, No.4, Winter 1994: 15-18, 30-33. The Osteopath, Vol.1, No.3, Summer 1995. Continuum Technique, AAO Journal, Vol.5, No.2, Summer 1995: 15-19. The Osteopath, Vol.1, No,4, Autumn 1995. Cylinder Distortions, Still Alive, December 1995. Orthopathic Medicine: The Unification of Orthopedics with Osteopathy Through the Fascial Distortion Model • First Edition, 1997, Orthopathic Global Health Publications, Brewer, ME • Second Edition, 1998, OGHP, Brewer, ME • Third Edition, 1999, OGHP, Brewer, ME • Japanese Edition, 1998, Sky East Publishing, Tokyo, Japan • German Edition, Verlag für Ganzheltiliche Medicin, Kötzting, Germany, 1999 FDM – Clinical and Theoretical Application of the Fascial Distortion Model Within the Practice of Medicine and Surgery • 2002, Orthopathic Global Health Publications, Brewer, ME • Japanese Edition, 2004, FDM Asia Association, Fukuoka, Japan
