Many of you may have heard of the term “fascia” before. Over the last few years, “Fascial Stretch Therapists” (F.S.T) have gained popularity in the fitness and Kinesiology fields. In fact, your Registered Massage Therapist (R.M.T) may have already thrown around the term myofascial release or even suggested incorporating fascial techniques into your hands-on sessions. It’s possible you might have even suffered from a common condition called plantar fasciitis. So, the question remains, what is fascia?
To best explain fascia, try picturing a form of netting, webbing, a sort of glue or bandage. It’s actually a dense sheet, or band, of irregular connective tissue that lines the body wall and limbs, supporting and surrounding muscle groups that perform similar functions. It is strong yet mobile. Picture a spiderweb, intricately interwoven silk threads; this intricate interwoven network runs throughout our entire bodies acting like a web, holding us together.
The appearance of fascia throughout the body can differ greatly, ranging from quite thick, mimicking muscles such as the fascia making up the plantar fascia of the foot; it can also be quite thin and broad such as the thoracolumbar fascia of the lower back. Important to note is that when fascia is tight and inflexible it can pull on other structures within the body, causing tension, pain and decreased range of motion.
Factors that can affect fascia:
⦁ Repetitive movement
⦁ Sedentary lifestyle (little to no daily movement)
⦁ Trauma including surgery or injury (ex. post C-section)
⦁ Postural imbalances
⦁ Inflammation
⦁ Pathology
The benefits of regular body work, or preventative maintenance as I like to describe to patients, is so important in maintaining the health of your muscles, tissues and fascia. Keeping these integral tissues in consideration for your fitness and overall health, and getting manual work done, the fascia will become more pliable, your range of motion will increase, you will begin to experience a decrease in pain and discomfort and it will eventually increase the flow of the lymphatic fluid. This can lead to decreased inflammation and swelling.
Regardless if you are feeling specific discomfort in a particular bodily area, preventative work can be performed. Each individual responds differently to each modality (ex. myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cupping, active release therapy, acupuncture and so on). Whether you see a Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, Acupuncturist, Registered Massage Therapist or Fascial Stretch Therapist, listen to your body!
At your next appointment ask your practitioner about fascial work or try a session with a Fascial Stretch Therapist – I’m sure you will not be disappointed!
Author: Lesley Andress R.M.T