So what’s Fascia and how does it become damaged?

 

Fascia is the most abundant form of connective tissue in the body, literally affecting all its  systems.  Every cell, tissue, tendon, muscle, bone, ligament, blood, lymph and nerve vessel, as well as every organ of the body is infused, surrounded and protected by fascia. One continuous, uninterrupted weblike 3D network that connects head to toe, fascia helps to define, support, connect and disconnect different parts of the body. It simply holds the entirety of our physical beings together. 

Healthy fascia acts to protect us, always responding to the environment we are placed in, enabling us to interact with and move through the world pain free, without restriction and in a very energy efficient way. It is a hugely sensory system, constantly sensing and communicating, helping us to know where we are in space and enabling us to stabilise our body enough to stay upright.  It communicates with and connects different parts of the body together, helping to regulate our physiology.  It also acts as a shock absorber, aiming to protect us from every impact that we encounter throughout life. Every stumble, trip, fall, injury, illness or emotional, or traumatic event or hurt impacts on the fascia and fosters the emergence and development of postural habits and tendencies.

 Healthy fascia is gel like with a high water content (60%), allowing it to stay hydrated, fluid and relaxed. The tissue can then glide freely and move without restriction.  This enables us to use our bodies without pain or restriction, creating space and allowing blood and lymph to move freely and nerves to act appropriately.   

Fascia can however tighten and become damaged, becoming bound down, dehydrated , densified  and hardened. As fascia absorbs the shocks of life it can cause pain, imbalance and discomfort, can impede and compress cardiovascular and lymph flow, put pressure on nerves and slow down the body’s healing capability.  The whole area will experience pressure, malnourishment and ultimately painful restriction in movement and at rest. Habits become reinforced with the laying down of very strong, dense tissue to replicate the pattern.   Restricted fascia and soft tissue leads to often undiagnosed pain, exhaustion and immune system dysfunction, as one restriction in the fascial system can lead to another. 

 Fascial restrictions can be caused by:

  • Physical injury

  • Inflammatory processes

  • Poor posture

  • Repetitive movements

  • Lack of movement globally, or in a part of your body

  • A history of participating in impact sports

  • Surgery and scar tissue

  • Emotional stress, or overwhelm and traumatic injury, situations, or history.

  • Emotional and physical holding patterns

  • Burns

  • Chronic injuries

  • Pain and discomfort

  • Reduced mobility

  • Deep tissue restrictions