Have you ever stretched, exercised, or received bodywork, only to find that the same tightness or discomfort keeps coming back? While there can be many reasons for this, one often-overlooked part of the body may play a role known as fascia.
Recently, there has been an increasing amount of attention on fascia because of its profound impact on our overall wellbeing. But what exactly is fascia, and how can it affect the way you feel and move?
What Is Fascia?
Fascia is a three-dimensional network of connective tissue that surrounds and connects nearly everything in your body, including your muscles, bones, organs, nerves, and blood vessels. Made primarily of collagen, elastin, and other substances, fascia provides a unique combination of strength and flexibility. It forms a continuous network throughout the body, helping different structures work together.
One of its important functions is allowing muscles and other tissues to slide and glide smoothly over one another. Fascia also contains an abundance of sensory nerve endings, making it an essential aspect in our body’s sensory network. Fascia plays an important role in proprioception, our ability to sense the position and movement of our body in space. By communicating sensory information throughout our body, fascia contributes to our overall sense of body awareness and movement.
How Can Fascia Affect You?
Our bodies constantly respond to physical and emotional stress. When we experience increased stress, we may naturally tense our muscles. Over time, this tension can contribute to creating fascial restrictions where our fascia is no longer gliding past one another freely. These restrictions can be painful and tender and can often radiate pain to other areas of the body.
How Can We Help?
Myofascial release techniques can target the fascial system to help reduce pain and improve mobility. Through sustained pressure and targeted stretching, we can work to release areas of tension and restriction, allowing the muscles and surrounding tissues to move and glide more freely.
The goal isn’t always to stretch harder—it’s to help your body move better, feel better, and function as a connected system.
-Dr. Luke Spalding, BSc., D.C.