09/21/2022
Let’s talk about fascia!
Every organ in your body is covered and separated by layers of a connective tissue matrix 🕸 called Fascia. Made up of mostly collagen, healthy fascia is relaxed, wavy 〰️ and malleable, with fibers running in the same direction. It is well innervated and contains multiple types of sensory receptors including proprioceptors, nociceptors and mechanoreceptors.
The fascia around our muscles 💪 acts to reduce friction so they can glide over one another, and adds strength through its tensile properties.
If damaged, fascia layers tighten, disorganize and bundle creating points of fascial adhesions. This can restrict blood flow, limit mobility and cause ⚡️pain. Fascia can become damaged by acute injury to the tissues, repetitive overuse, or inflammation.
Perhaps the coolest 😎 thing about fascia is that it holds tension around our muscles, allowing for the transfer of mechanical energy between them. How wild is that! This effectively connects your muscles together into long chains (called kinetic chains), so they can ‘communicate’ with each other. In fact, it allows muscles at one end of the body to have an effect on every other muscle linked to that kinetic chain- there’s even a connection as far away as from the arches in your feet, up to your jaw 😳 Chronic TMJ dysfunction? The answer may be in your feet 🤯
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ This ability to transfer mechanical stress from tissue to tissue is a key 🔑 player in tissue regeneration and restructuring. Meaning, healthy fascia aids in tissue healing!!! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
So how can we keep our fascia healthy and remove adhesions? By moving our body’s regularly, eating a balanced diet and using supportive therapies as needed. Massage therapy, cupping and acupuncture are all excellent treatment options to help improve fascia adhesions, restoring mobility and strength to the surroundings tissues.
Our massage therapists Nicole and Michelle are trained in fascial release and dynamic cupping; naturopath Dr Caitlin offers acupuncture, traditional Chinese cupping and nutritional counseling; and Dr Melissa uses a Neurofunctional acupuncture approach, as well as exercise recommendations using her knowledge of functional movement and kinetic chains.
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Citations:
-Gatt A, Agarwal S, Zito PM. Anatomy, Fascia Layers. [Updated 2021 Jul 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.
-Zullo A et al. “The interplay between fascia, skeletal muscle, nerves, adipose tissue,inflammation and mechanical stress in musculoskeletal-fascial regeneration.” (2017).
