10/20/2025
The Cycle of Women's Fascial Tissue: A Shift in Understanding Pain
Women’s fascial tissue undergoes remarkable self-repair twice a month, fundamentally altering our comprehension of cyclical pain.
Groundbreaking research into fascia has unveiled that fibroblasts within the extracellular matrix adjust in response to hormonal variations during ovulation and menstruation.
As estrogen levels rise, the fascial system undergoes a literal transformation.
Here’s the science: collagen type 1, known for its strength and load-bearing properties, diminishes, while collagen type 3, which is more delicate and web-like, increases.
This transition enhances the elasticity of fascial tissue—crucial for accommodating changes during pregnancy and other physiological processes.
However, there’s an important caveat: collagen type 3 is susceptible to cohesion and inflammation when imbalanced. This finding may illuminate a connection between the condition of fascial tissue and PMS symptoms.
Moreover, it sheds light on why women experience higher occurrences of fascial-related issues like fibromyalgia, joint hypermobility, and cyclical patterns of pain.
Throughout our menstrual cycles, our fascial systems are constantly being reconstructed.
For bodyworkers, this insight is vital. Techniques that are effective during one phase of a client’s cycle might yield entirely different sensations a fortnight later. It’s crucial to tailor timing and methods in response to hormonal changes.
Women’s bodies are not mere variations of men’s bodies. Our fascial systems function in distinctly unique ways—this reality warrants acknowledgment, focused investigation, and refined therapeutic strategies.
This revelation has the potential to revolutionize our approach to conditions predominantly impacting women, including fibromyalgia, joint hypermobility, cyclical pain, and PMS symptoms.
By understanding that fascial tissue is responsive to hormones and is actively rebuilding throughout the menstrual cycle, we can unlock innovative possibilities for treatment timing, methodologies, and research that could significantly enhance quality of life.
This knowledge is potentially transformative for the millions of women whose symptoms have been overlooked or inadequately managed.
