WHAT IS FASCIA?
... and Why Is It So Important?
FASCIA
Fascia is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs. Like ligaments, aponeuroses, and tendons, fascia is made up of fibrous connective tissue containing closely packed bundles of collagen fibers oriented in a wavy pattern parallel to the direction of pull. It is consequently flexible and able to resist great unidirectional tension forces until the wavy pattern of fibers has been straightened out by the pulling force.
It is the neuromuscular pathway that not only allows our muscles to connect and move with each other but fascia hydrates, circulates, and forms the structures for our posture. Fascia can be thought of as a web-like connective tissue that innervates and ties all of the body's systems and parts together into one cohesive unit. It is a vital and severely neglected part of human anatomy.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OUR HEALTH?
When our connective tissue, the fascia, becomes damaged, the normal formation of the webbing becomes distorted in several ways. These fascial distortions or adhesions, which are dehydrated and dense tissue, prevent the normal functions that allow our bodies to operate at full efficiency. We should be able to fully circulate blood from head to fingertips to toes, move freely without pain or inhibition, hydrate our muscles and organs fully, expel toxins, intake nutrients, breathe deeply to our full lung capacity, as well as perform many other normal bodily functions. The entire system becomes increasingly degenerated over time leading to numerous preventable diseases and symptoms.
According to the American Fascial Distortion Model Association, there are 6 principal types of fascial distortions, each with its own body language, signature presentation, and likely outcome with and without Fascial Distortion Model treatments.
Those include:
● Triggerband (TB) - most common, twisted or wrinkled fascia along structures comprised primarily of linear fibers (fascial bands, ligaments, tendons)
● Herniated Trigger points (HTP) - Abnormal protrusions of tissue through a fascial plane, top of the shoulder, deep in the glute, edge of the scapula, deep in tissues of arm and thigh, and the pelvic floor
● Continuum Distortion (CD) - Alteration of transition zone b/w ligament, tendon, or other fascia and bone, hurts in one specific spot, can occur alone or there may be many
● Folding Distortion (FD) - Three-dimensional alteration of the fascial plane, common in the tissue around joints, "an aching pain deep in the joint", joints that tend to swell/ache when weather changes
● Cylinder Distortion (CyD) - overlapping of cylindric coils of fascia, cause pain in non-jointed areas, responsible for symptoms like tingling, numbness, jumping pain, and weakness; can spread and jump to seemingly unrelated areas of the body
● Tectonic Fixation (TF) - Inability of fascial surfaces to glide, frozen shoulders, stiff backs, stiff joints
HOW ARE FASCIAL ADHESIONS FORMED?
Fascial adhesion distortions are formed from stress, poor posture, shallow breathing, unhealthy lifestyles and diets, sports injuries, and repetitive stress injuries. The distortions or adhesions vary in size and type depending on the type of injury or dysfunction that caused them, the length of time since the adhesion formed, and any additional damage that has occurred since.
Some of these include but are not limited to:
● Recent or old whiplash injuries
● Lower back stiffness/pain
● Rotator cuff problems
● IT Band syndrome/patellar tracking dysfunction
● Medial or lateral epicondylitis (golfers' elbow)
● Shin splints
● Torticollis (wry neck)
● Plantar fasciitis
● Scoliosis (functional)
● Repetitive Movements
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Tennis Elbow
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Throwing Sports
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Driving one arm
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Manual labor
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Typing
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Phone Thumb
● Excessive Sitting
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Car
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Office
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Home
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School
HOW DO WE HEAL FASCIA?
The main limitation of conventional western medicine is the fragmented consensus that the various systems of our body operate independently of each other. As a result, the medical industry has these systems segmented into separate specializations that do not correlate with each other. While changes to lifestyle, diet, and daily habits will prevent regression in the future, non-invasive reviving of the fascial tissue will be required for a period to be determined by a physical assessment and consultation.
This is where the TruFunction method comes in. Utilizing MFR (Myo-Fascial Release) to hydrate and break up the damaged fascial tissue is the first step. MFR is a manual manipulation of the various layers of fascial tissue and the surrounding area. Once the problem areas are identified a program of releasing protocols can be adapted to treat your specific adhesions.
Then once the tissues have healed enough, we can begin working on postural alignment and movement modalities to address the root cause of the dysfunctions that caused the symptoms i.e. the fascial damage and corresponding preventable disorders. The goal is to address the main cause of the dysfunctions that will radiate to the referred areas of pain and fascial distortions. This process provides long-term relief, improved posture, and revival of the other systems of the body that have been affected by the connective tissue damage.