FASCIA STRETCHING SESSIONS

For Improving Mobility and Eliminating Pain

What Is Fascia?

Fascia tissue is tough layers of fibrous, collagen-based connective tissue found throughout the whole human body. 

Fascia binds structures together (like saran wrap). It surrounds individual muscles, muscle bundles, within individual muscles, groups of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.

Fascia consists of several very thin layers. It is a Connective Tissue that is one of the most prevalent (and pain-sensitive) in the body

Fascia covers the body from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet and everything in between. It unites the musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, and nervous system. It contains closely packed bundles of wavy collagen fibers that are arranged in an organized and parallel fashion.

Fascia stretching at Bodhi Body Pilates, Whichita,KS

Critical Functions of Healthy Fascia

Fascia acts like an anatomical “girdle.” It binds and holds muscles together. It helps to maintain the proper positioning of individual muscle fibers, blood vessels, and nerves within the muscles, and prevents them from moving all over the place during movement or muscle contraction.

Fascia also helps prevent injury by evenly distributing forces and loads for uniform transmission of these forces and loads over the whole muscle.

The fascia tissue creates a uniformly smooth / slick surface that essentially lubricates the various tissues that come in contact with each other during movement. This is helps prevent friction injuries and subsequent tissue degeneration and degradation.

Fascia allows muscles to change shape as they are both stretched and shortened.

How Does Fascia Get Injured?

Injuries to fascia can occur in several ways:
1

TRAUMA

Can cause damage to the Fascia

2

Repetitive Forces

Can be damaging to the fascia if it’s continuous

3

Abnormal Posture

Can stretch the fascia incorrectly

4

Faulty Biomechanics

Issues with how muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments work together, it can affect the fascia

Sometimes you know specifically when your issues first started being a problem, but just as often you do not.

If you’ve had a injury, or surgery, scar tissue has been laid down as a part of the healing process. Your scar tissue will not be as pliable as your normal tissue, and as a result can tug and pull fascia, and muscle tissue out of functional alignment.  This can be a contributing factor to the challenge of higher risk of re-injuring any part of your body that has been compromised, and why it can sometimes take a while before you realize that an old “injury” or surgery, is a contributing factor to chronic issues or aches and pains that are happening in your body now. Incorporating fascia stretching into your fitness routine can be vital to maintaining good health.

Pilates Exercise (icon)

Want to Learn More About Fascia Stretching?

Please send me details to access to the virtual presentation: An Introduction to Fascia Stretching and the Fascia Fitness Resources from Centerworks®

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Who can Benefit from Fascia Stretching?

  • If you have posture or biomechanical issues that limit range of movement or are restricting your ability to improve posture and improve functional movement habits.
  • If you are generally healthy but still want to explore a variety of different modalities you can incorporate into your wellness plan to maintain and enhance whole-body health.
  • If you have dominant, strong muscles that “take-over” and need help learning to relax, release, and let-go, to improve mobility and help you get greater benefits from the muscle stretching exercises in your workout routine.
  • If you have chronic areas of the body that seem to always be under additional stress, and you are searching for ways to create more space inside the body and get relief.
  • If you are an athlete in any sport, looking for cross-training modalities to help reduce your risk of injury from the repetitive aspects of your sport.
  • If you have recovered fully from an accident, injury, or surgery, and your physician has provided a written release for you to resume full fitness activities (and deems that fascia stretching is safe and appropriate for your body.)
Fun fact: fascia is thought to be the Single Most PAIN-Sensitive Tissue in the Whole Body!