What the F is Fascia?

…A question I get a lot when I tell someone I am a Fascial Stretch Therapist. Or else many simply misread the word and assume I perform some sort of stretching technique on the face 😅

Fascia is actually a connective tissue that is directly under your skin but also surrounds all of your muscles, organs, nerves, bones… it’s everywhere. It’s essentially a net that surrounds but also goes through everything inside your body in all directions from head to toe, front to back. Fascia provides protection to organs, joints, as well as structure and is what gives the body its shape. Picture an orange with all its juices drained.

Fascia goes through a lot. It acts as a shock absorber, responding to mechanical tensions, contractions, and trauma within the body. Since the body’s fascial fabric constitutes one single system, an issue in one area of the body can affect another. Imagine that net bunching in one corner, the other parts of the net will get tight.

Fascia also responds to neurochemical stimuli from the brain, adrenals, and nervous system. For example, when oxytocin, the feel-good hormone is released by the pituitary gland in the brain, cells within fascia cause the fascia to relax and release tension.

Fascia is what is known as an interoceptive organ. Where proprioception is one’s awareness of the body’s position in space, interception is an unconscious sense of the psychological condition of the body and its organs. It’s responsible for bodily self awareness, perceptions, interpretations and how we feel emotions in the body.  When fascia becomes damaged from physical trauma and injury, it becomes inflamed, creating pressure locally as well as systematically.  Just as fascia can hold onto physical trauma, it can also hold onto unresolved emotional trauma. Over time, the brain will “disconnect” the nervous system from parts of the body where trauma is stored to block its experience and prevent recall.  These tense, disconnected areas cannot heal, which can lead to degenerative diseases.

How do we take care and treat this tension stored in the fascia?

Luckily for us, fascia has very fluid, dynamic properties that allow for change if we are open to it.  The key is to physically relax by giving the muscles a chance to calm down before you can effectively release fascia tension. Long, slow stretches with traction such as those performed in yoga and Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) and pressure from methods of foam rolling change connective tissue, releasing chronic tension patterns lodged in tissues. This then affects the nervous system and circulation system, which can lead to the release of emotions and traumatic memories.

In either form of treatment, it is important to synchronize your breath with your movement as breath works synchronously with the nervous system to decrease tension and relax the mind. It’s also important to keep hydrated to not only moisturize the fascia but to allow proper toxin release.

What is Fascial Stretch Therapy?

Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) is a form of table-based total-body stretching that targets the joint capsule, using traction to release restrictions and to stimulate joint lubrication through varying planes of gentle movement and undulating stretching synchronized with the breath.

Fascial Stretch Therapy not only increases range of motion and flexibility, but can also offer a mind-body approach to resolving emotional issues and people can feel not only physically better, but also more “connected” to their bodies.

Other benefits of Fascial Stretch Therapy:

• Reduced Pain
• Reduced risk of injury
• Reduced compression and joint impingement
• Improved muscular function, balance and symmetry
• Improved posture
• Improved circulation
• Improved performance and energy
  

The Fascial Stretch Therapy technique was developed by Chris and Ann Frederick. For more information please visit Stretch To Win.

If you’re interested in finding out what the FST technique feels like and how it can help you, contact me to book a comprehensive intake session.