What Is Fascia
& Why Is It The Most Important Organ/System In Your Entire Body For Chronic Pain, Chronic Fatigue & Immunity?
Click to read blog on Fascia titled: ‘We’re All Just Oranges’ to learn more
The Definition of Fascia is as Follows:
"The fascia is any tissue that contains features capable of responding to mechanical stimuli, everything from your tongue tongue to your blood & bones (see a full list at the bottom of this page). The fascial continuum is the result of the evolution of the perfect synergy among different tissues, liquids, and solids, capable of supporting, dividing, penetrating, feeding, and connecting all the districts of the body… The continuum constantly transmits and receives mechano-metabolic information that can influence the shape and function of the entire body."
- Foundation of Osteopathic Research and Clinical Endorsement (Bordoni et al., 2021)
What IMPACT DOES Fascia have in your body?
And What Happens When It’s Dysfunctional?
Fascia plays an integral role in:
Lymph flow & drainage
Muscular force production & tension distribution
Structural adaption to stress
Repair of every system and cell in the body
The Immune System
Emotional Stability
Chronic pain
Chronic inflammation
Chronic health conditions such as osteoporosis
Body dysmorphia
Chronic fatigue
Digestive issues
FASCIA & YOUR MECHANICS/MOVEMENT
Fascial tissues are like a body-wide web that helps distribute tension and information across different tissues. This ensures that the entire body works together smoothly in real-time.
This network is crucial for normal movement. It allows muscles, nerves, and blood vessels to glide over each other easily and enables organs to move and adjust as your body moves.
Fascia is also adaptable. It can change its structure in response to physical stress to better suit its environment (Bordoni et al., 2021).
THE EMOTIONAL INVOLVEMENT OF FASCIA
Dysfunction of the fascial system that is reinforced in everyday movements can cause an emotional alteration of the person. Body position stimulates emotional centres of the nervous system, and myo-fascial alterations lead to postural alterations.
This means the way that our posture affects our mood and it is our fascia that largely determines our posture. To take this even further, it is our biomechanics that determine the health and structure of our fascia.
Fascia is closely linked to several key bodily functions. It helps with proprioception, which is your ability to sense your body's position in space.
It's also involved in nociception, which is how you perceive pain or tissue damage. Additionally, fascia aids in interoception, your awareness of the internal state of your body (Bordoni et al., 2021).
These connections make fascia crucial for understanding and reacting to both external movements and internal sensations.
Because of the affect facia has on these factors, dysfunctional fascia can lead to dysregulation of pain perception. It can also cause distortion of one’s body image (body dysmorphia) and can have a profound emotional influence. Many quality studies and research papers support this (Bordoni et al., 2021).
Various natural therapies seek to support emotional health and resilience. Unfortunately, without addressing mechanical factors, there will never be a full resolution. Adaptogens such ashwagandha and talk therapies may help, but they only mask the underlying issues.
FASCIA, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM & CHRONIC PAIN
Incorrect fascial movement can inflame the fascia.
Fibrosis, or fibromatosis, happens when connective tissue becomes disorganised and dry.
This can result from chronic inflammation, abnormal stress on the tissues, or lack of movement.
Essentially, it’s like the fascia turning into calcified or scar-like tissue.
This alteration can start a cycle of ongoing inflammation and heightened pain sensitivity. Connective tissue is particularly sensitive to pain triggers, even more so than muscle tissue. This means that even small irritations can cause significant pain.
Many chronic conditions, such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, fibromyalgia, diabetes, always show alterations in the fascial system. These changes facial changes greatly contribute to the chronic pain experienced during these conditions (Bordoni et al., 2021).
If you suffer from chronic pain, fatigue, chronic inflammation or any other condition where you suspect fascia may be at play, please get in touch. A specialist will reach out to you promptly to discuss your current situation and various factors we can assist with.
How Can Fascial Dysfunction Lead To Chronic Pain?
Fascia can directly cause pain because it contains pain receptors. These receptors turn mechanical pressure into painful signals in the tissue that surrounds. If the pressure is wrong due to imbalances, these receptors can trigger pain.
They can also produce substances that inflame the surrounding area. The fascial system includes layers like the epineurium and perineurium, which have tiny nerves known as nervi nervorum.
When these nerves come into contact with inflammation-causing molecules, they can lead to pain. This creates a cycle that might be at the root of chronic pain.
All the fascial layers need hyaluronic acid and various other lubricants to slip one on the other. Decreased quantity of lubrication compromises the sliding of connective tissues.
Evidence suggests that the change in the viscoelasticity of the fascial system is an important cause of chronic pain.
Viscoelastic substances have a sticky consistency between liquid and solid and also being elastic.
Hyaluronic acid would become adhesive and less lubricating, altering the lines of forces within the different fascial layers. This mechanism could be one of the causes of joint stiffness and pain in the morning.
Fibroblasts, which help form connective tissue, can change the body's tension levels. This creates tension in the fascia without needing signals from the nervous system.
This contractile activity can lead to an inflammatory environment. As the number of fibroblasts increases, chronic inflammation and pain receptor sensitisation may occur.
Inflammation detected by fibroblasts can cause swelling outside the cells. This swelling increases tension and rigidity, making it hard for fascia layers to slide smoothly, leading to pain.
Pain receptor sensitisations might also result from reduced local blood flow due to fascial tension. This impairs the proper function of skeletal muscles and can lead to trigger points (Bordoni et al., 2021).
Is Chronic Fatigue A Fascial Disorder?
Chronic fatigue may be linked to the fascial system, particularly if the disorder has persisted for several years. When the fascia becomes fibrotic, or if the tissue layers don't move smoothly, bodily movements can become difficult.
These movements may be uncoordinated and produce more anaerobic metabolites. The central nervous system interprets these metabolites as fatigue. A common example of this is fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is associated with poor lymphatic drainage and various symptoms related to the fascia. Fibromyalgia is not merely a condition that affects the fascia but rather a disorder driven by dysfunctional fascia.
What Dries Out Fascia?
What Can You Do To Get Your Fascia Healthy Again?
Functional Patterns focus on enhancing your fascia to improve every aspect of your health. Fascia is crucial in preventing, managing, and even reversing chronic health conditions such as chronic pain, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue, and various immune conditions.
Our techniques and protocols aim to balance, rehydrate, and restore elasticity to your fascia. Functional Patterns movements correct fascial dysfunctions. The movements we implement foster positive adaptations in your body's health, vitality, and structure.
Research indicates that a chronic inflammatory environment, abnormal or dysfunctional mechanical stress, and immobility are primary causes of fascial dysfunction. The body adapts to its conditions. If it frequently encounters dysfunctional movements, it may respond negatively, leading to pain, fatigue, and chronic diseases.
What Is Functional vs Dysfunctional Movement & Mechanical Stress?
To put it very simply, the body has evolved to move in a certain way. This is the hierarchy of movement that functional patterns is based upon is: standing, walking, running and throwing.
Fascia responds extremely well to these movements being performed correctly. The problem is that not many people know how to perform these foundational movements well.
Functional patterns has broken down the gait cycle into its most basic components. We then to encode correct gait patterns into peoples movements through precision and repetition.
People have fairly recently developed many popular ways of moving, exercising and gaining muscle that are highly dysfunctional. These movements include the barbell deadlift and back squat.
This correlates with the increase in chronic pain, fatigue and early-onset chronic disease. A good way to tell if a movement is dysfunctional or not is the ‘gait cycle test’.
If movement does not directly make you run faster, it is likely dysfunctional. For example, back squatting 100kg will make your legs bigger, but those gains do not directly correlate to the track field. The muscles are not integrated an the movement itself negatively impacts the spine.
Conversely, immobility is key driver of fascial dysfunction. The issue is, once chronic pain and fatigue set in, people are far less likely to move. The solution is to give people postural exercises to begin with.
These Gait-based exercises are gentle on the body. They are highly precise and can undo the initial dysfunction that lead to the immobility in the first place.
People can now go from being in chronic pain and exhausted, to exercising multiple times a week pain-free. Throughout our website, we showcase our results and case studies on individuals who have undertaken this journey.
If you are searching for a 'physio pilates near me' or 'remedial massage Brisbane,' you may not find lasting relief. Pilates and massage therapy are not holistic or integrated enough to make lasting fascial changes. If you do not address the way you are moving, you will always end up back at square one.
Leave your details below and a specialist will contact you shortly to better understand your situation and needs. We respect your privacy and your time.
Mental Health Conditions & Fascia
Fascia plays a crucial role in our overall well-being, influencing both our physical and mental health.
This often-overlooked network of tissues impacts conditions that affect the body and mind alike.
Mental health issues, for example, can heighten the perception of pain linked to fascial tension. This underscores the importance of a holistic treatment approach that considers the mind-body connection.
Conditions like adrenal fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) demonstrate the deep connection between our fascial health and the body's stress response. This highlights the importance of exploring the role of fascia in systemic health issues.
A 2021 study (PMC8688142) explores how the fascial system impacts mental health, particularly depression. Here's a simplified summary of the key findings and their implications:
Connection Between Fascia and Depression:
The study found that people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) have stiffer and less elastic myofascial tissues in their neck and upper back compared to non-depressed individuals.
According to the study, Improving the condition of these myo-fascial tissues can positively affect MDD.
Stiffness and inflexibility in fascia may enhance the feeling of pain and deepen depression. The state of the fascia might create a cycle where poor fascial health continues to feed into the symptoms of depression.
Related research indicates that people with depression often feel their bodies as rigid and blocking. This supports the idea that physical fascial health can mirror and affect mental health states.
The study suggests a strong link between fascial health and depression. The fascial system could play a crucial role in both developing and maintaining depressive disorders. This could lead to innovative treatment options that consider the interaction between the body's physical state and mental health.
plantar fascia
Among the common health issues linked to fascia is plantar fasciitis. It affects the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot.
In the search for plantar fasciitis specialists in Brisbane, you may struggle to find movement based practitioners. 'Myofascial release near me' and 'stretching classes near me' seem to infiltrate the search for fascial relief. Most practitioners will focus on this single part of the body.
Plantar fasciitis illustrates how fascial problems lead to significant pain and mobility issues, reinforcing the importance of holistic treatments.
Foam rollers have gained popularity as an effective tool for managing and alleviating fascial tension.
Regular use of a foam roller, or even better - a hard massage ball, can help break down the fibrous connective tissue adhesions. It can improve flexibility and reducing discomfort in the plantar fascia.
However, we need to address WHY the fascia is dysfunctional in the first place. As always, you need to address the root cause of the dehydrated fascia. Looking at the entire body system, improving movements quality and improving posture are vital.
Over the past 20 years, the scientific community has taken a special interest in understanding the fascia's pivotal role in health and disease. This growing body of research underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to treating fascial-related health issues, incorporating strategies to address mental health, physical therapy, and nutritional guidance. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the fascia, from the superficial layers to the deep visceral fascia, it becomes increasingly clear that a holistic view of fascial health is essential for developing effective treatment plans that address the wide range of conditions that affect this vital tissue.
What Happens When People Focus On Fascia?
FOOTNOTE: Key Areas of Fascia & Fascial Involvement:
The epidermis, dermis (skin), fat, blood, lymph, blood and lymphatic vessels, tissue covering the nervous filaments, voluntary striated muscle fibers and the tissue covering and permeating it, ligaments, tendons, aponeurosis (a type of deep fascia that attaches sheet-like muscles needing a wide area of attachment), cartilage, bones, meninges, involuntary striated musculature and involuntary smooth muscle (all viscera derived from the mesoderm), visceral ligaments, epiploon (a large apron-like fold that hangs down from the stomach), peritoneum, and tongue (Bordoni et al., 2021).