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What is Fascia?
Have you wondered why your internal organs don't move when you jump? Or how muscles stay in certain places? Fascia is why!
In a nutshell, fascia is a structure of connective tissue that extends like a continuous web throughout the whole body. It surrounds and holds every organ, bone and muscle in place. Think of it as an undergarment that supports all internal tissues and helps maintain the form of your body.
Not only does fascia provide internal structure; it has nerve receptors that make it almost as sensitive as skin. Let’s think about that, skin can feel a breath of wind that is gently blowing pass, and fascia can feel and respond to a touch as light as a feather moving across an arm! That is super sensitive.
Fascia is a communication highway for body chemistry, such as, neurotransmitters, hormones and inflammatory messengers. There are a number of sensory nerve receptors found in fascia, including Golgi, Pacini, Ruffini and free nerve endings (Interstitial). The first 3 hold approximately 20% of the receptors, while interstitial receptors hold the remaining 80% making them the most abundant throughout the body. Free nerve endings (Interstitial receptors) are located everywhere there is fascia, even inside bone.
General Layers of Fascia
Superficial
This layer lies just under the skin, includes collagen & elastic fibres that up make different structures in your body. It is thicker in the trunk of your body and thinner in the extremities (your arms and legs).
Deep Fascia
Covers bones, muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Can be placed into subtypes:
Aponeurotic Fascia - Thicker and separates more easily from muscle tissue.
Epimysial Fascia - Thinner and more tightly connected to muscle fibres.
Visceral Fascia - This layer covers certain organs that settle into the open spaces of your body, including, lungs, heart and stomach.
What Does Healthy Fascia Look Like?
When healthy, fascia is slippery, smooth and easily stretches with you as you move. When fascia is well hydrated, a substance called hyaluronan is produced to support the flexibility and ease of movement.
What Does Unhealthy Fascia Look Like?
As fascia dehydrates it becomes thicker and sticky, limiting ease of movement. As dehydration continues that surrounding muscles become tight as well.
Much like a spider repairing its web, our bodies have cells (myofibroblasts) that move to an area of distress and start repairing. Unfortunately, this 'binding down' may result in an area of tightness such as tension knots or scar tissue.
Fascia may become dysfunctional for a number of reasons; lack of movement, poor diet, habitual posture, inflammation and trauma (this may be physical or emotional) or due to treatments for disease.
How Can We Address Unhealthy Fascia?
Through Gentle Touch Massage we are able to address these tension spots in the fascia, assisting them to release and unwind.
Using the slow, gentle, mindful movement of Gentle Touch Massage we are able to engage your body’s natural relaxation response. By doing this we are able to dampen pain receptors and switch of the high adrenaline fight or flight response. This allows your body to move into a deeper state of calm, helping to loosen those tension spots in the unhealthy fascia.
How Can Willow Wellness Therapies Help You?
At Willow Wellness Therapies we offer a range of gentle touch therapies to support you in regaining your wellness, including massage, reiki and meditation.
Gentle Touch Wellness Massage is a treatment option perfect for clients looking to balance the stress of daily living. Also helpful for those who are looking for a integrative care option when working through a medical diagnosis such as chronic fatigue syndrome or anxiety.
We are always happy to chat at Willow Wellness about the best treatment option to suit your individual needs and goals. Please feel free to reach out anytime!
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