Fascia – what exactly is it?
Fascia is a fibrous web-like tissue that covers our muscles, nerves and organs. Remember the last time you ate an orange? The peel is synonymous with our skin. Our muscles, nerves and organs equate to the actual fruit. The white material that separates the different orange slices, that is our fascia.
Quite a bit of research has gone into this area as of late, and we are beginning to understand just how important this anatomical structure is to our physiological function. Fascia, it turns out, is highly responsible for maintaining the structure of our muscles, joints, tendons and bones. Just like these other tissues, fascia can also be injured. It can stretch, fold, wrinkle, and even tear. When this happens, fascia tends to heal as scar tissue. This scar tissue is less pliable than normal fascial tissues as it contains a criss-crossing of fibrous tissues. Myofascial release, specifically the Active Release Techniques that we perform at JH Backcountry Health, helps to realign those fibers returning the fascia tissue to its normal function.
What kind of issues can fascial adhesions cause?
Headaches
Joint pain
Plantar fasciitis and other foot pains
Nerve entrapments such as carpal tunnel
Limited mobility
Diminished athletic performance
So hop on our schedule to get these issues resolved!
