The importance of taking care of your Fascia. 

What Happens When You Don’t Take Care of Your Fascia?

Fascia, the fibrous connective tissue that surrounds and intertwines with muscles, bones, and organs, plays a pivotal role in our overall health. When fascia isn’t properly maintained, it can lead to a range of issues affecting not just our physical structure but also our general wellbeing.

Consequences of Neglecting Fascia Health

• Restricted Movement and Pain: Unhealthy fascia tightens and becomes bound, leading to restricted movement. This can cause pain syndromes like myofascial pain syndrome, characterised by chronic pain in the muscles and surrounding connective tissue.
• Impact on Muscles and Joints: The fascia layers, including the superficial and deep fascial layers, provide form and function to every part of the body. Tight fascia can result in muscle and joint pain, often leading to conditions like plantar fasciitis, characterised by heel pain, or compartment syndrome, which involves increased pressure within a fascial compartment.
• Scar Tissue Formation: Unhealthy fascia can lead to the development of scar tissue, which causes further limitations in mobility and can exacerbate pain.
• Fascia and Nerve Health: Fascia plays a critical role in nerve function. When fascia becomes unhealthy, it can affect nerve capacity, potentially leading to tingling, numbness, or more severe nerve-related issues.
• Effect on Organs: Fascia surrounds organs and is involved in their support and function. Unhealthy fascia can influence organ function, potentially leading to various internal health issues.
• Reduced Sensory Function: As noted by Robert Schleip, the fascia is rich in sensory nerves. Unhealthy fascia can diminish this sensory capacity, affecting our body awareness and coordination.

Keeping Your Fascia Healthy

• Regular Movement and Stretching: Stretch frequently to maintain the elasticity of the fascia. Gentle, consistent stretching eases muscle tension and keeps the fascia supple.
• Hydration and Nutrition: Keeping hydrated helps maintain the viscoelasticity of the fascial system. Hyaluronic acid, a component of fascia, is particularly reliant on adequate hydration.
• Heat Therapy: Applying heat can help relax tight fascia, improving flexibility and reducing pain.
• Professional Therapies: Therapies such as myofascial release therapy can be effective in maintaining healthy fascia, especially for addressing specific issues like back pain or joint stiffness.
• Regular Exercise: Exercise helps maintain the structure and function of the fascial system, ensuring that it can properly contract and stretch.

More on ‘Restricted’ Fascia

Restricted fascia can cause aches and pains, imbalance and mind, body, and soul discomfort. Fascia restrictions come hand in hand with trapped nerves, which is why Chiropractic and Massage work so well together. It can also affect the efficient flow of blood and lymph, thus slowing down our bodies’ own healing power.

Surgery for example creates scar tissue. Scar tissue is a restriction. It acts as a rigid barrier within the fascial web, compressing nerves/blood vessels, inhibiting movement and restricting a fluid passageway. The result of scar tissue may manifest in physiological or physical dysfunction.

Myofascial release aims to restore these restrictions within the body and has been found to melt away scar tissue. The release can be quite profound.  Due to the fascia’s immense memory we can hold restrictions in our body for a long time without knowing.

Restoring the fascia back to its truest and happiest from can create a huge positive shift both physical and mentally.

How can we help?

At Kasa Chiropractic, our commitment is to provide you with top-notch treatment and expert advice. Conveniently situated in Clifton, Bristol, we’re here to assist you on your journey to better health. Ready to experience the difference? Simply give us a call at 0808 503 7501, or click here to book an appointment directly. Want to learn more about our range of chiropractic services? Discover more here. We look forward to welcoming you and helping you achieve your wellness goals.