What's The Deal With Fascia?

Fascia has been a hot topic over the last few years - but what IS it exactly?

Simply put, fascia is the Saran wrap that holds everything together. It is a thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. This tissue does more than provide internal structure; fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. It is composed of a stringy, white material made mostly of collagen. Collagen is the protein that provides strength and flexibility to our tissues. Fascia is soft, loose and made up of multiple layers, with a liquid called hyaluronan (aka hyaluronic acid) between each layer.

So why all the hype recently? Well, the research is fairly new regarding all of fascia's functions. This tissue has not traditionally been studied for as long as our muscles, tendons, bones, and other bodily structures. 19th century scientists actually discarded this tissue when studying cadavers and dissection specimens because it got in the way of viewing the deeper structures of the body. Recently, though, researchers have begun to take a fresh look at fascia and are finding that it is quite fascia-nating (see what I did there?) Rather, it may be a new type of sensory organ, displaying activity that explains some of the links between lifestyle and health.

One way to think of it is to imagine you are wearing a really tight shirt (probably one of those Dri-Fit material things). It already fits very snugly, but has enough stretch to allow you to move around. However, if you were to tie a knot in the material on one side, your movement on the opposite side would be noticeably restricted. That's how it works with fascia - an injury or tightness in any area of the body can restrict movement and cause tension or pain in another area.

How can you keep your fascia healthy? Here are a few ways:

1. Stay hydrated! When you are dehydrated, the fascial tissue can dry out and become sticky, restricting the movement of the body's other tissues. Kind of like when you walk into a spiderweb and it sticks to your face. Annoying, right?

2. Stay active! Stretching and moving the body regularly help keep the fascia supple. Yoga is a great way to do this.

3. Maintain good posture! Slumping over can cause your fascia to tighten.

4. Have regular massages, including myofascial release therapy! Manipulation of the tissues can help break up any fascial adhesions (places where the fascia has become restricted) and relieve pain.

   
   
   
   

This is a super-magnified image of actual human fascia.