Fascinating Fascia, why moving is good.

Fascia is the web of fibres and proteins that form a layer that connects the whole body. It can be seen if you dissect the body. Sometimes known as connective tissue, it connects one muscle to another.  Described as “the fuzz” in this famous video to those fascia geeks or as cotton candy or cling film. When you are tight the fascia builds up and you need to release and “melt the fuzz” or over time you will end up with an inhibition to your movement.

The theory is that tension, injury or a postural issue will affect the fascia and this then ripples out across the rest of the body along myofascial meridians. Imagine 6 people holding a sheet taut between them, a pull at one place will be felt by all of them. So that injury in your ankle will cause a build up of fascia (think thicker strands, more of them) that can have an affect higher up the body, in your opposite rib cage for example. Now it’s not new to know an injury in one part of the body can affect another. The difference here is thinking about the muscles not working in isolation but the fascia are the connections between the muscles and transmit tensions and movement through to other muscles.

So movement is good and staying static is not. Stretching and using our full range of motion is important. This is where massage and release stretches come into play. Using rollers, balls and hands to massage the fascia can that has built up in an area can be broken down. Hence why that not so comfortable roller massage is important!