We are bombarded by suggestions on how to improve health or remain healthy today. Google the words ‘improve health’ and you will see an unbelievable 1,620,000,000 results! (That’s a lot of zeroes!) From exercise tips to the never-ending stream of diets, pills, foods (good or bad), breathing techniques and much more, the list goes on and on. But has anyone ever told you to that keeping your fascia healthy is an essential part of your overall health and well-being? Well, it is and here’s why…
What is Fascia?
According to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, fascia is “a sheet of fibrous tissue that envelops the body beneath the skin; it also encloses muscles and groups of muscles and separates their several layers or groups.” But that does not tell the whole story. Fascia is actually categorized in four different types each with its own properties and functions. Superficial fascia surrounds the body and includes subcutaneous fat; deep fascia surrounds the musculoskeletal system; meningeal fascia surrounds the nervous system; visceral fascia surrounds body cavities and organs.
Why Fascia is Important
While each type of fascia plays it’s own role, in general, fascia provides a supportive and moveable wrapping for nerves and blood vessels and is very important to how we move. In fact, fascia holds the entire body together and when it’s healthy, it is flexible and supple. Conversely, unhealthy fascia is sticky, tight and flakey and causes movement restrictions and distortions like muscle knots. As with most conditions, there are many things that can lead to unhealthy fascia.
Some of those things include:
- poor posture
- overuse of muscles
- unhealthy eating habits
- poor sleep
- stress
- a sedentary lifestyle
Treating Fascia
As you might imagine, unhealthy fascia is very common. However, treating unhealthy fascia is not only easy, it is fast and it makes you feel good too. Fascial therapy, sometimes referred to as myofascial therapy, is a safe and effective stretching technique that releases tightness and pain throughout the body, often resulting in immediate relief.
Advances in Understanding Fascia
Today, more and more emphasis is being placed on the importance of maintaining healthy fascia. With all of the information coming forward, it is of little wonder that the scientific community would get involved. Numerous studies are being conducted, doctors are touting the positive effects of fascial therapy and there is even a conference dedicated entirely to fascia research, now in its fifth year. And science agrees, fascial therapy is a good for you.
If you would like to learn more about how fascial therapy can benefit you, the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center is here to help. By staying abreast of the latest research, we offer the latest techniques in fascial therapy, trigger point therapy, massage therapy and more. We are proud members of the Fascial Research Society, meeting regularly to put the latest techniques into clinical practice.