Hey there, massage enthusiasts! As a massage therapist, I have dedicated countless hours to kneading, pressing and working through dense muscle tissue. Obviously, right? I mean, addressing muscle dysfunction is often the reason you book a massage. While working out the kinks in your muscles is often your main focus, it’s important to understand that your massage therapist will be working on more than just your muscles. We have to work through layers of soft tissue first, and those layers are just as important to address. Today we’re talking about the behind-the-scenes star of the show: fascia. We’ll dive deep into this
fascinating web of connective tissue, exploring what it is, what its functions in the body are, why it’s crucial for you to have healthy fascia and the practical steps for keeping your fascia in tip top shape.

Demystifying Fascia: What the heck is it?
Fascia (pronounced “fah-sha”) is like the unseen scaffolding of your body. It’s a continuous web of connective tissue that envelopes, supports and interconnects everything internally from head to toe. It acts as the glue that keeps your muscles, bones, organs, blood vessels and nerves in their designated places. Its main components are collagen, the gluey cellular
matrix that binds tissues together produced by specialized cells called fibroblasts, as well as elastin, a key protein in the extracellular matrix that provides resilience and elasticity to soft tissue. Although fascia appears to be a single layer of tissue, it’s actually made up of multiple layers with liquid in between called hyaluronan. This acts as a lubricant that helps you
stretch as you move. Imagine your fascia as a 3D spider web, intricately woven covering every nook and cranny under your skin. Without it, you’d be a shapeless entity lacking the structure and synergy that defines your wonderful human form. Believe me when I say, fascia is everything!

Five Fantastic Functions of Fascia
Now that you have a basic understanding of what fascia is, let’s talk about what it actually does. You’ll see that fascia has various functions which truly make it an indispensable part of your body’s performance.

1. Structural Support Throughout the Body.

Fascia holds muscles together, allowing them to contract and stretch. It surrounds every single muscle fiber, individual muscles as well as entire muscle groups ensuring they maintain their shape and
function. It also helps keep joints stable, helps with functional movement by reducing friction between structures, and supports your organs so they don’t sag or shift out of place. Fascia literally surrounds your entire anatomy!

2. Muscle Coordination.

Fascia doesn’t just hold things together; it also plays a vital role in ensuring that every muscle contracts and relaxes at just the right time, working seamlessly to contribute to smooth, coordinated movements. It also stores kinetic
energy, releasing it when needed, enhancing the efficiency of muscle contractions.

3. Pain Perception and Proprioception.

Fascia is loaded with sensory nerves, acting as your body’s first warning system. When something’s amiss, like a muscle strain or inflammation, it sends pain signals to your brain, making sure you’re aware of the issue. It provides major feedback about our body’s spatial orientation, as well as joint position and movement.

4. Facilitating Blood Flow and Nutrient Delivery.

Fascia is so far reaching, it even weaves around your blood vessels. It ensures they stay just where they should while still allowing them the ability to move so they can deliver oxygen and nutrients to your
muscles and organs.

5. Tissue Repair and Regeneration.

Fascia provides structural support for injured tissue, and helps maintain its integrity when in the healing process. Specialized cells called fibroblasts migrate to the damaged area, where they utilize the fascial
framework to deposit collagen fibers. These fibers knit the tissue together, and in some cases when the damage is significant enough, will form scar tissue. These densely packed collagen fibers result in fascia that is not as flexible or functional as it
would typically be. If you’ve ever felt “stuck’ or have limited range of motion, there’s a good chance that you need to give your fascia a little extra love.

Healthy Fascia is Happy Fascia
So now that we got into the science of what fascia is and what it does, we’re going to talk about why it’s crucial to have healthy fascia, and how you can cultivate it.

The Why:

1. Improved Mobility.

Healthy fascia is pliable and elastic, and will allow for full range of motion. Tight, rigid fascia restricts movement and causes discomfort. Who doesn’t want to be able to move their body with ease?

2. Injury Prevention.

When fascia is properly maintained, it acts as a protective shield against injuries by providing support to muscles and joints. This reduces your risk of sprains, strains, or tears.

3. Chronic Pain Relief.

If you have chronic pain, you can bet that the root of the issue is caused by fascial restrictions. By taking care of your fascia, you can alleviate pain from conditions like fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. This also goes for a
simple chronic issue, like shoulder or hip pain.

4. Increased Circulation.

Blood flow is oh so important, and healthy fascia plays a big role in making sure that muscles get the proper amount of oxygen and nutrients. This leads to overall improved performance and recovery.

5. A bodywork session that’s more enjoyable.

Healthy fascia means your massage therapist is able to work through your fascia more quickly and efficiently, which makes it easier to reach the layer of muscle tissue and address the dysfunction
there. This also allows for a more enjoyable session (as in it will hurt less), and gives you the opportunity to zone out and relax.

The How:
1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I know you hear this after every single session but staying hydrated throughout the day makes a huge impact on how your soft tissues function. Dehydration causes fascia to become sticky and less pliable. If you remember, fascia is made up of many layers of the liquid hyaluronan, the lubricant that helps you stretch as you move. Drinking water increases production of hyaluronan.

2. Move more. It’s really that simple. Prolonged periods of inactivity causes fascial stiffness and dysfunction. Whether you walk, dance, or do yoga, the goal should be to create movement and increase blood flow. In addition, be mindful of your posture.
Sitting at a desk, hunched over a computer all day, for example, leads to fascial restrictions in the neck, back, and shoulders.3.

3. Streeeeeeeeetch! Though stretching is movement, it deserves its own bullet point. There are different ways to stretch, and those ways have their own unique benefits. A quick, warm up or cool down stretch is great for preventing injuries or reducing
muscle stiffness but long, deep stretching really targets your fascia. If this is your goal, you need to move slowly, breathe deeply and take your time. Fascial tissue takes about 90 seconds of continuous pull for those fibers to fully relax and separate.
You’ll know when you’re targeting your fascia during a stretch, because it will feel as if your skin is being pulled tightly. Like I said, take your time. Do your best to aim for that 90 seconds of stretching. “Restorative yoga” classes often focus on releasing
fascial restrictions, and are a really calm and relaxing way to do so. Myofascial release tools like foam rollers or massage balls are also great for lengthening and loosening fascia.

4. Don’t stress it. Reducing stress is vital for your overall well being, but did you realize your stress levels affect your fascia? Stress triggers your body’s fight or flight response, which causes muscle contractions (muscle tension), fascial adhesions
(“knots”) and inflammation. Stress increases the perception of pain, and since fascia is full of sensory nerves, it amplifies the sensation of pain, particularly in areas where dysfunction already exists.

Your Fascia: The Final Stretch
In our exploration of fascia, we discovered what it was, how it functions, and the why’s and how’s of maintaining healthy tissue. We determined that the health of your fascia not only impacts your physical being, but also intertwines with your emotional and mental state. By following the tips I’ve shared and incorporating them into your daily life, you will keep your
fascia in tip top shape, ensuring that it continues to support, protect and coordinate your every move. As a massage therapist, I have witnessed first hand the transformative power of understanding and nurturing your fasci. Take care of your fascia, and it will take care of you.

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