What is Fascia & Why does it matter?

What comprises fascia {fash-ee-uh} is a topic of ongoing debate in the fields of biomechanics, spatial medicine & fitness.  So we have a framework on which to introduce this topic, I will define fascia (also called our Interstitial system and connective tissue system) for our purposes as an entire system of the body that science just recently recognized in 2021.  Despite the tissue being literally right in front of our faces, cut and held in our hands, it remained unrecognized by the greater scientific community because it doesn't fit the way we view & treat the body.  The piecemeal way that we have sectioned the body off into specialties combined with the global nature of fascia, where not one centimeter of tissue is devoid of this shapeshifting tissue, connecting, permeating and enveloping all other structures & systems of the body.  Essentially, it is the environment everything else lives in.  If this system is not healthy, nothing held in it's structure can be healthy either.  A tremendous part of what we consider "aging" is uneven wear and tear on the body caused by restrictions in this pervasive tissue.  In fact many signs of aging we think are unavoidable, are in fact not only avoidable but they are often reversible too.  And it is not just aging, things you would never imagine would be connected to our structure, things like Parkinson's and other forms of dementia, links to certain forms of cancer, autoimmune disorders like fibromyalgia & Hashimoto's, osteopenia & osteoporosis, incontinence, pelvic prolapse & much more have connections to restrictions in our fascia.  And it doesn't end in the body, our fascia holds everything we experience emotionally & trauma is held here.  An entire field is forming around how the fascia affects & is affected by our mental health, stress & trauma as well as how to make those effects positive ones (more on fascia & mental health soon).  Because it does not fit into our system of medicine, many of us still have not heard about fascia, or still question whether it can have such tremendous effects on our health but it is one of the most important parts of the body we MUST know about if we want to maintain physical or emotional health and wellbeing.  

Fascia is a three-dimensional web of tissue that extends from  head to toe, front to back, inside to outside without interruption and is the most influential factor affecting your flexibility as well as the health and well being of every other tissue, system, even every cell in your body.  The fascial environment determines how a cell expresses its genes (more on epigenetics and fascia coming soon, make sure to sign up for updates here if you are interested) and therefore how the cell functions in the body.  In a normal,  healthy state the fascial system maintains the body in a delicate balance of stability and mobility.  With the proper amount of tension, it helps support the efficient alignment and force transfer for optimal bone health, while being elastic enough to permit full, unrestricted movement.  However when we experience physical stress (from the passage of time without caring for the fascia, poor posture/body mechanics, repetitive movement, lack of exercise, injury, surgery, disease, dehydration, over-training, and more) or emotional stress (trauma* and/or prolonged or repeated stress, can we say hello effects of the pandemic on us all?)  the fascia shortens, thickens, becomes dehydrated and tightens causing pain and restricting movement.  Over time, the accumulation of these restrictions begins exerting abnormal pressure on joints, nerves, blood vessels, and even organs and can create pain in seemingly unrelated areas of the body.  The diaphragms (yes, there are more than one) in our bodies become misaligned and the intra-abdominal pressure is shifted creating lack of blood flow and fluids to our internal organs which can contribute and sometimes cause that whole host of health issues we discussed as well as restricting our ability to breathe which alone can keep us in the stress response and unable to fully relax.  In fact, because the fascial system is the environment every other structure in the body lives in, there is a fascial component to every disease, disorder & syndrome we have researched thus far and often begins with fascial restrictions to blood or lymphatic flow to the area affected.  This underlying component is often overlooked by conventional medical practitioners because fascial restrictions do not show up on ordinary diagnostic tests and the field of fascial research is relatively new, as I mentioned it was only recognized as a system of the body by the scientific community in 2021.  Then there is the fascial component of the development of holding or guarding patterns held by the fascia which may initially be beneficial in reducing painful movement in an injured area, however, when these patterns persist for extended periods of time, they can become a permanent source of pain, limitation and inflammation (chronic inflammation being a primary source of immune dysregulation, see how all this is connected?) decreasing blood and lymphatic flow and our health and wellbeing with it.  Much of what we call "aging" can be traced back to & resolved by addressing fascial holding patterns or break downs in the fascial web that have never been addressed and end up wearing down structures in the body such as disks, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones and irritating nerves resulting in pain and immobility.  At Art of Athletics, we have compiled tens of thousands of hours of study and research around fascia and it's integrations with the rest of our bodies as well as hands on treatment & group education to provide you with the most comprehensive fascial care to support you in living your best life.  

Why does caring for my fascia matter?

In these times of such tremendous stress & transition, many of us are wondering how we can stay sane.  Taking care of our fascia provides the kind of reset you may not even know you needed.  It is absolutely a necessity for our physical & emotional health & wellbeing.  Give us a call or contact us here if you would like more information on how FST can help with your individual situation.

*Check back for more information on fascia & trauma coming here soon!