What exactly is fascia?
In the simplest of terms, fascia is an opaque connective tissue covering muscle tissue. … The fascia from one muscle then connects with the fascia from other muscles and forms a network of connective tissue that integrates from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. When he is talking about ‘fuzz‘, he’s talking about the fascia that surrounds muscles and other tissues. … This wet membranous fascia allows tissues to slide and glide over one another. Elasticity is a very important component to fascia and that certainly influences our flexibility.
What is fascia buildup?
Removing Excessive Fascia. Fascia is a plastic-like material that surrounds your muscles and other soft tissues. The fascia’s rubber band-like qualities return your body to an original position after being elongated. … This thinning of the excessive build-up of fascia frees the body to move optimally.
What does fascia mean in medical terms?
Fascia: A flat band of tissue below the skin that covers underlying tissues and separates different layers of tissue. Fascia also encloses muscles.
What causes the fascia to harden?
Factors that cause the fascia to become gummy and crinkle up (called adhesion) include A lifestyle of limited physical activity (too little movement day after day) Repetitive movement that overworks one part of the body. Trauma such as surgery or injury.
What is myofascial tissue?
Myofascial tissue is a type of thin, strong, fibrous connective tissue that extends throughout your body to provide support and protection to your muscles and bones. Myofascial tissue fibers are made up of collagen and elastin fibers that are arranged in a web-like structure and that are suspended in a fluid called a ground substance. With a tensile strength of more than 2000 pounds, it provides strong support for the muscles, while at the same time allowing for flexibility. You can think of myofascial tissue as being similar to a mesh bag that contains your groceries. It is pliable and can expand and contract as the contents of the bag change. It envelops your body like a wet suit, from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.
Dr. Janet Travell first used the term myofascial in the 1940s in reference to problems with musculoskeletal pain and what are called trigger points. Travell is the author of Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual, a seminal reference work for practitioners of trigger point therapy. Myofascial release involves the use of a practitioner’s elbows, knuckles, or other tools to slowly stretch out the tightened myofascial tissue, thus removing knots and adhesions.
Healthy myofascial tissue is soft and relaxed, however, trauma and inflammation to the tissue can cause it to become tight and more rigid, and knots or adhesions can develop in the tissue that can cause a restriction in motion and lead to the development of “trigger points” that can cause pain anywhere in the body. Chronic neck and back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, difficulty breathing, and reduced flexibility may all be due to a problem in the myofascial tissue.
Trauma from whiplash, a fall, the effects of surgery, or chronic bad posture are some of the things that can contribute to myofascial pain syndrome. But it’s not just physical stress such as injury and illness that can cause the myofascial tissues to tighten. Emotional stress can have the same effect. This tightening can cause increased pressure on the muscles, nerves, and organs that lead to chronic pain.
Affected tissue may thicken and harden in response to inflammation caused by collagen accumulation. … This syndrome abruptly caused severe, disabling, chronic muscle pain (myalgia); skin symptoms such as inflammation of the tough band of fibrous tissue beneath the skin (fascia); and other neurotoxic reactions.
What is Fuzz?
Everything is hooked together with everything else with ‘fuzz’ – areolar tissue that mixes collagen fibers with GAGs (glycoproteins, mucous) and often is liberally spiced with fat cells.
Yes, the ‘fuzz’ you see in an embalmed cadaver is dryer and more fixed than it is in the untreated tissue, and the fuzz in untreated tissue is probably less moveable than it seems to be in ‘animated’ tissue – this is based on feeling many living bodies as well as trying to ‘work’ on the untreated cadavers. But without a doubt, everything is held together with fascia – much more than the books usually reveal.
Further Reading
Below is From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| F | |
|---|---|
| The rectus sheath, an example of a fascia. | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | mesenchyme |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | fascia |
| MeSH | D005205 |
| FMA | 30318 |
| Anatomical terminology[edit on Wikidata] |
A fascia (/ˈfæʃ(i)ə/; plural fasciae /ˈfæʃii/; adjective fascial; from Latin: “band”) is a band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, beneath the skin that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs.[1] Fascia is classified by layer, as superficial fascia, deep fascia, and visceral or parietalfascia, or by its function and anatomical location.
Like ligaments, aponeuroses, and tendons, fascia is made up of fibrous connective tissue containing closely packed bundles of collagen fibers oriented in a wavy pattern parallel to the direction of pull. Fascia is consequently flexible and able to resist great unidirectional tension forces until the wavy pattern of fibers has been straightened out by the pulling force. These collagen fibers are produced by fibroblasts located within the fascia.[1]
Fasciae are similar to ligaments and tendons as they have collagen as their major component. They differ in their location and function: ligaments join one bone to another bone, tendons join muscle to bone, and fasciae surround muscles and other structures.
Structure
There exists some controversy about what structures are considered “fascia”, and how fascia should be classified.[2] The two most common systems are:
- The one specified in the 1983 edition of Nomina Anatomica (NA 1983)
- The one specified in the 1997 edition of Terminologia Anatomica (TA 1997)
| NA 1983 | TA 1997 | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superficial fascia | (not considered fascia in this system) | This is found in the subcutis in most regions of the body, blending with the reticular layer of the dermis.[3] | Fascia of Scarpa |
| Deep fascia | Fascia of muscles | This is the dense fibrous connective tissue that interpenetrates and surrounds the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body. | Transverse fascia |
| Visceral fascia | Visceral fascia, parietal fascia | This suspends the organs within their cavities and wraps them in layers of connective tissue membranes. | Pericardium |
Superficial fascia
Superficial fascia is the lowermost layer of the skin in nearly all of the regions of the body, that blends with the reticular dermis layer.[4] It is present on the face, over the upper portion of the sternocleidomastoid, at the nape of the neck, and overlying the breastbone.[5] It consists mainly of loose areolar, and fatty adipose connective tissue and is the layer that primarily determines the shape of a body.[citation needed] In addition to its subcutaneous presence, superficial fascia surrounds organs and glands, neurovascular bundles, and is found at many other locations where it fills otherwise unoccupied space. It serves as a storage medium of fat and water; as a passageway for lymph, nerve, and blood vessels; and as a protective padding to cushion and insulate.[6]
Superficial fascia is present but does not contain fat, in the eyelid, ear, scrotum, penis, and clitoris.[7]
Due to its viscoelastic properties, superficial fascia can stretch to accommodate the deposition of adipose that accompanies both ordinary and prenatal weight gain. After pregnancy and weight loss, the superficial fascia slowly reverts to its original level of tension.
Visceral fascia
Visceral fascia (also called subserous fascia) suspends the organs within their cavities and wraps them in layers of connective tissue membranes. Each of the organs is covered in a double layer of fascia; these layers are separated by a thin serous membrane.
- The outermost wall of the organ is known as the parietal layer
- The skin of the organ is known as the visceral layer. The organs have specialized names for their visceral fasciae. In the brain, they are known as meninges; in the heart, they are known as pericardia; in the lungs, they are known as pleurae; and in the abdomen, they are known as peritonea.[8]
Visceral fascia is less extensible than superficial fascia. Due to its suspensory role of the organs, it needs to maintain its tone rather consistently. If it is too lax, it contributes to organ prolapse, yet if it is hypertonic, it restricts proper organ motility.[9]
Deep fascia
Main article: Deep fascia
Deep fascia is a layer of dense fibrous connective tissue that surrounds individual muscles, and also divides groups of muscles into fascial compartments. This fascia has a high density of elastin fiber that determines its extensibility or resilience.[10] Deep fascia was originally considered to be essentially avascular. However, more recent investigations confirmed a rich presence of thin blood vessels.[11] Deep fascia is also richly supplied with sensory receptors.[12] Examples of deep fascia are fascia lata, fascia cruris, brachial fascia, plantar fascia, thoracolumbar fascia, and Buck’s fascia.
Function
Fasciae were traditionally thought of as passive structures that transmit mechanical tension generated by muscular activities or external forces throughout the body. An important function of muscle fasciae is to reduce the friction of muscular force. In doing so, fasciae provide a supportive and movable wrapping for nerves and blood vessels as they pass through and between muscles.[13] Fascial tissues are frequently innervated by sensory nerve endings. These include myelinated as well as unmyelinated nerves. Based on this a proprioceptive, nociceptive, as well as interoceptive function of fascia, has been postulated.[14] Fascial tissues – particularly those with tendinous or aponeurotic properties – are also able to store and release elastic potential energy.
Clinical significance
Fascia becomes important clinically when it loses stiffness, becomes too stiff, or has decreased shearing ability.[15] When inflammatory fasciitis or trauma causes fibrosis and adhesions, fascial tissue fails to differentiate the adjacent structures effectively. This can happen after surgery where the fascia has been incised and healing includes a scar that traverses the surrounding structures.
Anatomical compartments
Main article: Fascial compartment
A fascial compartment is a section within the body that contains muscles and nerves and is surrounded by fascia. In the human body, the limbs can each be divided into two segments – the upper limb can be divided into the arm and the forearm and the sectional compartments of both of these – the fascial compartments of the arm and the fascial compartments of the forearm contain an anterior and a posterior compartment. Likewise, the lower limbs can be divided into two segments – the leg and the thigh and these contain the fascial compartments of the leg and the fascial compartments of the thigh.
A fasciotomy may be used to relieve compartment syndrome as a result of high pressure within a fascial compartment.
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Why is fascia massage important to massage therapy?
It breaks down adhesions between the tissues and softens and re-aligns them, freeing up muscles and allowing easier and more effective movement. … Movement and massage therapy plays an important role in keeping connective tissue hydrated and mobile.
What is the difference between myofascial release and deep tissue massage?
What’s the difference between deep tissue massage and myofascial release? Techniques that utilize deep-tissue/deep-muscle massage are used to affect the sub-layer of musculature—the deeper layers of muscle. … Restricted fascia will not allow the muscle it encases to relax into proper function.
How do you loosen tight fascia?
USE A FOAM ROLLER: Like stretching, using a foam roller on your fascia is different than on your muscles. Be gentle and slow in your movements, and when you find an area of tension hold sustained pressure for three to five minutes. You may practice self-massage with the same rules.
How could a fascia massage therapist help?
Massage therapists can help with a technique called Myofascial Release that uses sustained pressure to loosen and lengthen constricted fascia. It breaks down adhesions between the tissues and softens and re-aligns them, freeing up muscles and allowing easier and more effective movement. Myofascial Release can improve posture, ease areas of muscle tension and improve flexibility.
Movement and massage therapy plays an important role in keeping connective tissue hydrated and mobile. When we are in similar postures for prolonged periods of time, such as sitting and working at a desk or on a computer, our bodies adapt to support these positions, and the fascia becomes tight if we do not undertake to compensate movement or therapies.
Here are some key activities for fascia care:
- stretch or move often
- take quick breaks away from the computer to move more regularly throughout the day
- stay hydrated
- yoga
- Thai massage
- fascia stretch therapy
- myofascial release therapy
- foam rolling
- massage therapy
*Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription of any kind. The decision to use, or not to use, any information is the sole responsibility of the reader. These statements are not expressions of legal opinion relative to the scope of practice, medical diagnosis, or medical advice, nor do they represent an endorsement of any product, company, or specific massage therapy technique, modality, or approach. All trademarks, registered trademarks, brand names, registered brand names, logos, and company logos referenced in this post are the property of their owners.
