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What is Fascia?
"There is no such thing as a muscle." That is a revolutionary statement from a physical therapist with over 30 years of experience.... every muscle of the body is surrounded by a smooth fascial sheath, every muscular fascicle is surrounded by fascia, every fibril is surrounded by fascia, and every microfibril down to the cellular level is surrounded by fascia. Therefore, it is the fascia that ultimately determines the length and function of its muscular component."
-John F. Barnes, P.T.
Fascia is composed of collagen, elastin and the polysaccharide gel complex, or ground substance. These form a three-dimensional, interdependent system of strength, support, elasticity, and cushion.
"There is no such thing as a muscle." That is a revolutionary statement from a physical therapist with over 30 years of experience.... every muscle of the body is surrounded by a smooth fascial sheath, every muscular fascicle is surrounded by fascia, every fibril is surrounded by fascia, and every microfibril down to the cellular level is surrounded by fascia. Therefore, it is the fascia that ultimately determines the length and function of its muscular component."
-John F. Barnes, P.T.
Fascia is composed of collagen, elastin and the polysaccharide gel complex, or ground substance. These form a three-dimensional, interdependent system of strength, support, elasticity, and cushion.
Northside Myofascial-Release
5457 Roswell Road, Suite 104, Sandy Springs, GA
By Appointment. Phone 770-815-7942
5457 Roswell Road, Suite 104, Sandy Springs, GA
By Appointment. Phone 770-815-7942
Fascia is essentially all
of the connective tissue
in the body...
Copyright 2011, Ronald E. Reach. Georgia Massage Therapist License MT005438
Imagine the fascia in your body like a
spider's web or a sweater. It surrounds
every muscle, bone, nerve, and artery, as
well as our internal organs including the
heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. Each
part of the entire body is inextricably
connected to every other part by the
fascia, like yarn in a sweater.
What is really interesting is that fascia is an uninterrupted, three-dimensional web
of tissue that extends from head to toe, from front to back, from interior to exterior.
In a normal healthy state the fascial system maintains the body in equilibrium through a delicate balance of tension and elasticity. The fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration and has the ability to stretch and move without restriction, while still supporting the alignment of bones.
When one experiences physical trauma, emotional trauma, scarring, surgery or inflammation the fascia looses its pliability and restrictions begin to accumulate over time. These myofascial restrictions start to exert abnormal pressure on bones, joints, nerves, blood vessels and organs, which unbalance the system and create pain both locally and in seemingly unrelated areas of the body. Restrictive tissue has the ability to create up to 2,000 pounds of pressure on a single nerve. Often the true cause of pain is overlooked by conventional medical practitioners because fascia does not show up on ordinary diagnostic tests.
In a normal healthy state the fascial system maintains the body in equilibrium through a delicate balance of tension and elasticity. The fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration and has the ability to stretch and move without restriction, while still supporting the alignment of bones.
When one experiences physical trauma, emotional trauma, scarring, surgery or inflammation the fascia looses its pliability and restrictions begin to accumulate over time. These myofascial restrictions start to exert abnormal pressure on bones, joints, nerves, blood vessels and organs, which unbalance the system and create pain both locally and in seemingly unrelated areas of the body. Restrictive tissue has the ability to create up to 2,000 pounds of pressure on a single nerve. Often the true cause of pain is overlooked by conventional medical practitioners because fascia does not show up on ordinary diagnostic tests.