You may have heard your massage therapist or even your yoga instructor mention fascia, whilst enthusiastically explaining to you why it is so important in treating body aches, pain and dysfunction. In fact, with fascia becoming more widely talked about and understood, myofascial or fascia-release treatments are becoming more and more common in massage therapy, chiropractic and physiotherapy clinics.
Myofascial release treatment
Myofascial release treatment can be beneficial to clients wishing to create more space and balance within their body and for practitioners seeking to help restore structural integrity. Fascia is often the missing element in the movement/stability equation.
Aside seeking treatment for pain associated to postural dysfunction from a fascial-work practitioner, it is possible to help keep your fascia as healthy as possible to prevent it from becoming problematic. See our three tips below from Dr. Jess Reynolds [massagebook.com] along with explanation, on how to keep your fascial system in tip-top condition:
1. Stay Hydrated
The fascial system is comprised of fibres, cells, and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM makes up the vast majority of fascial tissue and is composed almost entirely of water. While there are many physiological reasons why we should stay hydrated, keeping the fascial system in tip-top shape is near the top of the list. When we are dehydrated, the ECM (which should be a mucus-like substance) becomes thick, sticky, and viscous. This thick stickiness in the ECM leads to fascial adhesions (layers of fascia stuck together). Maintaining proper hydration helps prevent myofascial adhesions.
2. Move Your Body
While it is essential to stay hydrated, drinking enough fluids is only part of the equation. The other part is to make sure that fluid can get to all of the tissues. The best way to do that is to move your body. As you move your body through various novel positions, such as those performed in a yoga class, fluid begins to move through the myofascial system.
Imagine squeezing some dirty water out of a used sponge. Once the pressure is released from the sponge, it can absorb fresh, clean fluid. Our bodies work in a similar way. Stretching works the same way as squeezing the sponge does. Releasing the stretch is like releasing the sponge; it allows new fluid to enter.
One other very effective way to maintain a healthy fascia is through doing “mobility” work. Mobility work involves deeper and more focused work on problem areas, often with the assistance of a tool, ball, or roller to apply pressure directly to the fascia in order to affect positive change.
3. Eat an Anti-inflammatory Diet
Diet and nutrition are loaded subjects these days, but one thing that pretty much everybody agrees on is that the “Standard American Diet” is pro-inflammatory. There are many ill effects of systemic inflammation caused by a highly inflammatory diet. When inflammation affects the fascial system, the body produces a pathological or excessive amount of collagen, a glue-like substance that binds tissues together. Excess amounts of collagen bring excess stickiness, increasing the likelihood of fascial adhesions. Similar to how dehydration can cause adhesions, system inflammation caused by a pro-inflammatory diet can also cause adhesions.
Keeping these three things in mind will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing myofascial adhesions and keep your facial system healthy.
Fascial-release treatments such as orthopaedic cupping can be added onto your massage session.
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Blog post written by Sarah Pryke for Remedial Massage Queenstown. Reference and resources published by Dr.Jess Reynolds from www.massagebook.com and Fascial Release for Structural Balance by James Earls & Thomas Myers