FASCIA - WHY ITS CHANGING PERCEPTIONS

“WHAT IS FASCIA?”

Pronounced “Fah-shah”, it is a type of connective tissue, like tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Its web-like structure encases and enfolds our muscles, bones, organs and nerves, providing the matrix-like substrate that facilitates function and provides supportive structure to our inner terrain. It is continuous, meaning there are no breaks or separations in your fascia from the very tips of your toes to the top of your head.

Fascia responds to stimulus, and behaves in a way similar to the root system of a plant, whereby it can grow, shape-shift and modulate to different positions, pressures and prompts.

I adapts to positive and negative stimulus, and can be trained to remain healthy, elastic and smooth or it can become toxic, adhesive and rigid.

How we perceive the body, its movements and postures, has been hugely influenced by this new fascial paradigm.

The foundational work of Ida Rolf and her students such as Thomas Myers have shifted how bodywork and movement therapy approaches treatment, and now vast research into fascia and its properties is emerging through the work of leading researchers like Carla Stecco.

Through releasing tension, lifting adhesions and rehydrating the fascia through bodywork, self-myofascial release or movement therapies and exercise, you can expect to feel a greater sense of ease and freedom in movement, more range of motion, more space in your body, a feeling of buoyant lightness and an overall sense of calm and wellbeing.

Fascia that can glide has a positive effect your posture, allowing your body to suspend itself more easily in gravity.

The way we approach movement, corrective exercise, bodywork and rehabilitation is all changing in line with the principles that the research into fascia is providing.

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