Focus on Fascia: What the Heck is it? And What is its Role in  Physiology?

by Melinda Burris Willms

The answers to these basic questions may surprise you. Precisely defining the fasciae (plural) is the subject of debate within the medical and fitness communities (more on that later). For now, we’ll stick with the standard medical definition of fascia: a network of dense, fibrous connective tissues comprised primarily of collagen. This network of body tissue is found 2mm beneath the skin and forms a protective sheath around every part of the body – big and small – encompassing every bodily system and all organs. The purpose of the fascia is to connect the body, give it shape, and protect the structure.

Fascia and Peak Performance: Posture and Movement

Prominent chiropractic physician Dr. Evan Oscar has dedicated two decades of his career to  fitness and injury prevention. In 2012, Dr. Oscar authored a book on his corrective exercise techniques, and he has developed the trademarked Integrative Movement Specialist certification.

Oscar notes that, “Developing and maintaining control of posture and movement is a necessary requirement for optimal performance while minimizing compensatory patterns that potentially lead to injury.” Obviously, athletes strive for optimal performance in competition. Remaining mindful of proper posture is vital to avoid falling into the use of compensatory patterns which shift the body out of its correct alignment and interfere with coordination and  dexterity: both of which are key motor skills athletes rely on to achieve performance goals.

      Dr. Oscar maintains that the key to achieving proper posture and movement is sustaining the balance between “the deep and superficial myofascial systems.” Achieving this balance results in correct posture and with it, the capability to execute coordinated movements that have an even flow, demand a minimum of energy and effort, and achieve precise and efficient results. Alternatively, when an imbalance exists between the outer myofascial and the deep myofascial systems, posture, coordination and performance levels suffer, and the body begins to shift its movements, attempting to cope with and adjust to the loss of equilibrium. This imbalance must be corrected to avoid worsening the existing injury and causing new damage due to shifting weight and responsibilities to parts of the body that are not designed to handle those functions.

      It is significant that other physicians and prestigious medical and fitness associations concur with Dr. Oscar’s assessment that “the intricate relationship between the nervous, muscular, and fascial [emphasis added] systems is vital in developing and maintaining control of posture and movement.”

Former professional marathon runner and current yoga instructor and co-owner of Raleigh Yoga Company in Raleigh, NC, Laura Frey, came to embrace yoga after she suffered a series of repetitive stress fractured to her shins over a five-year period. Frey recalls that her initial response to trying yoga was not enthusiastic. However, her body’s positive response to Bikram and Yin Yoga “led [her] on a professional development crusade to understand more about the body’s  substructure.”  Frey has researched the fascial systems for years, following the findings of leaders in the field by attending seminars and workshops hosted by noted experts including Gil Hedley and the International Fascia Research Congress, the leading global organization dedicated to research into human fasciae. Frey asserts the medical community has been slow to recognize the important role fascia plays in human physiology:

It has been interesting to see how the role of the fascia has changed over the years. Up until ten years ago, medical doctors did not really pay much attention to this tissue. It was the bodyworkers, physical therapists and now the yoga teachers that are [at the forefront of] bringing attention to it, and subsequently, now the medical community is becoming extremely interested.

How Fascia Reacts to Injury

Kristen Rae, a yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist currently working in the Raleigh, NC area, has studied fascia and its impact on the body. Rae encourages the following perspective on fascia:” Think of it as a protective layer that has memory based on repetitive motions. Fascia offers us a layer of protection between the deep, soft tissues and the skin; it offers us the ability to stand or sit down, walk or run, to twist to the left or to the right.” When injury, manifest by simple inflammation or more severe damage, interferes with the ability of the fascia to provide the body with the level of flexibility it usually demands, adhesions form on the thin covering of the fascia. Rae explains that the presence of these adhesions results in discomfort, often evidenced as feelings of  “[tightness and stiffness]” and an inability “to perform normal daily functions with ease.”  We experience these symptoms, ranging in severity from mild discomfort to severe pain, because the body’s normal range of motion is impeded by the inflamed fascia. This in turn causes normal movements, particularly repetitive ones, to become increasingly difficult and more painful.

Conclusion

Be sure to watch for the second installment of this series next month! Part two of this article will focus on therapy techniques directed at fascia build up to address pain from injury, assist in healing and promote maintenance of proper body balance and posture.

References

(12 June, 2018). Interview with Rae, Kristen.

(12 June, 2018). Interview with Frey, Laura.

Lucas, J. (2011). Understanding Your Fascia: Fascia May be the Missing Piece for Your Lingering Injury.

Oscar, E. (2014). The Functional Role of Fascia in Posture and Movement: Part I